Canine Good Citizen Guidelines

If you're interested in having your bully breed dog certified in the Canine Good Citizen test, you'll want to be prepared as to what your dog will need to know in order to pass the test.

Personally, this is a great test that all bully breed dogs need to take, and pass, because it just helps to prove that not all bullies are bad. It helps prove that these dogs can behave properly upon command and they can be good dogs.

Not all bully breed dogs are vicious killers, and it is our job to show people that.

The Canine Good Citizen test will not 100% show people that your Pit won't rip them to shreds, but it will help show that your dog does behave when asked and commanded.

The CGC test involves the following:
* The dog must accept a friendly stranger.
* The dog must sit politely for petting.
* The dog must behave well when groomed and touched.
* The dog must walk nicely on a loose leash.
* The dog will have to walk through a crowd.
* The dog will have to show that he can sit, lay down, and stay with command.
* The dog will have to come when called.
* The dog will have to prove he can behave well when another dog is present.
* The dog will have to prove he can deal with distractions, which may include a person on crutches or in a wheelchair, sudden opening or closing of a door, dropping a pan or chair, a jogger in front of the dog, a person pushing a cart, and a person on a bike.
* The dog must behave well with supervised separation, where you (the owner) will be out of site.

With these tests, the dog must show no signs of shyness, resentment for being ignored, anxiety, or aggression.

How to Register a Therapy Dog

If you're thinking about turning your Pit Bull into a therapy dog, you'll want to make sure that you follow all the guidelines and regulations. You want to make sure that your dog shows the true colors of the breed. You want yoru dog to be a mascot, as when people see well-behaved and friendly Pit Bulls out in public, they see one more reason to allow these dogs their rights as pets.

Because Pit Bulls are very loving, intelligent, and people pleasing dogs, they make great therapy dogs. Although, not all Pit Bulls are ready to walk into a nursing home or into a hospital with sick children, there are many that who have the ease and temperaments to make perfect therapy dogs.

If you think that your dog is one of those dogs who will be calm, perform fun tricks, and entertain and ease people, then you'll definitely want to consider turning him into a pet therapy dog.

You'll first want to contact a local dog trainer who can perform a "Canine Good Citizen" test on your dog. Basically, the dog will need to know basic obedience, like sit, lay down, and stay. If you are having trouble finding someone, you can check out the Delta Society website to find someone locally who can certify your dog with a CGC certification.

Once your dog has earned his CGC certification, you'll want to have him pet therapy certified. The Delta Society, or another pet therapy program like Therapy Dogs International or The Foundation for Pet-Provided Therapy, will need to certify your dog for therapy.

Once your dog has been certified, wait for the proper badges and vests to come in the mail, and you're ready to take your dog to hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and hospice centers.

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