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.
Gabrielle P
About choosing a service puppy:
Depending on the puppy's history, he may react to different situations. However, before you would even consider adopting a puppy to train as a service dog, you would have to find out the puppy's history. If the puppy was picked up as a stray, then he may be wary of certain objects and sounds in a household.
Another thing you should do before considering to adopt a puppy to train as a service animal is to do a simple puppy test. Ask the shelter or rescue to bring the puppy to a quiet area with little distractions. Then, test the puppy for different things. Pick him up, make various and sudden noises, and see how he reacts to different things (like your coat or your shoelaces).
Then, if you think that the puppy would be a good match for service training, make sure that it would be okay for you to adopt the puppy, train him, and then place him in another home where he could be a service animal. I'm sure that most shelter or breed rescues would allow that as long as you sign some papers stating that you will not use forceful training and that you will place the puppy--once properly trained--into a good home.
Rebekah S.
That sounds like a great idea, thank you, I wouldn't have even thought of that. About the people that abuse dogs, I just saw a really sad story on the news the other day. There was this man that had a 13 month old Siberian Husky, he was a really beautiful dog, but the man killed the dog while he was tied up. The man has been jailed for 100 days. They didn't really mention the circumstances, but that story really broke my heart.
Rebekah S.
That story makes me want to help animals even more.
Rebekah S.
That's right, I would have to do a lot of work just to get the puppy. I'm still researching all the details of service dog training, so it will take time to read through all of the information. Thank you very much for your help. :-)
Gabrielle P
It's just so hard to comprehend the human nature.
Gabrielle P
You are welcome! I'm always happy to help a person who's interested in helping animals! : )
Gabrielle P
If you have any other questions about animals, feel free to ask!
author
hey guys, I need to site the author of this article for an assignment. could somebody give it to me??? thank you so much!
Wayne J
I'm sorry, but I don't think that there are any noted authors for any of these articles. You could contact World Teen and ask them if they know the author!
Wayne J
The author of Doggie Citizenship is Kim Stegall.
Thanks,
WORLDteen
Woah, you guys certainly
Woah, you guys certainly wrote a lot on this page Gabrielle and Rebekah! (btw, nice name)
Rebecca D
Thank you! (Your name is pretty nice too :) )
Are you at all interested in helping animals?
Rebekah S.
I will, thanks again.
Gabrielle P
No problem! :)
Gabrielle P
Shelter update-
In my opinion, June is doing a little bit better. She plays outside with two other large dogs and loves treats! However, she is still pretty shy.
If everything works out, Pixie will be going to her forever home soon!
There is a new dog called Bentley. He is about 3 years old and is a Labrador retriever mix. Below is a picture of him.
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/8bf7e094-fc0e-4435-946b-b00c501ed...
Dash, a kitten, will be going to his forever home in a day or two! Below is a picture of Dash when he was 3 months old. (He's since grown and is almost the size of an adult cat!)
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/33674956/1/?bust=144643...
Gabrielle P
More shelter news:
There are a few new dogs. One is a terrier mix called Daisy. Daisy barks a LOT when she is in her cage and DOES NOT like other dogs, but once you are on her level and get to know her better, you will be best friends! The last time I saw Daisy (other than today!), she was very new and was barking at everything. It's just amazing how she's improved during one week! (She still needs to be taught that dogs aren't bad; however, that may be something that can't be trained out of her.) Below is a picture of a dog that kind of looks like Daisy.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/35/37/bd/3537bd655d8f4a006a094...
gabrielle p
Another new dog is a white Pomeranian called Snow. Snow was surrendered because his elderly owner has arthritis and kept tripping over him. Only one person that works at the shelter can really touch and socialize with Snow because he is very timid and shy.
Two other new dogs are Cara and Rosa the Chihuahuas. Both girls were found as strays. Rosa is slightly larger than Cara and looks like a larger version of her since both are tan-colored. Rosa and Cara are kind of shy, but love treats! They also love to stand on their hind legs!
Another new dog is Abigail the black and tan Chihuahua mix. A bit plump, Abigail is a sweet girl. She likes treats as well! (What dog wouldn't?)
Gabrielle P
Recent adoptions at Loving Heart Animal Shelter are:
Milo! He is a about 8 months old and is a hound mix. Milo gets along well with other dogs and has been adopted! Below is a picture of Milo.
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/2b41568c-f209-4d2c-b00b-ce187a7ee...
Merlin! Merlin is about 2 years old and is super sweet! Below is a picture of Merlin.
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/33720360/1/?bust=144685...
Yammy! Less than 2 years old, Yammy gets along well with certain dogs and is a total sweetie! Below is a picture of Yammy.
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/33829684/1/?bust=144797...
Gabrielle P
Other recent adoptions are:
Dori! About 5 years old and pulled from a nearby humane society, Dori has found a forever home! Below is a picture of Dori.
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/33720339/1/?bust=144685...
Kane! This handsome 10-month-old male German Shepherd pup has found a home! Below is a picture of Kane.
