Canine Good Citizen

Bandit passed his Canine Good Citizen test in October of 2009 while training with the youth at Project Pooch.  Six months later, we adopted him.  A year after that, I finally sent in the paperwork to get his certificate.

 

The Canine Good Citizen Program is part of the American Kennel Club and rewards dogs for having basic manners using a 10 step test.  The test items include: accepting a friendly stranger, sitting politely for petting, appearance and grooming, out for a walk, walking through a crowd, sit, down, and stay on command, coming when called, reaction to another dog and distraction, and supervised separation.

I'm not sure exactly how he passed; in a controlled environment he is great at 6.5-7 of these items.  But add Banjo, a squirrel, and me into the mix and it's a whole new adventure.  I'm hoping to one day take a class or two with him to continue his great work and maybe get him into agility or flyball (he loves standing on things and chuck-it).

Here are some places in the Portland area to take CGC classes with your pup:

Oregon Humane Society (offer a 10% discount for shelter dogs)

Club K-9 (this is where we go for daycare and boarding).

Happy Go Lucky

Currently Listening To:

Seek-A-Treat Dog Puzzle

 "A tired dog is a happy dog," and a great way to tire a dog out is with a toy that makes them think.

Willis and I have been planning on buying the pups puzzle toys.  I have been looking at puzzle toys online that are around $40 and made of plastic.  Yesterday, I found two dog puzzles on sale at Ross.  I found the Ethical Pet Seek-A-Treat Shuffle Bone Dog Puzzle and the Ethical Pet Seek-A-Treat Flip 'N Flap Dog Puzzle for $10 each.  They were both made of wood and have very little packaging (just a cardboard box).

The dogs figured them out fairly quickly.  I knew they would be easy for Banjo, but had my doubts about 'Dito's intelligence, so we gave him the easier one.  I was hoping it would take them a little longer to figure out.  I plan to only use them every once in awhile so they don't get bored with them too fast and just alternate them with other thinking games, like kongs and hide & seek.

The puzzle slides around a lot on our hardwood floors, but I kind of think that's part of the "challenge,"  I'm sure you could attach some rubber feet onto the bottom or place it on a slipmat to create stability.

These dogs don't do very well with easily destructible things, so I was nervous about them chewing on the wood, especially Bandit.  So far, they haven't attempted too much damage, but I suggest the use of this toy be supervised to prevent chewing damage.  I would imagine if I didn't pick the toy up after the last treat, they would continue to gnaw until there was nothing left.

Overall, for a dog product, they are pretty affordable and semi-entertaining.

Today, I let Bandit try out the harder Flip 'n Flap one while I gave Banjo a Kong.  It took him a little longer to figure it out.

Adopt the Internet Day

Today is Adopt the Internet Day! Petfinder is asking everyone to help spread the word about pet adoption through the internet. So, I thought I'd take this opportunity to introduce you to Banjo and Bandit (we also call him Dito, short for Bandito).

As I type this, they are both snuggled up next to me, and I couldn't ask for anything better.

Banjo is a 4 year old Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix. Willis adopted her a few years ago from a coworker. I think Banjo started her life on a farm, but for some reason, couldn't cut it. I'm not exactly sure why not, as she lives up to her breed's expectations. She herds us outside, is extremely focused (on fetch), and comprehends most of the english language. After a few other trial homes, She eventually made her way into Willis' life via a co-worker. At first, she was a masterful escape artist, busting out of her crate and opening up windows while Willis' was away at work. Eventually, she got bored of that lifestyle and settled into being home alone. She loves going on camping & backpacking trips, playing fetch, and eating cheese and carrots.

Bandit is a very different dog. A 4 year old Jack Russell Terrier, adopted from Project Pooch. Project Pooch is an amazing non-profit, benefiting both dogs and youth. The kennel is located within the Maclaren Youth Correctional Facility, and pairs incarcerated youth with shelter dogs. We don't know much about Dito's life, but here's what I've concluded: Bandit was bought as a puppy from a breeder and eventually given up to the Humane Society (probably because he's a crazy JRT). The youth at Project Pooch worked with him until he earned his Canine Good Citizen Certificate. He was adopted out to another home, but eventually returned after about 4 months. The same day my little rat, Bog, died, I saw Bandit's photo on Facebook and immediately fell in love. In April, Bandit will have been with us for a year. He's a great dog. He loves playing chuck-it, sleeping under the covers, and eating anything he can get his paws on.

So, if you're in the market for a pup, please adopt! There are a lot of amazing dogs out there just waiting for forever homes. Just please be prepared to commit and stop the shelter cycle! Be prepared to have this creature in your life for a long time (this may mean less moving around, less vacationing, etc). Be prepared to spend more money: you've got to feed them, pay for vet care, and pay for training and dog sitters! Be prepared to be outside more: dogs are better dogs when they go on regular walks, run around in the mud, and play lots of training games like fetch or hide and seek!

With all that being said, if we had more room in our home and more money, I would totally welcome Cookie into our lives! Check him out on Petfinder.com.

Have you provided a forever home to a cute creature? If so, what's their name and how did you find them? Help spread the word!