It’s official: Magneto is a good citizen. This New Yorker strolls the streets calmly, unfazed by the sights and sounds of the busy city. Horn honks, sidewalk trash, subway smells, touchy passersby—Magneto takes it all in stride. Magneto is a good dog. And his owner has the papers to prove it.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) officially recognizes dogs that demonstrate good citizenship. The official title for these city-wise pups is Urban Canine Good Citizen. The Urban CGC is one of four titles the AKC gives for doggie citizenship.
Dogs must have a registered AKC number and pass the basic Canine Good Citizen test before being allowed to take the urban version of the exam.
The basic test has been around for about 25 years. More than 700,000 dogs have passed. The urban version requires a bit more self-restraint on the part of the pooch.
AKC officials administer the Urban CGC test in tough city settings. Streets, cars, noises, elevators, outdoor cafes, and other distractions are all part of the real-world exam.
Dogs perform a 10-step test of skills. For example, they must wait patiently for “walk” lights at pedestrian crossings, clamber in and out of cars or taxis, and ignore tempting street food. Two of the most difficult parts of the test involve a dog’s tolerating hugs and strokes from strangers and remaining still while its owner browses in a dog-friendly shop.
Some people think the test of doggie etiquette is barking up the wrong tree. “It’s more that the owners could step up their game,” observed one New Yorker.
Why do owners put their dogs through these urban paces? For one thing, it’s a way to “consider others,” as in Philippians 2:3. But additionally, from a practical point of view, some people believe good dog behavior will pay off. Some homeowners’ insurers have agreed to cover certain breeds with the basic canine good citizen title according to the AKC. Further, some think the Urban CGC title might help get a beloved pet into the best co-ops and condos.
What does the pooch get for its efforts? The AKC awards each dog that successfully passes the citizenship test the suffix “CGC” after its name—that and a doggie treat.
Some canines will do anything to stay out of the doghouse.
First 2 comment!
I think this is a little odd. I can understand dog training, but special licenses and titles? I don't know. I don't have a dog though, so I guess I may be wrong.
...
its called sit, stay, no, heel and drop it. teach these 5 things to your dog and your dog is a "good citizen"
oh yeah! I forgot one: come
oh yeah! I forgot one: come
Comment
I think that learning specific things--such as not eating food on the streets and being kind to strangers--would be useful for city dogs. I mean, I wouldn't want my dog eating just any food--she could get sick! However, not all dogs are the same....
Rebekah S.
What kind of dog do you have? I actually have two dogs (a Jack Russell Terrier and a JackChi-Chihuahua and Jack Russell Mix).
BTW
Magneto is a gorgeous dog. His paws are massive, but he has a beautiful face and coat.
Funny
Citizenship. Huh. Well ok, whatever! He looks so laid back, I can understand it, though. He's so sweet-looking!
By the way..
I have a Border Collie mix, she's adorable and so sweet. :)
Gabrielle P
I have a 3-year-old female Shetland Sheepdog called Tori. She's almost 4, and is super sweet and loving! The only downside is, she barks A LOT! (But then again, that's what shelties do!)
WOW! That dog is massive and
WOW! That dog is massive and scary looking!
Madelyn H
You think that the dog pictured above is scary-looking? Why?
Doggies!
I think it is good to teach a dog to not just go and eat something randomly and to teach it good "manners". I wish I had a dog! We foster dogs, though. It's fun. Madelyn H, where do you live? I have a friend named Madelyn H.
Emma R
You foster dogs? No way! Do you foster from an animal shelter, rescue organization, or sanctuary? If so, what is the shelter's, rescue's, or sanctuary's name?
If you can't already tell, I'm into all of the animal shelter/rescue/sanctuary kind of stuff. I volunteer at a no-kill, all-breed animal shelter called Loving Heart. I usually play with the dogs, clean up after them, and help give them baths. Sometimes I'll play with the kittens.
I wish that my family could foster or adopt a dog, but my dad says that if I want to, I'll have to give up something first. (That something would be my own dog, and I wouldn't give her away! I guess I'll have to be content volunteering at Loving Heart.)
A Girl Called Madelyn....
