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.
Rebekah S
YAY!! I'm so glad your dog won't have to have surgery and that the bump is almost gone.
Gabrielle P.
I'm not sure if the people that returned Abby last tried to work with her--they were probably too busy and didn't want the "problem" in their life anymore.
Rebekah S
That really upsets me. If someone wants to adopt a dog, and they know that that dog has some mental or behavioral issues, they should be willing to take the time out of their "busy" schedule to work with the dog. They need to have some patience too. A dog isn't just going to get over traumatic events in their past after just 1 week, it will take time. I know with my Jack Russell, she was afraid to eat her food by herself, she would take one or two pebbles and then run off (she was in a house with two bigger dogs that would eat all her food). It took quite a while before she was realized that no one was going to take her food, and that the food was all for her.
Gabrielle P.
I'm pretty sure that Abby didn't have any problems the first time she was adopted as a young puppy. In her second home, however, that is when the bad behavior began occurring.
Rebekah S
Okay, but she's been moved around quite a few times, in terms of different homes and/or shelters though, hasn't she? How old is Abby now?
Gabrielle P.
I think that when Abby was a puppy, Loving Heart was only foster-based. Actually, they opened a shelter facility in August or September (maybe earlier) last year. Abby is a little over a year old now.
Gabrielle P.
Yes, she's lived in about two "adoptive" homes; she may have also been in a foster home when she was a pup. I think that the only shelter facility she's been in is Loving Heart's facility.
Gabrielle P.
What heartworm and flea preventative should we use for the dogs? I personally would like to use Sentinel Spectrum but would like your opinion too.
Rebekah S
I think that Sentinel Spectrum would be good for a heartworm and flea preventative. That's what we used to use for our dog. How is the bump on your dog's leg doing? Is it pretty much gone?
Gabrielle p.
Yep! We can barely tell that it's even there!
Gabrielle p.
Why did you stop using Sentinel Spectrum?
Gabrielle P.
We used to use Trifexis for our dog, but she had diarrhea and threw up a lot. Was Sentinel Spectrum giving your dogs side effects?
Rebekah S
I'm glad to hear that the bump is gone for the most part!! :) I think what happened was that we were unable to get an appointment to get more of the Sentinel Spectrum. We have to go to a different vet to purchase them, and their appointment schedules were always filled up, so we haven't been able to get any. I can't ever remember my older dog having any side effects to it, but I could be wrong.
Gabrielle P.
Shelter update:
Abby has a home-check tonight; she did well with these people when she previously met them and will probably do well in their home because they do not have any pets.
There is a new dog from a nearby humane society called Almost Home; you can visit their webpage at www.almosthomehumane.org. The new dog--called Rosie (previously Roady)--did not do well at the humane society; Loving Heart helped Almost Home out and took Rosie in. Rosie is a large Labrador retriever mix; she is black and has one blue eye.
There are also a few new kittens. Other than that, everybody is fine!
Rebekah S
I hope that Abby gets adopted!! Thanks, I'll visit their website later today. :)
Gabrielle P.
Okay! :)
Gabrielle P.
Here is a picture Rosie at the humane society before Loving Heart brought her to their shelter:
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/7c61d949-c545-4e43-9f79-736f075f1...
Gabrielle P.
In Cat Spring, TX, there is a rescue called PUPS--Prevent Unwanted Pets. I've seen their Facebook page and realize that there are many pounds and kill shelters in their area (PUPS lists dogs from various pounds; right now there is a dog in a pound that will be put down on the 18th if nobody saves her)--I think that PUPS may be the only good rescue group there.
Maybe we could start a shelter in that area of Texas and pull our animals from all the neighboring pounds.
Gabrielle P.
It just pulls on my heartstrings knowing that certain animals will be put down if nobody saves them. :(
Gabrielle P.
Abby got adopted!!! :) Below is an updated photo of her:
https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10247467_10...
Gabrielle P.
Here is a photo of the dog that will be put down on the 18th:
https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12552605_11...
Rebekah S
HOORAY!!!!!! I'm so happy that Abby was adopted!!
Rebekah S
That dog is so beautiful, it breaks my heart that if no one saves her she will be put down this week. :( She looks like a perfectly healthy dog too.
Gabrielle P.
Do you know anybody that is interested in adopting a pit mix such as her? PUPS says that she is sweet.
Gabrielle P.
Do you think we should start our shelter in the Houston/Willis/Sealy/Cat Spring/Eagle Lake part of Texas? The female pit bull is at the Sealy pound but there is also a Willis pound and an Eagle Lake pound. There are just to many pounds down there and not enough good shelters.
Gabrielle P.
I meant too many, not to many. Sorry!
Gabrielle P.
She does look pretty. I wonder what she's like. In the photo it looks like her belly sags a bit; maybe she's had puppies.