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/33557464/1/?bust=144521...
Paige! This sweet 2-year-old girl has found her forever home with an LHAS staff member! Below is a picture of Paige.
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/33469619/2/?bust=144521...
Gabrielle P
Khloe was at LHAS when my mom, sister, and I first visited the shelter. She and her siblings had arrived at the shelter as puppies--the only thing is, Khloe was the last puppy left! Khloe was a very friendly girl that got along great with other animals--she gave lots of kisses too! Thankfully, Khloe found a home before she grew too old! (She was born in March 2015 and was adopted in about October 2015.) Below are a couple of pictures of Khloe:
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620712/1/?bust=143587...
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620712/2/?bust=144521...
Gabrielle P
Khloe is a Basenji and Border collie mix. She may have some Labrador retriever in her as well.
Rebekah S.
I'm so glad to hear that Pixie found a home. :-) One of the girls at my 4-h club has a dog named Bentley. He's a husky mix I think. Real sweet dog, I'm pretty sure he's still a puppy. I love cats, but my parents aren't really cat people. It's not that they completely dislike them, they just don't want to own one. Ooo, Khloe is sooo cute. My sister loves Basenjis and I love Border Collies. About how big is Khloe? Is she closer to medium size or small size?
Gabrielle P
Khloe was a more medium-sized and was much cuter than in the pictures!
Do you like cats? I like cats, but don't like the ones that are kind of mean and swat at you for no reason.
Rebekah S and Gabrielle P
How do you find time to write so many comments???? I have a really hard time getting on here because of my school schedule and my dad's work schedule! Anyway, I think you guys are really smart. I can tell that you guys care for animals. You really know more about dogs than me. You've both surpassed me in you knowledge! Also, I have a friend who has a dog named Pixie, I'm pretty sure it is not the same Pixie you'r talking about though. Gabrielle P.-I love cats too!! And we can't have one because like I told you before with the Germans and the Americans. You see, the Germans don't like selling cats to Americans because lots of Americans just leave them to roam and become strays when the move back to America. We told them we aren't in the military and we aren't moving anytime soon, but then they just make up another excuse.
Gabrielle P
Khloe had a few other siblings: Ryder, Gunner, Phoebe, and Rudy. (All have been adopted.) Below are pictures of Khloe's siblings.
Phoebe-
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620724/3/?bust=144132...
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620724/2/?bust=144131...
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620724/1/?bust=143587...
Ryder-
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620755/1/?bust=143587...
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620755/2/?bust=143843...
Rudy-
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620675/1/?bust=143587...
Gunner-
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32620795/1/?bust=143587...
Gabrielle P
My grandparents have a calico cat called Selina. (They got her about 3 years ago.) She got her from a family in church that moved to the New England area. Selina is de-clawed (on all four paws) and is pretty shy. However, she's slowly coming around.
Sometimes, I think that it is cruel to de-claw a cat. I mean, they can't grab onto anything!
Ana H
Thank you! I love animals; therefore, I want to know lots about them.
Well, for one, I am homeschooled and have a lot of free time. I also have my own PC, so I don't have to share a computer with any other members of my family.
Just wondering, but what grade are you in?
Rebekah S.
I really like all of Khloe's siblings. Their faces are so cute. About cats, I think that sometimes people are worried that their cats will scratch visitors or ruin carpets and furniture, so they declaw them. I know a few people that have their cats declawed and a few that don't. I can understand their worry about scratching guests or messing up furniture and carpet; but at the same time I think, if they want a cat, they should know and understand what types of behaviors a cat would display, especially scratching.
Ana H.
I do some of my schoolwork on the computer, so I'm on the computer for a while and WorldTeen is a part of my school day. If the computer isn't on I check out the different articles on my Kindle. Or if I'm out and I remember, it's a pretty rare occasion, but sometimes I'll check out WorldTeen on my phone.
Rebekah S.
It's also interesting to see that, even though Khloe and her siblings are from the same litter, how different all the colors and markings are on each puppy. :-) Each one is unique, and it's really beautiful. Isn't it amazing that God made everyone different, even the animals?
Rebekah S.
Also, my music teacher has a Calico Cat named Cuddles. :-) She's not declawed, but she's really fluffy and cuddly. XD
Gabrielle P
Yes, it is amazing how Khloe and her siblings look so different! At Best Friends, there was this one litter of puppies (named after different spices) that had amazing contrast. A few of the puppies looked part Chow Chow mix, while another looked like a Shar Pei mix!
It is cool how God made people--even animals--all different! No two dogs or people are exactly alike!
Gabrielle P
I meant to say "they" instead of "she" for the second sentence of my comment about my grandparents' cat!
Rebekah S.
Wow, that's interesting that some of the puppies looked like Chow Chows and the other looked like a Shar Pei. I bet they were adorable!
Gabrielle P
Yes, the Spice puppies WERE adorable. Their names were Cayenne (male), Coriander (male), Curry (male), Oregano (male), Fennel (male), Caraway (female), and Paprika (female). When we volunteered at Best Friends, they were some of the puppies that we got to play with.
