# Petco CGC class



## honda_tuner (Apr 12, 2009)

I just had a couple quick question so I signed my 6 month old puppy for a cgc class at the end of October. Has anyone had any experience with this class? It also said the dog must have a basic knowledge of manners. So the question is what should i make sure my dog knows before I start the class? Also how hard is it to pass the CGC after taking the 6 week class? 
Thanks in advance


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

Where do you live? Is there a local GSD training club near you where you may be able to take classes at instead? I have nothing against the Petco classes, the instructor may be fine, but what I found was that I learned A LOT more from the local GSD training facility than I did from the Petsmart classes I took Mandi to when she was a baby dog.

I have her signed up to start CGC classes starting this Friday. It is a 10 wk class (it is actually 13 weeks, but 3 weeks there is no class) and the last week we take the test (hopefully we are ready).

Here are some websites you can start at:
http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/

http://www.dogstardaily.com/


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## honda_tuner (Apr 12, 2009)

I live in Southern California. The closest GSD club is an hour away. I figured the CGC classes at petco should be better than the basic classes since they only focus on things for the test. Plus I already paid my $100 bucks. I had a hard time finding another CGC course in my area. So when I seen Petco offered them I hopped on it. I just want to make sure he passes it. Also what things are expected of him to know when I walk into the class.


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## honda_tuner (Apr 12, 2009)

Bump


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I would contact the instructor and asked what is expected that your dog already knows. It varies from class to class and by instructor.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: JesseI live in Southern California. The closest GSD club is an hour away. I figured the CGC classes at petco should be better than the basic classes since they only focus on things for the test. Plus I already paid my $100 bucks. I had a hard time finding another CGC course in my area. So when I seen Petco offered them I hopped on it. I just want to make sure he passes it. Also what things are expected of him to know when I walk into the class.



Where in Southern Cal do you live? I too live in Southern California and joined a brand new German Shepherd Club, they rotate the classes around to different areas to utilize different instructors etc...


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## honda_tuner (Apr 12, 2009)

I live in the San Fernando Valley near Burbank are you familiar with the area Larhage? I will contact the instructor to see what he should know. I'm sure many people here have taken the test so I wanted to know on a scale of 1-10 how hard is it? I know it will vary from dog to dog and class to class, but just a general ball park of difficulty.
On another note Larhage I cant find a SCH club closer than a hour from me. It would be real nice to know that there is one closer.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: JesseI'm sure many people here have taken the test so I wanted to know on a scale of 1-10 how hard is it? I know it will vary from dog to dog and class to class, but just a general ball park of difficulty.


Since you can talk to the dog the entire time (except test #10) and there's no point system - just pass or fail - I'd say it was pretty easy.

BUT - it all depends on YOUR dog.

Here are the tests - I would try each one with your dog to see how he does:



> Quote:Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
> 
> This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to the evaluator.
> 
> ...


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: JesseI live in the San Fernando Valley near Burbank are you familiar with the area Larhage? I will contact the instructor to see what he should know. I'm sure many people here have taken the test so I wanted to know on a scale of 1-10 how hard is it? I know it will vary from dog to dog and class to class, but just a general ball park of difficulty.
> On another note Larhage I cant find a SCH club closer than a hour from me. It would be real nice to know that there is one closer.



I'm very familiar with your area, I live in the High Desert and work in L.A, in fact I had a horse in training at the Equestrian Center there in Griffith Park. The O.G. German Shepherd Dog Clubs website address is http://www.OGGoldenState.org, they have a breed survey show coming up the end of September ( 25th-27th) so they are busy, but after that the Club will be back on schedule.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: JesseI'm sure many people here have taken the test so I wanted to know on a scale of 1-10 how hard is it? I know it will vary from dog to dog and class to class, but just a general ball park of difficulty.


There's no easy answer to that question. As Lauri said, it depends on the dog. For Halo, the sit and down, the stay, the recall, and the 3 minute out of sight separation were a snap. She did fine with the walking through a crowd and distractions, and approaching another person with a dog. BUT, she jumped up to meet the evaluator on the very first exercise, so we failed.







Even if she'd passed that exercise, as soon as someone got down in range to pet her, handle her paws, and run a brush down her back, it was pretty much a given that she would at the very least shower their face with kisses (which would be okay as long as she didn't jump on them) but there was also a good possibility she'd be in their lap, which would NOT be allowed, lol! Polite greetings are our biggest challenge, and I knew that going into the class. 

In our class the trainer said that it's often the really friendly dogs that have a hard time with the test, and I found that to be true with Halo. It's a lot easier to get your dog to ignore other dogs and accept handling from a stranger without getting too excited if they're neutral about other dogs and people. 

The loose leash walking she did very well in class and she's pretty good most of the time out on walks, even with distractions, but they had cones set up for us to do the turns around, and Halo lunged forward to sniff the cone, which was another fail. 

The funny thing is that in class the week before the test and the week prior to that she was almost PERFECT at every single exercise, and would most likely easily passed the test if it had been given either night. But come test day there were twice as many dogs and at least twice as many people in the same room as usual and I think that was just too much novelty for her to process at such a young age. She was about a week and a half before she turned 8 months old when we took the test.


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## honda_tuner (Apr 12, 2009)

Thanks for all the great replies. I talked to the trainer. She told me all the commands he should know. It seems like we got everything down except the heel. So I got about 6 weeks till the class starts. I'll work on the heel till then.
Thanks again


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

He actually doesn't need a heel for the test, all he needs is to walk on a loose leash, and for you to demonstrate that he's under your control. Where he is in relation to you is not that important. No reason not to also work on heel, just don't worry too much if it's not perfect by then, and also be sure to work on starts and stops, right turns, left turns, and about turns (in either direction you choose, it doesn't matter for the test). I like to work on circles and figure 8's too. 

Some things that were recommended to us were to teach our dogs to sit for person and dog greetings, even though it's not required, since it's always better to overtrain than to undertrain, and also to offer a paw on cue. Take him to places where he can meet a lot of people get him used to being petted by strangers. Bring his brush and have them brush him a few times and ask for his paw.


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