Just want to send out congratulations to Joon and her teammate Susan Manning for passing their AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluation recently. Though the individual skills in this test are not really that hard it definitely takes training and practice to not only learn these but to put it all that together at once with an evaluator watching everything you do. Most important is the fact that these skills are so useful in everyday life. Some, like recall and stay, can even save your dog's life. Using the CGC as a training goal is quite helpful even if you have no interest in taking the test. The majority of our Greyhounds could pass this test with just some basic training. Susan and her beautiful girl Joon are the latest addition to SEGC's growing list of CGC Greyhounds.
There is something about Susan & Joon's test circumstances I want to mention. I think most of us have had the experience of believing our dog understood something only to later have them act like they have absolutely no clue what we are asking of them. Sometimes all it takes are a couple distractions, a new location, using a different body position or tone of voice to make it hard for our dogs understand us. If you then tell someone, "OK, we will now begin the test," the pressure to get it right can really amp up even if we are there voluntarily with nothing but pride on the line. So it always impresses me when people are able to work well with their dogs in an unusual or distracting environment or in a stressful situation.
There was no doubt in my mind before their test that Susan & Joon could do everything required. Still, when you find out the test administrator set them up 6 feet inside the entrance of a Petco on a Saturday it starts to really sound like a challenge. I know this store and the layout. They were right in front of the sliding glass doors with all comings and goings including dogs of all shapes and sizes, shopping carts, cats, ferrets, mice in little cardboard boxes held by little children, everywhere... the smell of treats and food and a few bits of peemail left by other dogs... well let's just say this was in real test. They deserve congratulations on this accomplishment. Greyt job girls!
There was no doubt in my mind before their test that Susan & Joon could do everything required. Still, when you find out the test administrator set them up 6 feet inside the entrance of a Petco on a Saturday it starts to really sound like a challenge. I know this store and the layout. They were right in front of the sliding glass doors with all comings and goings including dogs of all shapes and sizes, shopping carts, cats, ferrets, mice in little cardboard boxes held by little children, everywhere... the smell of treats and food and a few bits of peemail left by other dogs... well let's just say this was in real test. They deserve congratulations on this accomplishment. Greyt job girls!
Joon pays close attention to Susan as they
work together at a special pet therapy visit.
Congrats Susan and Joon!!!
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