Goldstock 2014
Goldstock 2014
Registration and housing
Register on-line
Registration fees
Rescue Parade and Parade of Seniors
Candle Ceremony and Slide Show
Olympics at Goldstock
CGC test
TDI test
Hotels
Directions to Goldstock

CGC TEST

WHEN: Saturday, August 30th; 9 a.m. to noon

COST: $10; Pre-registration is required, but you can pay "at the door".

CONTACT: Laurie Collins at [email protected]

ITEMS NEEDED:

  1. AKC or ILP number if you want that on their form. It doesn't matter if you don't have a registration number; all breeds/mixes of dogs are welcome! ;-)
  2. Comb or brush (for the dog!).
  3. $15 per dog tested, all of which goes directly to rescue. (I donate the cost of supplies and my time.) I probably won't have much change with me, so please bring the correct amount of money with you. If you want to write a check, make it out directly to Montana's Precious Gold.

WHAT TO WORK ON (previously sent to G@H in May 2001): As some of you know, I have been the Canine Good Citizen evaluator at GoldenFest and Goldstock for the past three years. At this year's GoldenFest, eleven dogs took the CGC test, and seven passed. While I was giving the test, I thought it would be a good idea to post to the list about why people may not pass so those of you who are planning to try for the CGC know what you have to work on. :)

First of all, you can't take the test on a prong collar or a head halter. You have to use either a buckle or a slip collar. So even if you use the other types of collars in training, you want to make sure your dog knows how to walk on a loose lead on a buckle or slip collar. Remember, your dog does not have to be in perfect heel position, does not have to sit at the halts and you can talk to your dog during the test! It's not as if you're stepping foot into the novice ring to attempt to get a leg towards your CD title, nowhere near as formal. So make sure you practice walking your dog around distractions on a loose lead on a buckle or slip collar before you get to the test so your dog isn't pulling you all around.

Secondly, and, unfortunately, this is where I've had to tell most dog/handler teams they haven't passed, is make sure your dog will lay down in strange settings with distractions! One of the elements of the test is to show the evaluator that your dog can do a sit on command, a down on command and a stay while the handler walks out 20 feet and then immediately returns to the dog. You can't force your dog into place, you can't use food, but you can encourage your dog with your voice and body language. Most dogs will sit when the handler tells them to, but when they ask it to down, the dog will turn its head as if to say, "If I can't see you, you can't see me and I don't have to listen to you!" Typical avoidance posture on the dog's part. :) Embarrassing for the poor owners, but believe me, I (and all other evaluators!) have seen it many times and have even experienced it with our own dogs, so please don't be embarrassed by it if it happens. :)

Please, people, make sure that your dog will sit and lay down in a strange setting before you try the CGC test! As most of you know, down is a very submissive and vulnerable position for a dog, and if a dog isn't comfortable with their surroundings, they may not want to open themselves up to "attack". I suggest to people that they go to an outdoor shopping center and work with the dog. Can't get much more distracting than that! It breaks my heart as an evaluator to have to fail a dog when I know they're perfectly capable of doing things but won't do them when they're thrown into a bit of a stressful situation. (One reason I could never become an AKC judge; I'd hate to tell people they'd NQ'd!)

Also, PLEASE air/exercise/whatever you want to call it your dogs before you take the test. If a dog eliminates during any part of the test, other than during the supervised separation if it's an outside test, it's an automatic failure. So make sure you've taken your dog off to do its business before you take the test.

Above all, try not to be nervous when you're taking the test. The CGC is meant to be fun for both you and your dog, and hopefully the evaluator will try to make it that way for you! Most of us don't bite (and hope your dogs don't either! ;) ), so just relax, follow directions and have fun with your furface.

There is more info about the CGC on the AKC website at http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm. Happy training!

Laurie Collins
[email protected]