Hug-A-Dog

Smiley, CGC

Smiley passed the Canine Good Citizen test this afternoon! I'm so proud of him!  He and one other dog passed, out of the 5 dogs tested.  He gets pizza for dinner, his favorite!

The CGC program was established by the American Kennel Club to reward good doggie manners at home and in public as well as responsible ownership. To receive certification, the dog must respond to sit, down, stay, and come cues from his owner; must accept petting, grooming, teeth-checking, ear-checking, paw-checking from a stranger; must remain calm when greeting strangers and other dogs; must not panic or become aggressive when faced with a distraction; and must not freak out when owner goes out-of-sight for 3 minutes. For more info, visit the CGC website.

Smiley gives props to the Golden Retriever Club of Greater Los Angeles Rescue who bailed him from the Lancaster animal shelter in 2003...he and I are ever so grateful the rescue took him in, sight unseen. Had a rescue volunteer actually seen Smiley prior to agreeing to take him, he likely would not have been saved, as he's clearly not a Golden Retriever. Wonder what Smiley is? Check out his Wisdom Panel DNA results HERE!

I'd also like to recognize testers Sherri and Lori for their dedication to AnSams' AAT program. Lori owns/operates Dream Dogs Training and donates free temperament and CGC testing for potential AAT dogs. Sherri, in addition to being a Dream Dogs trainer, and AnSams volunteer, owns Lucky Puppy, a premium dog food delivery business in the Palm Springs area.

Smiley and I are celebrating this long overdue achievement and we will both sleep well tonight.

Around town: old-school signage

Paw prints in red

 
Took this photo a couple years ago when Kandy walked through fresh paint.

Ice cream or dog doo?

Around town...

 

He passed!

 We showed up at the shelter about 1/2 hour early. Smiley was worried, probably got some of it from me or perhaps being in a shelter environment stressed him a bit.  When he first caught sight of the tester's Standard Poodle with the giant, fuzzy topnot, he freaked. I don't think he realized it was a dog! Not off to the greatest start. 

Eight dogs total showed up for the test. The tester approached each dog individually, made noises and wild hand movements about the dogs' faces. She also tested each dog for resource guarding by touching each dogs' owner. She walked around the room with a cane, then waved the cane around in the air. Finally, one tester threw a clipboard on the floor. Not one of the dogs startled...I was so impressed. All of the dogs passed the test!

Once I've taken the Animal Samaritans volunteer orientation (next month), Smiley and I will be matched up with a 'Team Leader' and begin therapy visits at hospitals, schools, wherever we're best suited. Smiley and I will also work towards CGC certification.

How will Smiley do on his temperament test?

When I applied to adopt Smiley 4 years ago, I remember putting on the application that I wanted to try therapy work with him. We're finally going to move ahead with it! The first thing we have to do is a temperament test to see if he's got the disposition for it. We're scheduled to test through the Animal Samaritans Animal Assisted Therapy program this Saturday. I'm hoping his maturity and the daily walks we take will be enough preparation. We've enountered wheelchairs, skateboards, big people, little people, homeless people, shopping carts, bicycles, dogs, cats, pigeons, loud noises, sirens, etc., at one time or another around town...and Smiley takes it all in stride. He craves human attention and loves being petted. I'll bring a camera with me and send an update Saturday!

June 26 is 'Take Your Dog to Work Day'

Since 1999, Pet Sitters International has sponsored 'Take Your Dog to Work Day'. If you're interested in organizating an event at your workplace, download and print an action pack for your employer here: http://www.takeyourdog.com/Get-Involved/

Additional info from takeyourdog.com ...

According to a recent survey conducted by The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), nearly one in five companies in the United States allow pets in the workplace.

• 55 million Americans believe having pets in the workplace leads to a more creative environment
• 53 million believe having pets in the workplace decreases absenteeism
• 50 million believe having pets in the workplace helps co-workers get along better
• 38 million believe having pets in the workplace creates a more productive work environment
• 32 million believe having pets in the workplace decreases smoking in the workplace
• 37 million believe having pets in the workplace helps improve the relationship between managers and their employees
• And, 46 million people who bring their pets to the workplace work longer hours

Source: APPMA 2006 Survey

More sprinkler fun

Staying cool in Palm Springs