Monday, May 25, 2009

CGC ... Aaargh!



There's a surprising amount of pressure when you have a service dog at your side, especially when it comes to any type of training.  I can fairly state that it is widely assumed that service dogs are inherently good (they are) and intuitively well behaved (they aren't.)  

There's no question that Charlie is a special dog.  I attribute that to intelligent breeding and excellent early socialization by all the folks at North Star.  Plus, I'd be ignoring the obvious fact that he is a golden retriever, a breed known for its docile and friendly demeanor.  However, that doesn't mean that they are born with good manners.  That's what training classes are for.

In order for Charlie to become fully certified as a public access service animal he needs to pass a test known as the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Test.  It's generally administered by a dog training professional and is comprised of ten separate mini-tests which range from commands like "sit" and "stay" to traveling through a crowd without showing anything more than passing interest in anyone other than the handler.   It really doesn't sound terribly problematic, especially when you've had the advantage of expert training and a well bred dog.   

We failed.

Going into the test Charlie sailed through the first 6 parts, confidently sitting, staying, and even being separated from me for 5 minutes without so much as a whimper.  Then came our nemesis:   the stranger with a leashed dog.   He couldn't help himself.  Friendliness is in his blood!  He just wanted to make sure that other person's dog was having a great day so he basically leaped across the room, pulling me behind him, as he made his way to the unsuspecting lab at the end of the other leash.  ugh.

I don't blame Chuck for this failure.  After all, he's still a big puppy - in fact, he was the youngest one in our class.  Furthermore, the only way he's going to get over his need to greet other dogs is to have opportunities to practice restraint, which he needs me to do.  I have to shamefully admit my failure in that department.  We've had great training and we've got a well bred dog but without the significant time commitment from the handler (me), how could I ever expect him to pass?  

So, now we're re-grouping and getting back to work on the hard things.  We can re-take the test any time and once we pass (which we eventually will - I'm quite certain of that) then we will be just a few short hours away from earning our full service credentials which means unfettered public access for Charlie.  It may take a bit longer than we thought but we're going to enjoy the journey and remain resolute in our commitment. 

8 comments:

Baylor said...

I am sure you will pass next time! Good luck! I know my human wants me to do the same test eventually, so I may need some hints!

Barks!
Luna and Sole'

Wendy Krehbiel said...

What Carolyn failed to mention was that the CGC test requires you to pass each and every one of the 10 test items. So when she was being all negative and saying they failed, she could have instead mentioned that they passed 7 or 8 of the 10 items! Pretty good for a young dog who has a busy mom who can't spend every minute of the day training him.

jemkagily said...

Do they still do the "leaving the dog with another handler for 5 minutes?" Argh. Ferghus would probably flunk that part, too. He's a mommy's boy.

You'll get it, don't worry! Our first dog, Kagan, the BEST Golden to ever walk the Earth, passed it...but not until he was 3, and I'd given him a huge tiring walk right before the test. ;)

Anonymous said...

sounds like he was more than good since you say he confidently passed most of the test! i love it when they do things confidently!!
Lola's thing was to sit nicely for the greeting with the other dog and then as we'd be continuing on...her exhuberance would get the best of her and she would grab the leash and swing her head back and forth. Aaargh is right!!
She was just at the point of gaining some self control last summer and she was doing great in class. When we took the test.....her mouth went for the leash....i said "leave it" and she did!!!
Charlie will do it next time!

Judy said...

i thought i signed my name....

Michelle O'Neil said...

Aw, Chuck. Better luck next time. You are a good boy. You're doing fine. Nobody's perfect. Woof!

Melissa Mitchell said...

Think of this as a practice run. THe passing a strange dog is hard for a lot of dogs. At least Charlie is friendly to other dogs. I will take a social dog over a dog that dislikes other dogs any day.

"DeRanger" Steve said...

My service dog Jin failed the CGC for the same reason. However there is no law or requirement that I have been able to find that says CGC is mandatory. Nor is there any law that I have been able to find that requires certification.