By the way, I used to have a friend called Madelyn, but that was years ago. I guess we all run into a Madelyn at some point in our life! I also used to have a friend called Emma.
Emma R
Just wondering, but have you heart of Best Friends Animal Society? (Sorry about all my commenting!)
Nala
Have a dog Nala !!!!
Fostering
We foster from this lady who was a friend of our friend in our old neighborhood. I love animals so much! I have a cat, but she is outdoors only. I think the lady does something with Best Friends Animal Society, but I'm not sure.
Emma F
Okay. Could you find out what your neighbor does for Best Friends Animal Society? I'd really like to know!
Just wondering, but is your outdoor cat spayed or neutered? If not, he/she could make more unwanted kittens. That's bad, because every day, hundreds of cats and kittens are destroyed in kill shelters across our nation.
About 6,000 homeless pets die in kill shelters every year. The number killed annually is about 3-4 million. If people spay or neuter their pets, there will be less unwanted pets for people to find homes for!
Emma R
When you grow up, do you plan to rescue pets or start an animal shelter, rescue, or sanctuary?
When I grow up, I want to save homeless and forgotten pets. I may start out with a small no-kill, not-for-profit, home-based dog and puppy rescue, and then later build a nice shelter facility or animal sanctuary. But to do all of this, I will need a tax-exempt status from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) and I may also need a kennel license.
Rebekah S.
Shetland Sheepdogs are my favorite breed as well as the Australian Shepherd Blue Merle and the Collie!!!!!!!! My plan is to get a few when I have a house of my own. My family prefers smaller breeds, like Toys and Terriers, but I love the ones that are bigger. I train my JackChi with my 4-H club. She's only 5 months old, but she's doing really well with it. I'm thinking about training service dogs next year though, because I'm not really interested in doing dog shows to win ribbons or best in show. I'd prefer to do a service rather than something that is for my own benefit.
Gabrielle P
When you do get a few of herding breeds, where do you plan to get them from? (Breeders, an animal shelter, a breed rescue, etc.)
Whoops!
I meant to say "When you get a few of the herding breeds, where do you plan to get them from?". Sorry about my mistake.
Gabrielle P
By the way, I'd be more than happy to give you information about Shelties, Australian shepherd, and collies! (And yes, blue merle dogs are very beautiful! However, make sure--if you are going to purchase a blue merle pup from a breeder--that both parents are NOT blue merle. If they are, the puppies may be born blind, deaf, bling & deaf, or with other issues. I believe they are called double merles, and there are many looking for the right homes in shelters and rescues across the nation.)
Everybody
This is just a trial run because I would like to see if it works. If it does work, the dog pictures is called Pixie.
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/d7f5cc1b-d1ff-43e2-b5d5-f1589be5e...
Gabrielle P
Pixie is currently looking for her forever home in Lafayette, Indiana. She is a 5 month old rat terrier/toy fox terrier mix and is super sweet and loving! Does your family like dogs that look like Pixie?
My Cat
We don't know. She came to us 4 years ago. She was like 6 months then and she is about three now, but we just moved, so there is a chance. My parents don't want to spend big money on a an outdoor cat. She is really small, though, so she doesn't like other big cats. She hasn't had any kittens so far.
I checked with my mom about the fostering lady. She is actually with Recycled Best Friends small dog rescue. I want a Keeshond dog and another cat when I'm in college, but I'm going to culinary school. Good luck with your shelter! I have diabetes, and I want a diabetes dog really bad, but my parents won't let me.
Emma R
Thanks for letting me know! :)
Rebekah S
When I get my dog, it will probably be from a breed rescue or an animal shelter; I would only do a breeder as a last resort. I would actually like to have 6 dogs at a time, because my plan is to own a ranch, which would be a lot of room for 6 dogs. Thank you so much for your offer to help me learn more about Shelties, Aussie Shepherds and Collies, I really would appreciate it since I've never had experience with those particular breeds. Thank you for the advice about breeding a Aussie Shepherd Blue Merle. I would love to adopt a rescue pup, my Jack Russell is a rescue dog. Yes, my parents do prefer dogs that are Pixie's size or so (She is super cute BTW, I would get her in a heartbeat) :-). Unfortunately, right now, we aren't really looking into getting another dog. We think that for now, 2 dogs is good. What do you want to study in college?
