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.
Shelter update:
Daisy the terrier mix may get adopted!
Abigail the Chihuahua mix is actually 4-5 years old, and, sadly, had about 4 litters of puppies before being rescued. :(
Bailey, a 2 year old female terrier/whippet mix, is a newbie. Actually, she was adopted but then returned because her current family could not deal with an active dog. Bailey is very sweet, knows sit, and loves to play! Below is a photo of Bailey:
http://www.petango.com/sms/photos/1570/777323cf-6b3a-427f-baf8-13e22d742...
Abby is pretty much the same, but still is an overall sweet girl!
Ryker the pit bull mix is about the same--so is Diego.
Gabrielle
Cool! How have you liked high school for the past two years?
Rebekah S.
Yay!! Another adoption, that's wonderful.
Justin T
I'm liking high school. Of course it's a lot tougher as you get more schoolwork and your grade level gets higher, but it's fun. I'm especially enjoying my subjects this semester. How about you, are you liking high school?
Justin T
Do you have any idea what you would like to study in college?
Gabrielle P.
A cat named Cleopatra got adopted yesterday from LHAS!
Gabrielle
I'm liking it a lot! I go to a private christian school, so it's very enjoyable. When I get to college, I'd like to take a writing class, cause I'd like to be an author. Another cool thing, my school takes college classes, and I'm doing English 102 right now.
Gabrielle P.
Shelter update (yes, I've volunteered twice this week)-
Today, a couple came and was interested in Abby, the GSD mix. The introductions went well. After meeting Abby, they met Bailey, the terrier/whippet mix. In the end, the husband liked Bailey and the wife liked Abby. Hopefully, they'll adopt Abby and give her the training that she needs!
Everybody else is pretty much the same.
Justin T
That's cool!! Hopefully I'll be taking a few college courses over the next year or so.
Rebekah S.
Do you typically volunteer every day of the week? Or just a few days out of the week?
Rebekah S.
Maybe they'll adopt both of the dogs, that would be nice. Since they really liked both, maybe both will get homes with that couple. :) Or, does Abby have problems with other dogs too?
Gabrielle P.
I usually volunteer once a week, but I may be volunteering twice a week now.
I don't think that Abby could be adopted with Bailey--I don't even know if Abby would even like Bailey! The strange thing is, she barks and growls at nearby dogs in her cage, but once she's out of the cage with them, she's fine. However, Abby DOES NOT like Ryker the pit bull, so she may not like Bailey.
Rebekah
How about u Rebekah? What grade r u in? What do u want to when it older?
Rebekah S.
I understand that. At first, our Jack Russell was really afraid of other dogs, then she just would bark and growl at them, but we found our Chihuahua mix Bunny, and Peanut really likes her now, it took some time, but now they're playing with each other and Peanut really seems to like her. :)
Rebekah S.
By the way, Bailey sure is a cutie. :D About how big is she? More on the medium size or the smaller size.
Justin T.
Well, since I'm homeschooled, it's kind of hard to tell what grade I'm in (especially since we don't do grades). But I guess that I would be in 7th grade.
Justin T.
Well, I would like to get a business degree when I get older, then start my own no-kill, non-profit, 501c3 animal shelter or rescue.
Gabrielle P.
Yes, Bailey is super cute. They say that she's a terrier mix, but I think that she's part whippet because of the way her ears are shaped and her size. Bailey is more on the smaller size of medium., but she's pretty heavy!
Rebekah S
Okay. She looked a bit smaller, but I couldn't really tell about how small she was from the picture.
Gabrielle P.
Actually, I thought Bailey was bigger than what she is! When I saw her for the first time I was surprised that she was as small as she was!
Gabrielle P.
Something I found out yesterday was that Snow the Pomeranian was returned because he was getting nippy and marking. It turns out, a person that fosters animals for LHAS decided to foster Snow. The funny thing is, that family has a Pomeranian that looks exactly like Snow--the only difference is, their Pomeranian is a little bigger than Snow is!
Rebekah
Sounds cool! My brother Jacob is in seventh grade too. Gabrielle, what do u want to do when u get older?
Justin T.
What do you want to do when you grow up?
Justin T.
One reason for wanting to start to start a shelter or rescue is because more than 9,000 homeless pets are killed in kill shelters every day, which leads to about 3-4 million killed yearly. Another reason is because I really love animals. The third reason is because in Proverbs 12:10 it says, "A good man takes care of his animals. But even the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel."
That's why I want to rescue animals.
Justin T.
I'd like to get a degree as a veterinary anesthesiologist. When I was little, I had always wanted to be a veterinarian, but decide a year or so ago that I didn't think that I would want to perform a surgery myself, but that I'm comfortable being present (I did a veterinary program last year, and a part of the graduation was watching a surgery), so I decided that anesthesiology would be something that could work for me. I'll also be working with Rebekah starting an animal shelter. :)
Rebekah S.
