Mel
Posted : 4/14/2006 9:57:16 AM
I think you misunderstood what I was explaining. Yes, CGC is Canine Good Citizen, but no, she doesn't resent being
handled. She is just shy of new people.
And no, I don't think CGC equals service dog. My father-in-law is parapalegic and confined to a wheelchair. I am well versed in ADA laws, including that of service dogs. I don't wish to imply that I am an expert dog trainer, but I believe that acheiving a CGC is a good first step towards working in public as a service dog, as most points of a CGC have to do with allowing people to pass without showing too much interest, resistance to loud noises and responsiveness to commands given by one handler.
You're right about training her to focus on me, though. I've found that people, either out of ignorance or just plain stupidity, completely ignore the "SERVICE DOG - PLEASE DO NOT PET" vest she wears when we're training.
I just need some advice about her shyness. Like I said in the previous post, I try to keep treats around so that she associates strangers with something good. And I don't think she's jealous -- like if people came over and she got ignored, so she associated them with being left out -- because she's usually the center of the attention.