Rebekah S
My parents' exception for having another dog would be the service dog training program I'm thinking about doing next year, because having the dog would only be for a time, and would be a service to someone else, like veterans or someone that is disabled. BTW, what grade are you in? I apologize for all of my questions.
:-{
Gabrielle P
If you know anybody who's interested in Pixie, you can visit the shelter's website at lovingheartanimalshelter.org. That's where I volunteered. I just volunteered today and got to see Pixie again! She's always so happy to see me and she gets along great with certain dogs. However, she is not housetrained and has accidents.
I would be in 7th grade if I were in school, but I'm homeschooled. What grade are you in, and where do you live? (If you can't already tell, I live near Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.A.)
I may or may not go to college. If I do, I would probably go and get a business degree or I might learn how to be a vet assistant.
It's fine that you're asking a lot of questions, because that's how you get answers! I have another question for you!
What are your future goals? If you scroll up, you will see what I want to do in another comment. (If you are thinking about starting an animal shelter/rescue organization/animal sanctuary when you grow up, please let me know! It's always fun to have somebody else that's interested in what you are interested in!))
Just another thought, but maybe if you want to train service dogs, you could start an animal shelter or rescue and train those dogs to be service dogs!
Rebekah S
I will let you know if I know anyone that might be interested in Pixie. I am a sophomore in high school (10th grade) and I am also homeschooled, and I live in Arizona. My main goal is to go to college and get my degree in veterinary anesthesiology or to become a service dog trainer. That's a good idea to start my own rescue where I can train service dogs, I will definitely think about that. :-) I might've already mentioned that I would like to own a ranch, sort of like a rescue sanctuary for all sorts of animals, like dogs, cats, horses and alpacas (I don't know why alpacas, they're just so cute and fuzzy XD). I have always had a love for horses, and when I can, I like to go on trail rides. I've never had a riding lesson, I just like to ride for fun. I originally wanted to be an equine veterinarian, but decided that anesthesiology is where I can help all kinds of animals.
Gabrielle P
Yes, Alpacas are pretty cute! (But, don't they spit like llamas?)
About last year, I got crazy about horses. I have A LOT of horse books about the breeds, horse caretaking, thinking like a horse, and more. It would be cool to start a multi-animal sanctuary. If you started an animal sanctuary, would it be a 501(c)3 non-profit, no-kill?
Your idea of starting an animal sanctuary that would rescue lots of animals reminds me of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. While on a 2-week road trip vacation out west earlier this year (yes, we did stop at the Grand Canyon!) we visited Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. They care for 1,500 to 2,000 animals on any given day in many animal areas: Dogtown for the dogs; Catworld for the cats; Parrot Garden for the birds; Wildfriends for their wildlife (they have a federally licensed wildlife rehabilitation center to help injured wildlife); Marshal's Piggy Paradise for the pigs; Horse Haven for the horses, goats, and sheep; and Bunny House for the rabbits and other rodents. Did you hear of NFL Quarterback Michael Vick's dogfighting ring? Well, 22 of those Pit bulls made it here! Since then, many have been rehabilitated and some have even found loving, forever homes!
My mom and I volunteered at Dogtown and Horse Haven, while my dad and sister volunteered at Catworld and Bunny House. At Dogtown we were assigned to Puppy Preschool and got to play with and take care of super cute, cuddly puppies! At Horse Haven, we mucked pastures and brushed a horse.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the headquarters for Best Friends Animal Society. They started the no-kill movement in the 1980s when around 17 million animals were destroyed in shelter every year. Since then, that number has gone down to about 4 million! Best Friends operates on 3,700 acres in Angel Canyon of Kanab, Utah.
Rebekah S.
Yes, alpacas do spit like llamas. And yes, if I did start an animal shelter/sanctuary it would most definitely be a 501 (c) 3 non-profit and no-kill shelter. Yes, I did hear about Michael Vick's dog-fighting ring, and that is great to hear that those dogs found loving, forever homes. I will look into the Best Friends Animal Society, that sounds like something I would be interested in volunteering at. But, are Horse Haven and Dogtown in Utah? And, how did you like the Grand Canyon? I haven't gotten a chance to visit yet, even though I live here.
