Wyn & Mary Burch, Ph.D.
AKC's Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Director, Certified Applied Animal BehavioristCitizen Canine Blog (that’s right, this one!) Wins at Westminster!
Every year, on the Sunday before the Westminster dog show, dog writers from across the country travel to New York City for annual writing awards that are the equivalent of “Best in Show” for dog writers. This year, the Citizen Canine blog (that’s right, this one!) won an award as the Best Blog in a writing competition and the Citizen Canine book won the prestigious Maxwell Medallion in the Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) contest. For more information on DWAA, see dwaa.org
About the Programs
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® is the puppy level of Canine Good Citizen® (CGC). AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is designed to provide dog owners and their puppies with a great start in training. With more advanced skills than AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, CGC rewards dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen Program stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. The Hartford is a proud sponsor of the CGC and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy programs.
Monthly Archives: June 2012
In the Swim of It: Teaching Dogs to Swim
Summer is here! It’s time for swimming and anything else that helps us stay cool. Here are some tips for teaching a dog to swim. Let’s start with what you should NOT do. 1. NEVER use the “sink or swim” … Continue reading
Stormy Weather: Plan Ahead for Safety
Tropical storm Debby brought torrential downpours and flooding this week making the following tips from CGC’s sponsor, the Hartford, are timely. “Summer also marks the beginning of hurricane season and extreme weather across the country. If you live in an … Continue reading
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Language Lesson: “Down” or “Off”?
Betty has a Boston Terrier puppy who she is taking to AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy classes. “She’s doing pretty good,” Betty told me. ”She’s good in class, but at home, there are a few things we need to work on. She gets … Continue reading
Happy Take Your Dog To Work Day!
Today is national “Take Your Dog to Work” Day. Started 13 years ago by Pet Sitters International, “Take Your Dog to Work Day” celebrates the bond that we have with our dogs. The American Pet Products Association reports that 1.4 … Continue reading
Puppies: Submissive Urination
On Sunday, I went for a hike at a nearby park. As I got back to the parking lot, I noticed a young man with a black Doberman Pinscher puppy who was about 4 months old. The puppy was gorgeous … Continue reading
Puppies: How to Stop Mouthing/Chewing on Owner
A friend with an 11-weeks old Dalmatian puppy told me she was concerned that her puppy was starting to bite people. After I asked a number of questions about how and when the biting occurred and observed the puppy, it was … Continue reading
Introducing a New Cat to the Dog
The day began with another behavioral call to the CGC department. ”I have a cat question. I know CGC isn’t about cats, but this is also about my dog.” It seems that the caller, Marlene, went to the shelter to … Continue reading
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Dog Training: TRICKS for Trainers
We have a several goals in the Canine Good Citizen Program. A primary goal is certainly to produce responsible dog owners and well mannered dogs. Another goal is to turn people on to dog training and spending quality time with … Continue reading
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Puppies: Socialize to Avoid Fear Related Aggression
Canine experts view the socialization period (3 to 12 weeks) as the most important phase of canine development. The care and handling that a puppy receives during the socialization period will influence the puppy’s behavior for the rest of its … Continue reading
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Duck, Duck, Goose: Train Another Species to Improve Your Skills
I’ve always thought that training another species can improve one’s skills as a dog trainer. Recently, I was talking to a friend when her cell phone rang. “Excuse me,” she said. “I’m so sorry. This is my child, so I … Continue reading
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