In Canine Good Citizen classes, the handler learns how to teach his dog to sit, stay, come, and heel because these are the things that make a dog a good citizen. The instructor will show the handler how to teach his dog to do what he is told to do using praise as a reinforcing tool. Social skills are also taught: how to greet another dog owner, how to walk/work around other dogs, and more. More information can be found on the American Kennel Club website at Canine Good Citizen.
Where & When:
Spring 2026 classes will be announced soon. They will be 6pm-7pm, on the Burton Coliseum grounds. Classes will be held for 6 consecutive weeks. The classes will be limited to 20 dogs. Instructors will be Sallie Shepherd, Sandy Cormier and BJ Daigle.
Registering for classes: The dog should be at least 6 months old for the classes, but some exceptions are made. No dog is too old to learn! The handler should complete the application and send it to the club’s post office box along with a check or money order for $50. Alternately, the application may be emailed to ckcevents@yahoo.com, and the fee paid at the first class.
That $50 covers the total fee for the classes and the cost of the CGC test which will be administered after completion of classes.
If you have decided that you want to attend the classes, read the cover letter for information about vaccinations and collars/leashes.
CGC Test: The Calcasieu Kennel Club offers the CGC test twice a year after the CGC classes but is available to test at other times. The test consists of 10 exercises all of which the dog must pass to be deemed a Canine Good Citizen by AKC. The fee is $10 if you are not already enrolled in the classes preceding the test. Please note that class attendees are not required to take the AKC Canine Good Citizen test to attend the classes.
Trick Dog Test: The Trick Dog testing will be included in the fee for the CGC classes. If your dog passed the CGC Test, they will need to complete 5 tricks (performing each one twice) out of a list of tricks provided by AKC to earn his Novice Trick Dog title. If your dog has not passed the CGC Test, he will need to complete 10 tricks (performing each one twice) to earn the Novice Trick Dog title from AKC. Click on this link if you want to know more about the Trick Dog Test.
More Information: If there is anything else you need to know, contact us at ckcevents@yahoo.com.