The only thing we can do is pray that she will be rescued. I just hope that somebody will save her before time runs out.
LC
LOLOLOL!!!
Rebekah S.
Unfortunately, I don't know anyone that is interested in adopting a dog right now. :( That's what I was thinking, that maybe she had had a litter of puppies recently. I think that Texas would be a good place to start a shelter if there aren't many shelters in those places.
Gabrielle P.
Of course, many places don't have shelters--this place in Texas sounds like it needs help.
Rebekah and Gabrielle
Thanks guys! Sorry I took a long time to answer back, I haven't been on world teen for a bit.
Justin T.
That is perfectly fine! :)
Gabrielle P.
Shelter update-
Two kittens, Levi and Lennox, are going to be adopted! (To separate homes.)
Somebody is interested in Onyx the pit bull mix! Another person is interested in Isaac!
There are three new dogs that were pulled from IACC (a high kill shelter). One is a medium sized scruffy terrier mix; he doesn't have a name and kind of looks like the dog in Annie. The second dog is Buttercup (I'm not totally sure on the same) and is a Labrador retriever mix with lots of energy! The last new dog, Bowser, is on the large side of medium; he is a mix of breeds but may have some retriever in him!
Everybody else is fine!
Gabrielle P.
Here is a photo of Buttercup:
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/34510685/1/?bust=145601...
Here is a photo of Howser (previously Bowser):
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/34510649/1/?bust=145601...
Here is a photo of Rosie:
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/34510567/2/?bust=145601...
Rebekah S
That's great!! I'm glad to hear that some more dogs were saved from a high-kill shelter. They're all so cute!!!
Rebekah S
BTW, I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I had a really long and busy weekend, and by the time I got home I was pretty worn out. :(
Justin T
No problem!! Hope that your book is coming along well. :)
Gabrielle P.
That's fine! :)
Gabrielle P.
Here is a picture of Abby with her forever family:
https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/12734183_10...
I am SO happy that she is adopted!!!!! :)
Rebekah S
That is so awesome! I am so happy for Abby as well. :) Hearing about all these adoptions puts a huge smile on my face. :D
Gabrielle P.
Have you ever heard of a pet super adoption event? Best Friends holds pet super adoptions each year. Even though I know that I couldn't get another pet, I'd love to go to one!
Rebekah S
I have heard of the super pet adoption events. I was looking on Best Friends' website and I saw some things about their super pet adoptions. That would be a lot of fun to go to, even if you can't adopt at the time. I was thinking a lot about horses yesterday, and talking to my mom about it, and I think that when I am ready to have a horse of my own, I would like to adopt one, instead of buying one. :)
Gabrielle P.
Yesterday I came across a super cute video of puppies learning to howl! Just type in "puppies learning to howl" into Google's search box and click on the video on the top.
Gabrielle P.
It is always a good idea to adopt rather than to shop. :)
Have you seen any of Best Friends pet super adoption videos? If you have, then you can see why I would want to go.
If I were to go to a pet super adoption, chances are I would be looking for a puppy. What would you be looking to adopt?
Gabrielle P.
Shelter Update-
All three kittens (Levi, Lennox, and Lexi) have been adopted!
Ryker the pit bull mix may get adopted soon!
Onyx the pit bull mix is currently at a person's house for a foster-to-adopt trial!
Somebody is interested in adopting Buttercup!
The fairly new terrier mix is called Yuri. He is VERY shy but is sweet once he warms up. Below is a photo of him:
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/4ab22cc8-07bc-4704-9206-846c3854e...
Rebekah S
I have watched a few videos of puppies that are learning to howl, and it is soooo adorable!!! XD Yes, rescuing an animal will always be better than buying from a breeder, that way you can save an animal!
Rebekah S
I haven't checked out an super pet adoption videos from Best Friends. Are they posted on YouTube, or are they on Best Friends' website? If I went to a super pet adoption, I'd probably want to adopt every animal there, ;D but if I had to choose one or two animals, probably a dog and a cat, or a dog and a horse. I've been looking at horses on Best Friends' website a lot lately. They have a few new ones. It breaks my heart that some of them can't be ridden anymore though.
Gabrielle P.
I'm pretty sure that only dogs, cats, and rabbits are available at Best Friends' super adoptions.
I'm not exactly sure how to get to Best Friends' pet super adoption videos. I know that they have YouTube page.
Gabrielle P.
Today I helped out with a shelter event so I am able to write a shelter update.
Buttercup the dog got adopted!
Sophie the kitten got adopted!
Rosie the dog got adopted!
Chase is a new dog. He is a 6-month-old shaggy sheepdog mix; already he's VERY big (thankfully, he is pretty sweet)! Chase is an owner surrender; his owners were moving and couldn't take him with them.
Everybody else is pretty much fine!
Wow
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