Take your dog to the next level of obedience training with this ADVANCED Obedience class!

This is a 5 week class to advance the skills and commands that your dog has learned in Puppy Boot Camp or Basic Obedience Class. You and your dog will learn how to maneuver through public locations with your dog displaying proper community etiquette around real-life distractions. This class will provide your dog with practice that will prepare him to handle city distractions, to make him a joy to have out in public, to take to a sports practice or game, and even to show off at dog-friendly festivals!

This class is also designed to help prepare your dog to take the AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU) test. The CGCU is a title in the Canine Good Citizen family of awards which include AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Canine, AKC Canine Good Citizen, and AKC Community Canine!

Skills practiced will include:

  • Exiting/entering a doorway in a dog-friendly building.

  • Walking through a crowd on a busy sidewalk.

  • Appropriate reaction to city distractions including movement, noises, and walking on a variety of surfaces. Examples:

    • Noises: horns, sirens

    • Moving objects: skateboard, bike, carts, person running

    • Surfaces: concrete, grass, grates, plastic tarp

  • Appropriately crossing a street: Stop at corner, stand or sit to wait and cross.

  • Ignoring food or items on a sidewalk.

  • Sitting politely for petting.

  • Maintaining control while walking through a dog friendly public building and maintaining a 3 minute down stay.

  • Walking appropriately while on stairs and elevator.

  • Preparation for successful public potty behaviors.

  • Appropriate transportation behavior including entering and exiting a vehicle, parking lot behavior, and traveling in a car.

Classes will be held at various dog friendly business locations, on busy sidewalk streets, and in parks and parking lots. Group and Private lessons are available.

Requirements

There is no age requirement to take this class, however dogs must know the basic commands of sit, down, stay, and have the ability to walk on a loose leash.

To earn the AKC Urban CGC title, dogs must meet the following two requirements:

1. Must already have a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificate or title on record at AKC.

2. Must have an AKC number of one of 3 types:

1.) AKC registration number, 2.) PAL number, or 3.) AKC Canine Partners number.

All dogs, including mixed breeds, can get an AKC number. You can get an AKC Canine Partners number at the same time you submit your CGCU title application.

 
Teaching your dog the "Let's Go" command, to "Wait" to exit the vehicle upon command, and to "Sit" upon exiting allows you to gather your bags and the ease of mind that he won't take off running through a parking lot.
Your dog can be comfortable maintaining a "Down-Stay" with the movement of objects such as shopping carts around him. His confidence and comfort level make taking him on public outings a pleasurable experience.