CGC training

[Ritz459]

While I know Chloe is most likely never going to be able to obtain a CGC title (she has way to many issues), I would like to work with her on my own time to get her at least in the ballpark of a CGC title - to get ger on her way to becoming a good companion dog.

Here is the list of requirments I found. Chloe has issues in almost every catagory, some needing more help than others:

1. Accepting a friendly stranger
2. Sitting politely for petting
3. Appearance and grooming
4. Walking on a loose lead
5. Walking through a crowd
6. Sit and down on command
7. Coming when called
8. Reaction to another dog
9. Reaction to distractions
10. Supervised separation

I'm going to work my way down the list and work on one at a time until I feel she has progressed far enough to move on to the next one.

#1 and #2 is accepting a friendly stranger and sitting politely for petting.

This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to the evaluator.

This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to touch it while it is out with its handler. With the dog sitting at the handler's side, to begin the exercise, the evaluator pets the dog on the head and body. The handler may talk to his or her dog throughout the exercise. The dog may stand in place as it is petted. The dog must not show shyness or resentment.

This is what I'm going to focus on first. She LOVES people, so accepting that person isn't a problem. It is accepting that person while still acting like a calm, sane dog. Sadie had the same problem and since Sadie is now a Guide Dog I have hope.

When we are out in public (or even at home) and she sees a person she starts prancing around, wagging her tail, and doing little half jumps. Very cute, but also very annoying. If she is VERY excited to see them, she'll whine and/or make little half bark half howl noises.
It has gotten to the point that when Chloe really wants someone to pet her she'll first act like a loony, then a little lightbulb will go on in her head, and she'll either sit or lay down. The person walks over, reaches to pet her....and she's an insane dog again. (Although the other day a little boy came up next to Chloe without me knowing it and she just stood calmly and licked his hand. Very good girl. )

How can I get her to sit consistantly WHILE the person is going to pet her? Or, better yet, any tips on how to get the people to cooperate and not pet her while she is acting like a looney? I can get her to not jump up on me no problem - every time she does I walk away. She gets the hint and satisfies herself with sitting while wiggling her butt. But to ask people to do this and having them comply is proving to be very difficult.

Also, Chloe is a cheater. When she knows she can't jump on someone, she'll sit and then put her paws up in the air (like she was begging) and paw at the person. It is almost like she is jumping on them with her butt still firmly on the ground. She'll wrap her paws around their arm and brombard the person with kisses. Should I correct when she starts to lift her paws up and make her have all four feet on the floor (but in terms of correcting her, why would I correct a dog for being friendly and excited?), or is there another way I can get her to not "hug" people?

[Rivsky]

We did this thing in puppy class called "four on the floor". Basically we all had to go up to everyone else's dog and approach them and ask them to sit before we interacted with them - or if they were really excitable as Chloe seems to be simply have all four feet on the ground. If they sat or stood quietly they got a treat and a pat (if that's what they wanted). If they jumped up we were all told to turn our backs on the dog and try again once they had all four feet on the floor again. It really didn't take them long to figure out that if they wanted to meet that person then they had to calm down first.

With the pawing I guess you have to decide whether you are going to accept that as a behaviour when she's greeting other people. If you decide not to I personally wouldn't correct her but would use the same method as above - get whoever it is to turn their back on her and walk away a couple of steps and try again.

Hope this is of some help - and you're able to find some people to practice this with!

[Ritz459]

Originally Posted by Rivsky

We did this thing in puppy class called "four on the floor". Basically we all had to go up to everyone else's dog and approach them and ask them to sit before we interacted with them - or if they were really excitable as Chloe seems to be simply have all four feet on the ground. If they sat or stood quietly they got a treat and a pat (if that's what they wanted). If they jumped up we were all told to turn our backs on the dog and try again once they had all four feet on the floor again. It really didn't take them long to figure out that if they wanted to meet that person then they had to calm down first.

With the pawing I guess you have to decide whether you are going to accept that as a behaviour when she's greeting other people. If you decide not to I personally wouldn't correct her but would use the same method as above - get whoever it is to turn their back on her and walk away a couple of steps and try again.

Hope this is of some help - and you're able to find some people to practice this with!

I'll round up my siblings and our neighbor's kids and have at it, I suppose. Chloe has learned to discriminate between people though, and she knows who she can push over and get away with things. If you aren't 100% consistent with her, she'll do whatever she wants to do. If I can't get every stranger we come into contact with to ignore her while she's jumping....we will be taking one step forward, two steps back. I guess I'll have to stop being polite to people and say, "If you want to pet my dog and she jumps up ignore her and stop petting her. If you can't do that, please don't pet her."

[Rivsky]

Originally Posted by Ritz459

Chloe has learned to discriminate between people though, and she knows who she can push over and get away with things. If I can't get every stranger we come into contact with to ignore her while she's jumping....we will be taking one step forward, two steps back.

I know exactly what you mean there - I've got one of those type of dogs too!! He just knows who he can push to do what and people almost always let him get away with jumping on them but he does know if I tell him it's not on to carry on with some one in particular then he usually quits it at least. Just another reason dogs are so much easier to deal with than people

[Sheltiemama]

According to my trainer it's a matter of teaching that it's ok to be quiet when being petted by a stranger.
I started with Brandi who is very shy and doesn't like to be touched by strangers. She doesn't exhibit any aggression but will shy her head away from them like she's saying eww don't touch me.

First of all start with a hungry dog. Have some real yummy treats at hand and give her just a tiny bit of food with each pet. Start her out in a sit stay and allow one person at a time to come to her and touch her on the beard under the chin (NEVER ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD) Treat her when she reacts as you wish her to with a clam demeanor. If she breaks sit/stay put her back and try again. Soon she'll relate petting by strangers as being a good and wonderful thing. Then after she has accepted petting from more than one stranger you can just reward with the food after several people have petted her. Then remove the reward until after the exercise is finished.

[dogs4life]

Just wanted to add...If Chloe is not cooperating and you are in public, just tell strangers she is "working" and they can pet her later just not right now. Then you work on regaining focus. It's a nice polite way out...plus you don't set Chloe up for failure.

Good luck!

[Ritz459]

Originally Posted by dogs4life

Just wanted to add...If Chloe is not cooperating and you are in public, just tell strangers she is "working" and they can pet her later just not right now. Then you work on regaining focus. It's a nice polite way out...plus you don't set Chloe up for failure.

Good luck!

That's a good idea. We used that line all of the time with Sadie when we didn't want people bugging her, so I don't know why I didn't think to use it with Chloe.