The Canine Good Citizen
Every Dog Can Be One

By Jack & Wendy Volhard

158 Pages - Paperback

Product #978

$14.95+s&h

Table of Contents - The Canine Good Citizen

Why a Canine Good Citizen?
An explanation of the Canine Good Citizen benefits and some basic dog training theory, including what not to do, as well as a simple, introductory training exercise.

What is a Canine Good Citizen?
A brief overview of the history and creation of the Canine Good Citizen and the requirements for earning the title.

What Happens When?
From birth until maturity and into old age, dogs go through physical and developmental periods, which affect their behavior. An understanding of these periods helps the owner understand the dog's behavior.

Understanding Your Dog
A forty-question survey helping the owner prepare a Personality Profile of the dog. This profile will tell the owner how to train the particular dog.

Stress and Your Dog
A dog's response to training and new situations is influenced by the manner in which it stresses. Teaching the owner what to look for and how to deal with stress aids the training process and prevents needlessly stressing the dog.

Sit! Down! Stand! Stay!
Teaching the Sit, Down and Stand commands in a step-by-step fashion.

Out for a Walk
Teaching the dog not to pull when walking.

Coming When Called
Teaching the dog to come when called by means of the Recall Game, a fun way for the entire family to get involved in the training, while at the same time teaching the dog this important command.

Training with Distractions
Teaching the dog to respond to the commands learned in different situations and now including different distractions.

Taking the Test
Helpful hints for a passing performance.

Summary of Exercises
A summary of all the lessons for easy reference.

Glossary
Reference for the Motivational Method
Bibliography
Index

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The American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen program was developed to promote responsible dog ownership in a manner that would be easily for both dog and owner. Any book that promotes and encourages dog owners to participate is doing a public service, and this book does it well.

By providing certification to both pure-bred dogs and mixed breeds, the CGC encompasses all of the dogs affected by canine legislation. Through encouraging people to provide enough training to make their dog useful citizens, the CGC program helps eliminate restrictive dog legislation designed by well-meaning, if sometimes poorly informed, lawmakers.

This book is aptly named. Yes, every dog can be a good citizen if their owners care enough to make it happen. The key is to encourage dog owners everywhere to be responsible enough to make their dogs a pleasure to be around and able to handle most situations that they might be expected to encounter in everyday life.

It is easy to become involved in the CGC program. Tests are offered throughout the United States for those who wish to certify their dogs.

This book not only encourages participation but provides useful information on how to do it.

-Robert H. McKowen
Vice President
Performance Events
American Kennel Club

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The Volhards'...approach to training, which they call the Motivational Method,...is designed to do just that-motivate the owner and the dog. The Motivational Method is grounded on a thorough knowledge of how people learn and dog behavior. Since 1983 they have authored or co-authored four major books on dog training and reaching dog Obedience classes, and have produced four video tapes.

"I am... pleased that they have written this book on the Canine Good Citizen. I cannot think of anyone else who could have done a better job. This book contains everything the reader needs to know about training any dog to become a Canine Good Citizen. Still, there is much more-the book shares a wealth of insights for the beginner, as well as the experienced dog person."

"The book's best feature is that it gives each person the means to tailor the training to the individual dog's character and temperament. It thoroughly explains what makes dogs different and how these differences dictate the approach to training the needs to be taken."

-James E. Dearinger
AKC Vice President, Obedience