Coriander was my favorite Spice puppy. When we got back home, I really wanted to fill out an application for him!
Gabrielle p
If we were to start a shelter (just starting with dogs), which brand of food would we feed them? I would prefer to feed the dogs Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula dog food, as that is what we feed our dog.
What do you feed your dog? What food would you prefer to feed to the dogs we would rescue?
Gabrielle P
Blue Buffalo doesn't use wheat or a few other grains that some dogs can be allergic to. We used to feed our dog Purina One food, but we switched over to Blue Buffalo because she was having diarrhea and throwing up a lots. Now, she's a lot better!
Blue Buffalo food is a bit expensive, but it is high quality.
Rebekah S.
My dogs typically eat a brand we started getting from Trader Joe's. Since it has the Trader Joe's label, I'm not sure what brand name it would be. We switched over to Natural Balance, which has a formula that is great for old dogs and puppies. When we first got our Jack Russell, we fed her Purina One and she didn't really have a problem with it, but there were ingredients that weren't that great, and that we didn't want to feed her, so we switched to the Trader Joe's brand. We haven't tried Blue Buffalo for them, but I've looked at the label and it does look like a great dog food formula. I would agree that Blue Buffalo would be great to feed to our shelter dogs.
Rebekah S.
Forgot to say that we are currently feeding my dogs Natural Balance food. We just got it a few days ago, and my dogs really love it.
Gabrielle P
I know that Best Friends feeds their dogs Natural Balance. Some animal shelters--like Loving Heart--feed their dogs Diamond Naturals.
Do you if Blue Buffalo or Natural Balance is cheaper?
Gabrielle P
What are the ingredients in your dogs' food from Trader Joes?
Gabrielle P
I think that Blue Buffalo is cheaper, but the price also depends on the size of bag.
Gabrielle p
Do you like the name 'All Heart Animal Rescue'? I just came up with that name a little while ago.
Rebekah S.
I think that Blue Buffalo might be a bit more expensive just because it is such good quality. I would have to check on the ingredients in the Trader Joe's dog food later, because my dogs have finished that bag and we don't have the anymore. So I'll get back to you with those ingredients. I love the name All Heart Animal Rescue. It's perfect. I saw a really great story on YouTube, it's a Pedigree dog food commercial about a dog that has been rescued, and then goes on to be adopted. I cried, it was so good.
Gabrielle P
I have also found a heartwarming dog video. Go on YouTube, type in "Bill Foundation Dog Rescue", and scroll down until you find a video called "They Went To The Shelter To Get 6 Puppies - But Watch What Happens When They Get There". I just stumbled across that video one day and I believe that is part of what rescuing dogs (and other animals) is all about. The first few times I watched that video, I got shivers!
Gabrielle P
Which do you like better: All Heart Animal Rescue or Purrs and Paws Animal Shelter? I know you liked Purrs and Paws, but I'm wondering which one that you like better.
Gabrielle P
I think I just watched the video that you were talking about--it is heartwarming!
Rebekah S.
I'll make sure I check out those videos. About the shelter names, I like the name Purrs and Paws, but I think that All Heart would be better because it allows for us to add different kinds animals to the shelter, like barnyard animals or rabbits or something. I just think that Purrs and Paws wouldn't allow for much expansion in terms of animal residents. So I think that I like All Heart Animal Shelter.
Gabrielle p
Okay!
I was thinking--before I would start a shelter--I could go to college and get a business degree to learn what it would take to run a business. I don’t really consider an animal shelter a “business”, but getting a business degree would help a whole lot. What do you think?
Another thing: where would the shelter or rescue be located?
Gabrielle P
Shelter update:
Bentley--a 3 year old Labrador retriever mix--is trying out a forever home! Below is a picture of Bentley:
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/8bf7e094-fc0e-4435-946b-b00c501ed...
June--now known as Abby--is pretty much the same. I took her outside, and she ran around a bit!
Snow--the Pomeranian-- is doing great! He was super happy, SUPER soft, and he let me pick him up! LHAS staff are going to do a home visit on Sunday. (Which means that Snow may get adopted!) Right now, Snow is at the vet and is going to get neutered.
Daisy the terrier mix is a little under the weather.
Rosa and Cora (I misspelled her name last time) are at the vet and are going to be spayed.
Abigail the Chihuahua mix is doing fine!
There is a new dog--a tan and white pit bull mix called Ryker. Ryker was just pulled from Indianapolis. Instead of letting Ryker die that night, Loving Heart saved him.
Diego--a pit bull and boxer mix--has been at the shelter for a while. He gets along well with Abby and Bentley, but likes to jump up a lot. Sometimes, he'll growl. Diego may have neurological problems. Below is a picture of Diego:
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/cd9dde78-cd8e-44ed-af73-455c8bfd5...
Aladdin--a cat--may get adopted soon! Below is a picture of Aladdin:
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/10f3c18e-23f8-4240-8eff-ce247fba4...
Pages