Raising A Well Mannered Mutt with Sallie Palmer

Is your dog a Canine Good Citizen?

Not every dog owner is aware that they might be in violation of their home owners insurance policy. I don’t want to be the barer of bad news but are you aware that many insurance carriers have a hit list of breeds and they will cancel or refuse coverage if you own one of these dogs. You have to check with each individual company to find out which dogs are on their particular list. The most common ones on the list are Pitbulls, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Akita, Boxers, shar peis and sometimes even poodles.

This is just another example of where irresponsible dog owners have made it harder for those of us who are responsible dog owners from past actions where insurance companies had to pay claims caused by dog bites usually due to poor socialization or lack of training. So what can you do? You can have your dog become a Canine Good Citizen.

The American Kennel Club offers a ten part test to determine if your dog is considered a well mannered dog. This program encourages all dog owners to train their dogs to be obedient, safe and friendly. The test is open to any dog no matter what breed or mix. The best part is that when you pass the test the results are sent to the American Kennel Club and those statistics are used to help combat negative legislation and policies concerning dogs. Many insurance companies will consider the fact that your dog has earned his CGC certificate when it comes to your homeowner policy.

The other reason that I encourage all dog owners to take the CGC test is to have validation that their dog is indeed a well mannered dog and that the owner has done a good job of training him. The satisfaction and pride is well worth the effort.

So what does the test entail? Here are the ten items on the test:

1. Accepting a friendly stranger
2. Sitting politely for petting
3. Appearance and Grooming, allowing a stranger to exam them.
4. Walking on a loose leash.
5. Walking through a crowd.
6. Sit and down on command/staying in place.
7. Coming when called.
8. Reaction to another dog.
9. Reaction to distractions.
10.Three minute supervised separation.

I encourage all dog owners to earn their CGC certificate. There are preparation classes offered locally and the test usually costs under $20.00. For more information on the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Test go to www.CGC@AKC.org.

Sallie Palmer teaches private and group classes in the Ukiah and Willits area. She is a CGC evaluator and offers CGC preparation Classes. For more information, go to www.wellmanneredmutts.net.

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