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.
Author Archives: Canine Good Citizen
Dogs and Doorways
I had a friend who was a police K9 handler. True to the stereotype, that cop loved doughnuts. He started many midnight shifts with a cup of coffee, a jelly doughnut, and his trusty K9 partner at his side. He … Continue reading
CGC at the Bullmastiff Specialty: A Way for All Dogs to Win
Guest Author: Jan Logan (American Bullmastiff Association Director & CGC Evaluator) Last month, I was asked by the President of the Southwest Regional Club of the American Bullmastiff Association to have CGC testing available during the Specialty weekend. I was … Continue reading
Reinforce or Reassure?
Recently, I took a flight from Atlanta to New York City. I got on the plane and noticed that the person in the seat next to me had a black carry-on bag under her seat. Not long after the plane … Continue reading
When Should You Start Training? The Answer May Surprise You!
As the final installment of this week’s blogs on puppies, here’s one more bit of information from our book, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy: A Positive Behavioral Approach to Training. It used to be that trainers and veterinarians recommended that puppies begin … Continue reading
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Submissive Urination
On Monday, we talked about the Siberian Husky Puppy who urinates when meeting new people. Many puppies will outgrow submissive urination, but here is a behavioral approach to handling the problem that will help you socialize your puppy. Problem: the … Continue reading
Tinkle, Tinkle, You Need S.T.A.R.
One of my friends has the sweetest little Siberian Husky puppy. He’s 5 months old now. “What do I do?” she said. “When I take him for walks and we meet someone, he gets so excited he tinkles.” Yes, that’s … Continue reading
Camellias and Dandie Dinmonts
More than ready for spring, I decided to visit Maclay Gardens in north Florida to spend a few hours among the camellias and azaleas. Maclay Gardens, now a state park, was the winter home of wealthy New York banker and … Continue reading
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Video
From CGC Evaluator Ada Simms in New York, here is a short video of her AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy class. Ada’s training school is Reward That Puppy! Inc. Dog Training These pups are well trained! https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o2fjU5g0N0o
Why Do Dogs Scratch Ground? …Followup
This is a follow-up to the reader question,”Why does my dog scratch the ground after he pees or poops?” Citizen Canine readers (many are experienced trainers and canine behaviorists) had some great answers: * dogs are curious and dig when … Continue reading
Presidents’ Day-George Washington’s Dogs
Most people who are interested in dog breeds know that George Washington is credited for developing the American Foxhound. His favorite Foxhound, “Sweet Lips,” accompanied him on trips. But, did you know that George and Martha Washington were dog lovers … Continue reading
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