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
Really? I haven't been on their website lately, but I was pretty sure that there were horses to adopt at Best Friends' super pet adoptions too. Thank you, I'll check out their YouTube page later today. :)
Rebekah S
I'll bet that Chase is a real cutie. :D
Gabrielle P.
Yes, Chase is pretty cute---I think that he is a Bouvier des Flandres mix.
Gabrielle P.
Through no fault of her own, Buttercup has been returned to Loving Heart. :(
Gabrielle P.
Ryker the pit bull mix has been adopted!
Gabrielle P.
Shelter update-
Onyx the three-legged pit bull mix got adopted!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!
Isaac the Boston terrier mix might get adopted soon!
Jake, a new dog, is a small brindle Basenji mix. He is a SUPER cute guy about 9-11 months old and is really sweet!
interesting
Cats RULE and DOGS DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have a cat i think she is the cutest cat in the world!!
Rebekah S
I'm sorry to hear about Buttercup. I'm sure that there is someone else out there that is just waiting for her though. :) Hooray!! More adoptions!!! :D
Gabrielle P.
Yes. It has been quite a while since you have responded.
Gabrielle P.
Shelter update-
Sadly, Abby has been returned because she was tearing up curtains when her family left her at home.
A new dog may get adopted today!
Three cats have been adopted!
A couple of dogs have home visits soon!
There are two new cats that were found as strays.
Rebekah S
Yes, I know. I apologize for that. :( My subscription expired, then I was having trouble logging back in. Thankfully we got it all fixed though.
Gabrielle P.
That's okay!
Gabrielle P.
What do you think of this name for a possible future shelter: Love4Paws.
Rebekah S.
I like that name. And maybe when we expand we could be Love4Paws and Hooves. :) Just a thought.
Gabrielle P.
I like it--maybe it could be arranged like Love4Paws&Hooves or something like that.
Gabrielle P.
Do you every use Microsoft Word for typing documents? If yes, do you use Word 2013? If you do, you should definitely check out some tutorials at https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Word-2013-videos-and-tutorials-... .
There is a lot of useful information in those tutorials, and I have learned a whole lot and have applied it to my shelter plans!
Rebekah S
I do use Microsoft Word, but ours is from 2007; it works pretty well, but I think an update might be in order. :) I'll ask my mom if we can do Microsoft Word 2013. Thank you!! :)
Gabrielle P.
No problem! :)
Gabrielle P.
Are there any domestic animals that you tend to be wary of?
Rebekah S
Not really. I'm not too fond of reptiles (particularly snakes), and I don't like bugs ( I know they aren't domestic animals, but if we had reptiles and/or amphibians, I wouldn't feel comfortable feeding bugs to them). Other than that, not really.
Gabrielle P.
Okay--are there any breeds or sizes of domestic animals that you are wary of?
Gabrielle P.
Yeah--bugs aren't really my thing too. I wouldn't be that comfortable around snakes, but I held a couple or reptiles (one of which was a snake) last year during a zoo camp.
I'm a bit wary of large dogs, especially jumpy and mouthy ones.
Gabrielle P.
I meant "of reptiles", not "or reptiles". Sorry for my mistake!
Rebekah S
No, I love all sizes of dogs and cats ( and any other animal), and I can't really think of any other animals that I tend to shy away from. One of my friends has a pet snake, I held it a few years back and that's how I discovered that snakes weren't really my thing.
Gabrielle P.
Okay--I was just wondering because in previous comments you said that larger dogs like pit bull mixes weren't really your thing.
Rebekah S
I'm okay with large dogs. Because pit bulls and pit bull mixes tend to end up in a lot of shelters, I would have no problem with rescuing them. :) I think it's just some of the things I hear about them on the news or in the newspapers that make me a bit wary of them.
Rebekah S
I think it's how aggressive they make them sound. I have another neighbor that has a pit bull, I've discovered that not all pit bulls are bad or even aggressive. :)
Gabrielle P.
Shelter update:
Howser is in a foster-to-adopt home!
Isaac is still in his potential forever home!
Jake, Bailey, Chase, and Loki (all dogs) have been adopted!
A new dog, a pit bull mix called Theo, was saved from IACC yesterday; Theo is a super sweet boy with lots of love to give! Below is a photo of Theo:
https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1510926_101...
Abby and everybody else are just fine!
By the way, happy St. Patrick's Day!
Gabrielle P.
In general, pit bulls are not aggressive. They and other dogs can turn aggressive due to past situations--but no dog is aggressive for a reason. (Plus, Theo is a sweetheart!)
Gabrielle P.
Here are a couple of better pictures of Theo (the last picture was taken at IACC were he was going to be killed):
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/34698752/1/?bust=145823...
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/34698752/2/?bust=145823...
Rebekah S
Theo is such a cutie!!! His eyes are gorgeous and he looks so sweet. I love the St. Patrick's Day photo. ;)
Rebekah S
I'm so glad that Theo is in a shelter now. So glad to hear about the other adoptions too!! Just wondering, but does Loving Heart have a Facebook page?
Rebekah S
I hope Theo finds that forever family soon though. :)
Gabrielle P.
Loving Heart DOES have a Facebook page! Just search Loving Heart Animal Shelter if you have Facebook, or type in www.facebook.com/lovingheartanimalshelter if you do not have Facebook.
Gabrielle P.
I really hope that Theo and Abby get adopted soon--however, Abby is not available for adoption yet. :(
Rebekah S
Great! I'll have to check out their Facebook. :) Thank you!!
Gabrielle p.
Howser the dog has been adopted!!
Gabrielle p.
Hamilton the dog has been adopted!! (He was at Loving Heart; I have never met him.)
Rebekah S
Yay!! I'm so happy for Hamilton and Howser!! :)
Gabrielle p.
Shelter update--
More dogs and a cat have been adopted!
Four new dogs (two pit bull mixes, a chihuahua mix, and a miniature poodle mix) just arrived from IACC today.
Gabrielle p.
All the other animals are fine. Theo the dog is also getting adopted!!
Rebekah S
Hooray for Theo!! :)
Gabrielle p.
The names of the new dogs at LHAS are:
Cocoa (the chihuahua mix)
Rocky (the poodle mix)
Jasmine (a pit bull mix)
Ethel (the other pit bull mix)
Gabrielle P.
Shelter update-
Two cats are going to get adopted!
Yuri, the dog with heartworms, just started treatment today.
Everybody else is fine!
Rebekah S
I'm glad that Yuri is going to get treatment, so he can be all better. :)
Rebekah S
I know that I'm about a week late on this, but did you have a good Easter?
Gabrielle p.
Yes, I had a good Easter. We went to church in the morning and did a couple of activities in the afternoon. How about you?
By the way, have you seen God's Not Dead 2? Last night I saw it at a theater; it was pretty good!
Rebekah S
Our Easter was good too. We also went to church service that morning, then we came home and had a pretty quiet rest of the day. :) I haven't seen God's Not Dead 2 yet. We saw the first one New Year's Eve, and we loved it; so I imagine we'll be going to see God's Not Dead 2 sometime soon. :)
(Emily H)
Hey! I think is animal shelter planning is really nice, please have horses!!!!!!!!
Gabrielle p.
Sorry that I have not responded in a while--I just got over a cold. Shelter update for last Thursday:
A cat got adopted!
A couple is interested in Abby!!
Another dog may get adopted!
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