CGC-How old was your dog?

Jess041

Jess041

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How old was your dog when they took a Canine Good Citizen class or took the test and passed? How did you know your dog was ready to take the test?

Missy is 6 months old and has done 4 weeks of puppy class, and 6 weeks of basic obedience. The next class our trainer offers is CGC with the test offered at the end. I'm hesitant to put her in it because 1. it starts in 2 weeks so I don't really get a break from class, and 2. she's 6 months old and still very much a puppy. She's smart, but very impulsive and hyper. I was thinking we should wait until the fall when the next round of classes start up and she'll be a bit older. But then again, that might just be the way Missy is and there's really no point in waiting because she'll always be a wild child :lol:.
 
Bailey was 10 months old at the end of our obedience class when she took the test.

They tested her for both the star puppy and CGC. She passed both... And then turned into a terror :winkgrin:
 
If I put Missy in this class that's starting on the 28th, she will be almost 7 months when it starts, and exactly 8 months when it finishes. The next class will start on 9/13 when she's 8 months and finish 10/18 when she's 9 months. I wonder if it will make any difference...
 
My first Sheltie, Neechee, was 6-1/2 months old when he got his CGC. But he had been in obedience classes since the age of 8 weeks on. (Actually, he was in classes solid until just after his 10th birthday.) But he was scheduled to be an obedience competitor from the very start.

So were my first and second Border Collies. Maggie (who I adopted as a rescue at the age of 2) got hers at 2-1/2. Max, who I had from the age of 10 weeks (his obedience classes started the day after I got him home from the breeder), got his at 5 months. But as I was always told when competing with him, "he's a Border Collie, so he doesn't count." I guess it was like the kid in school who always screwed up the grading curve. :rolleyes2:

Bela and Gracie will probably never have CGCs. And they belong to a former CGC examiner, to boot! (hanging head in shame)
 
Shelby was a year old. I was going to wait for the same reasons as you. But I decided to just take the class so I would know what to expect and what we needed to work on. Our trainer conviced us to test and worked diligently with us on our problem areas (diatracions and standing still to be brushed). I figured I had nothing to loose by taking the test so we did. Test day Shelby was great the only thing she fumbled on was down stay (and she was always spot on with that never had an issue). She did do the command but did get up once and I went back and made her do it over and she did. I thought we failed but the tester passed us because I went back and made her do it again.

She was the youngest in the class and the only dog that took the test. I think you should do it. If you test and do not pass it will be a great learning experience and you can focus on your trouble spots and test again.

Good luck!
 
My holy terror, err I mean, terrier Jazz was 5 yrs old. For fun, she took it at 10 yrs and still passed. I got her at 1 yr and had issues.

Justice was I, think, 14 months. He already had 2 ASCA CD legs we took it after a trial.
 
IMHO, I think you need to look at your dog's maturity level and where she is. I mean, how's she doing in the obedience? What does your trainer say?

Miko was 9 months when he got his CGC. We did puppy class, then obedience, and he was awesome in both. My trainer suggested the CGC and I took the class, which helps you work through the items for the CGC.

And then there's Koji, he's 5 years old....he may never pass the CGC.

So, make the decision based on Missy's progress in training. And maybe ask the trainer too what s/he thinks.
 
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