Gabrielle P
Yes, Horse Haven and Dogtown are a part of Utah. Actually, they are a part of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. If you would like to get more information about the sanctuary, you can visit their website at bestfriends.org. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is about 50 miles away from the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon was pretty cool. It was so big and was so deep, it didn't look real! One of the days we were there, we hiked to Ooh Aah Point. Even though it is the first lookout point, hiking it is pretty hard--especially since there is NO guardrail! (Yikes!) We also stuck around for a Grand Canyon sunset--it was B-E-A-U-T-F-U-L! Another highlight was the elk--they were almost everywhere and didn't flee when there were humans around!
Have you made any plans for a shelter or sanctuary? I have made lots of plans for different may-be shelters and rescues, but now I'm kind of stuck.
Gabrielle P
There were also these extremely human-friendly squirrels at Ooh Aah Point. At one time we were sitting on the rocks to eat a snack, when suddenly a squirrel was behind my sister! As we were snapping pictures, the squirrel kept moving closer and closer to her! At one point, he jumped up onto her lap and stayed there for a bit! (No, my sister did not pet the squirrel and no, squirrel didn't do anything harmful.) A little later, another squirrel tried to climb into my mom's backpack!
About the shelter/sanctuary thing. Maybe, since we are both interested in starting one, we could help each other out!
Gabrielle P
I apologize for my mistake. I meant to say "and no, the squirrel didn't do anything harmful".
Gabrielle P
I just had a wild idea: since both of us like herding breeds and horses, we could potentially start a herding dog/horse rescue. Since I like the pits, maybe we could rescue them as well. I don't know, but it's just a thought.
Gabrielle P
Sorry for all my commenting, but I have a few more questions. Where do you stand with pit bulls? Do you like them, love them, or dislike them? If you dislike them, why?
Once again, I apologize for commenting a lot.
Rebekah S.
No problem about all of the commenting. OK, thanks, I'll check out the bestfriends.org later. Just curious, but did your family go on the glass platform where you can see the Grand Canyon from underneath you? And, yes, that would be great if we could help each other out or do a rescue together, that would be really awesome. :-) About pit bulls, hmm, I can't say that I dislike them, because they are really beautiful dogs, and while I wouldn't want to own one myself, I would love to rescue pit bulls if need be.
Rebekah S.
I should've started out with this comment, I apologize, I think that I'm still a little sleepy. :-{ I'm glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed your trip to the Grand Canyon. I think that we might take a trip there pretty soon. I was wrong when I said we had not been before, it turns out, I was really little and I don't remember the trip. Sorry about that.
Gabrielle P
No, we did not go on the glass platform. While it would have been cool, the tickets cost something like $80 each!
Why would you not want to own a pittie? To be honest, large pit bulls kind of make me nervous, but they give the B-E-S-T smiles ever! Whenever they pant, their whole mouth is open and they appear to be smiling!
Do all of the pit bull myths make you nervous? You know, the only reason that they were chosen to be in a dogfighting ring is because they are muscular, athletic, and are very willing to please their owners. I have heard lots of people say that the pits are some of the best dogs around!
There's this one particular pit that I'm in love with now. He is a SUPER sweet boy and loves treats! He is currently at the same shelter as Pixie, only he's recovering from a broken leg. The shelter saved him from IACC (Indianapolis Animal Care and Control) where he was scheduled to be put down because he had been hit by a car. If I started a shelter, I would definitely pull "unadoptable dogs", like Onyx (that's the pit bull I like) from that shelter. They all deserve a second chance, a hope, a future!
Have you made any plans for an animal shelter or sanctuary?
Gabrielle P
Have you ever visited an animal shelter or have done any volunteer work? If so, when and what did you do?
At Loving Heart Animal Shelter, I mostly play with the dogs and kittens. But I also clean up after the cats and dogs, play with the cats some, train the dogs tricks (like sit), and help to bathe the dogs. Every time I volunteer I have a blast!