I'm glad to hear that even though Snow was returned, he found a family willing to foster him until he finds that forever home. :)
G. And R.
Sweet! U guys got it all figured out! Rebekah, I'd like to be an author when I grow up. I'm even writing a book at the moment!
Justin T.
That's really cool that you're writing a book!! Are you writing it out on paper, or are you typing it out on a computer?
Gabrielle
On my computer
Gabrielle P.
Daisy the terrier mix was adopted!!
Justin T.
What is your book about?
Gabrielle P.
Would you like me to present more of my dog "handbook" to you?
Rebekah S.
Yes, that would be great. :)
Gabrielle P.
New Arrivals:
First and foremost, every dog must go through a 2-week (or 14 day) quarantine period before being allowed to interact with other animals. After a dog caregiver has interacted with a dog in quarantine, he or she must thoroughly wash his or hers hands and de-fuzz his or hers clothes. In severe cases, dog caregivers must change his or hers shirts, pants, or shoes.
When a dog first arrives, welcome him with a quiet area, fresh water, a little bit of fresh food, a clean kennel, and a comfy bed or beanbag with a blanket. If it is near mealtime, feed the dog half of his normal meal; a little while later, feed him the other part of the meal. Check on the dog often and make sure that he always has clean water and clean bedding and isn’t doing anything destructive. Every hour (or more frequently), bring the dog outside so he can relieve himself if need be. Do not force the dog to interact with other dogs, and—if possible—keep the dog in a quiet, dimly lit area away from other dogs.
Over the days, get to know the dog better and schedule a time to get the dog spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped (the appointment should be scheduled near the end or after the dog’s quarantine period). Dogs over 6 months of age get heartworm tests; all dogs get fecal tests.
After the dog has been fixed, check on him frequently and make sure he isn’t messing with the stitches. If he does mess with the stitches, put a cone on him until he heals. Make sure that the dog is comfortable after being fixed and is not in a stressful environment.
Once the dog has healed from being fixed and after he has been vaccinated, give him a grooming session. Grooming sessions include brushing, bathing, and nail trimming. Trimming of fur in various places can also take place during a grooming session.
When you have a clean, healthy dog, start training. Have him learn how to come when called and how to sit. If he excels at those cues teach him lay down, stay, shake a paw, or roll over. A trust-building exercise is having the dog eat out of your hand; if he eats out of your hand, it’s a sign that he trusts you.
Once you’re are confident that you have built a trusting relationship with that dog, see how he does around other animals. This is extremely important, especially if a potential forever home has other dogs or cats. Information on dog and cat introductions is noted below.
Placement:
When a dog first arrives, place him in a quiet area for his 2-week quarantine period. If the room is large, 2-3 dogs may be placed in there for quarantine. Otherwise, keep dogs in quarantine separate as not to spread sicknesses.
If a dog has a contagious illness, keep him in a separate room at all costs. If this can not be helped, go into the dog’s cage, pick the dog up (if possible), and bring him to where you need him to be. If the dog must walk to where you need him to be, take him on a back route. If he must walk where healthy dogs walk, clean the area after the dog is where you need him to be.
Healthy dogs may be placed in rooms together. 1-2 dogs may stay in smaller rooms and 3-4 dogs may stay in larger rooms. First, make sure that all dogs in the same room get along together. If a certain dog does not like other dogs, keep him in a room on his own. If this can not be helped, have the friendly-dog dog on the side of the room farthest to the door, and the non-friendly dog on the side of the room that is closest to the door. That way, the non-friendly dog does not have to pass the friendly-dog dog.
If a dog has been out of quarantine for a while but suddenly falls ill, keep him in a separate room. If this can not be helped, place him in a room with a dog in quarantine. Keep their cages as far apart as possible.
Gabrielle P.
The "Placement" section that I just shared with you would be if we bought a facility that had separate rooms and we had to use something like a dog panel pen for each individual dog.
Gabrielle P.
If you have any questions or opinions, please share them!
Gabrielle P.
Outside Areas:
Dogs in quarantine must use a different area of yard to relieve themselves on than the dogs that are out of quarantine and healthy. After a dog has relieved himself, clean it up immediately if need be. If the dog has diarrhea, section that part of the yard off so other dogs in quarantine can not catch the sickness.
Dog that are not in quarantine use a different area of yard to relieve themselves on than the dog that are in quarantine. After a dog has relieved himself, clean it up right away if need be. This way, nobody gets dirty shoes and dogs don’t accidentally pick up various sicknesses.
Dogs in quarantine must play in a different area of yard than dogs that are out of quarantine and healthy. After playing with a toy, have it washed immediately unless it is the dog’s personal toy.
Dogs that are not in quarantine play in a different area of yard than the dogs that are in quarantine. After playing with a toy, have it washed if it is filthy. If it is a dog’s personal toy, put it back into the cage with the dog.
Cleaning:
Everybody knows that dogs can get messy—and fast! Two or three times a week each of the dog kennels must be cleaned. Replace bedding (replace before cleaning days if filthy) and remove all beds, toys, and feeding dishes. Then sweep up the fur and clean the floor with soap and water or baby wipes. If the floor has been cleaned with soap and water, dry with a towel. Dust any areas if need be.