What domestic animal experience do you have? Do you know a lot of dog and horse caretaking, rescuing, etc.? What do you do to take care of your dog? What do you feed your dog?
I have read countless books about domestic animal caretaking, as well as dog, horse, and cat behavior. In 2010-2011, I took horseback riding lessons, so I have some hands-on horse experience. I am the main caregiver of our dog as well. I walk her (every day!), brush her, pick up after her, play with her, and--yes--I brush her teeth every night! My sister gives our dog food and water. We feed our dog Blue Buffalo food.
I have also done research of what it would take to start an animal shelter/sanctuary.
I apologize for all my tough questions.
Gabrielle P
In about 2008, National Geographic did a series of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary's Dogtown. There is even an episode about the Vicktory dogs! All are excellent, and you should definitely watch them!
Here is a picture of Tori with her brothers. Aren't they cute?
http://media.breeders.net/breeder_images_large/1/15/152/152275_132875206...
Gabrielle P
Maybe the motto for the animal shelter or sanctuary could be "Rescue, Rehabilitate, Rehome."
Out of 1-10, how much do you love animals? Out of 1-10, how much do you want to start a shelter or sanctuary?
My love for animals would be a 10, and my answer to my second question would be 9 or 10.
Emma R
All big dogs are scary in my opinion. I live in Pennsylvania.
Rebekah S.
I have to admit that some of the things I hear about pit bulls do make me nervous. I do have a few friends and neighbors that have pit bulls, but, one of my neighbors had to have her pit bull put down because he bit her. I wouldn't want to put my dog through that, especially a pit bull, since they seem to have so many stereotypes that don't go in their favor. Yes, I have done some work at animal shelters, I haven't lately, but last year I took a vet class at an animal shelter called the Arizona Animal Welfare League. We did some hands-on work with the dogs, ferrets, and cats. The power went off at one of our classes and we got to pass out treats to the dogs and cuddle with the cats. I have to say that I know more about dogs than horses, and I definitely have a lot to learn about horses, since I want to work with them and possibly do a rescue for them. Unfortunately, because horseback riding lessons are so expensive, I haven't had a chance to take any. We have friends that own horses and I have learned some from them, and I've read a lot of books on horses. I would say that I am the main caregiver for my dogs too, I walk them a few times a week, or as my schedule permits, I do a lot of extracurricular activities. No problem about the tough questions, if this is something that I am truly interested in, I'll have to be able to answer tough questions, so I don't mind that at all. I love your idea for a motto, it is really great and creative. On a scale of 1-10, I love animals at 10. Starting an animal shelter would probably be a 7 or 8. I haven't really started any plans for an animal shelter yet. I hope that answered all of your questions.
Rebekah S.
I'm hoping that I can do some work with horses next year. Maybe some riding lessons, even just caring for them would be a privilege, since I've never really had an opportunity to do that.
Gabrielle P
Yes, that did answer all of my questions. :)
About the pit bull--do you know why the dog bit your neighbor? Was it because they were mistreating him?
About horses--I do want to take more lessons, but they are expensive. I think that somebody we know owns a horse, so there might be an opportunity there. Maybe, you could ask your local stable if you could volunteer there. I haven't done this yet, but if I get desperate I may have to! If you have any questions about horses (or dogs), please feel free to ask!
If you have any ideas for starting an animal shelter or sanctuary, please let me know. I can tell you some of my plans if you'd like.
Gabrielle P
Maybe we should start small and rescue dogs and cats first. Then, once we have gained more experience and knowledge, we could start rescuing other animals such as birds, rodents, equines, and barnyard animals.
Gabrielle, and Rebekah,
Your ideas for starting a rescue shelter are all really great! My love for animals would probably be a 10, and for starting a shelter, would probably be a 3 or 4. Not that I don't like shelters, I think they're great! --I just wouldn't want to start one, I would probably rather volunteer at one. ;) My favorite animals are dogs and horses. My favorite dog breed is an Australian Shepherd, and favorite horse breed is an Apaloosa. (currently, my family doesn't own a dog OR a horse! We hope to get a guard dog when we move onto a farm, but our chances of getting a horse are pretty slim) :( Sorry for getting involved in your conversation!
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