Wash toys (if washable) and feeding dishes. Then place new bedding, toys, and feeding dishes back before allowing the dog to come back into the kennel.
While a dog’s kennel is being cleaned, have his caregiver brush and bathe him. That way—once he gets back into his kennel—he’ll be squeaky clean!
Gabrielle P.
All of the other sections are quite long but include grooming, toys, food and treats, medications, dog testing, cat testing, and training.
Rebekah and Gabrielle
My book is going to be part of a medieval type fantasy in another world called Sonab (the series is also going to be called Sonab). It's about a bunch of heroes going out on a quest to fight a war against a dark Lord and his evil followers. One thing I'm really excited about is that it's going to be Christian book series; lots of the stuff in it will point to God
Justin T.
That sounds very interesting. Did you (or are you) taking any writing courses to help you learn how to write novels correctly?
Gabrielle P.
Let's say that we are running our shelter and have an adoptable puppy (the supposed adoptable puppy is pictured below). The adoptable puppy would be a female, her name would be Destra, she is about 4 months old, is sweet but shy, likes most dogs, kids, and not cats. What would you write to promote her adoption? (If you are not comfortable doing this, that is fine. In my next comment, I'll write something to promote the supposed adoptable puppy's adoption.)
https://drpem3xzef3kf.cloudfront.net/photos/pets/32408996/1/?bust=143399...
I found the picture above on Petfinder.com. The dog pictured above has been adopted.
Gabrielle P.
This is one way I would write to promote a dog's adoption:
Please welcome Miss Destra. She is a 4-month-old female Australian cattle dog mix that came to our shelter because her family could no longer care for her.
Destra is a sweet, gentle girl. When meeting new people, she needs to know that they are okay before she will go up to them. She loves other dogs, but thinks that cats are a moving toy and will chase them. Children are no biggie with Destra—-she is very tolerant with babies and toddlers and has been cleared to go to a household with children of all ages.
Because Destra is a cattle dog mix, she likes to run and bark a lot and will need an active family to keep up with her energy. She also excels at training and has learned to come when called, how to sit, and how to shake her paw. She is being housetrained and is doing wonderfully!
Some of Destra’s favorite activities are going on walks, playing with other dogs, basking in the sun, and getting lots of love and attention.
To sum it up, Destra looking for people who have the time and energy to train, exercise, and love on a puppy like her. She sure doesn’t want to grow up homeless!
If you would like to meet Destra, please visit our adoption center during our public hours.
Rebekah S
Your handbook is very detailed and organized, I am very impressed with your dedication and at how much effort you're putting into this animal shelter. I know that I have a lot to learn, and I have definitely learned quite a few things from you, and I am very excited to learn more. I like the handbook and the guidelines that you have provided in there, and those rules look perfect. One question though, would each dog have a separate caregiver, or would there be maybe one person assigned to specific dogs? Say that there were about 8 dogs, would I be assigned to be caregiver for maybe 3-4 dogs? Also, writing isn't really my strong suit, so I'm not sure that I would feel completely comfortable writing a promotion. :(
Rebekah S
Also, I just thought I'd mention that my Jack Russell is turning 14 today. :D
Justin T
Your book sounds really awesome!! I'm a big fan of medieval fantasy, like Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, and the Chronicles of Narnia. Keep up the good work!! :)
Gabrielle P.
That's fine, I understand. :)
Well, I think we would both take care of all the dogs. If the office work piles up or something else happens, I would be more than willing to care for more dogs. Or, if you would rather care for more dogs, that's fine too.
On a scale of 1-10, how much do you like caring for dogs? Mine would probably be a 10.
Another thing--we would have to do lots and lots of fundraising to keep the money coming in. I have a some fundraising ideas that I've typed up on documents. A few include a Kids' Day, a Kitten Klub (I spelled it with a "k" on purpose), and an event called Project Puppies. I've also come up with an event called Dog Days of Summer and another one called Paw Prints Palooza. I can tell you about them if you'd like.
Gabrielle P.
Wow...14 years! Our dog will be turning 5 in November--I can't believe it's been that long!
Gabrielle P.
Do you think we should accept adoption applications before puppies are ready to go to their forever homes? If we did and found a good home, then once a puppy is old enough to be adopted, he or she can go straight into a forever home.
Gabrielle P.
Would we have a Facebook page for our shelter? I know of some shelters that have Facebook pages--they post adoptable animals on their page, upcoming events, etc.
I think that having a shelter Facebook page would be a great idea, but lots of people will see it and may not comment the best things. Maybe we can request that if they are interested in adopting an animal that we post, they should go to our website and see what it takes.
What is your opinion on this?
Rebekah S
For me it would be a 10 also. I love to take care of dogs, so that would be very enjoyable for me. :) Yes, I would love to hear more about your shelter project ideas. Ordinarily I would say no to Facebook, but for an animal shelter, I do think that a Facebook page would be an excellent idea.
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