Reccomended Training Programs for your New Puppy
Look for a Training Center Near you that offers these programs!
AKC Family Dog
Fun fact: CGC is a core part of the AKC Family Dog Program, an umbrella program designed to help dogs and their owners develop a lifelong bond and become well-socialized members of the community. AKC Family Dog includes the 4 levels of the Canine Good Citizen program: AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen, AKC Community Canine, and AKC Urban CGC. AKC Family Dog also includes other fun activities for you and your canine family member like AKC Therapy Dog, AKC Trick Dog, AKC FIT DOG and the AKC Temperament Test. After CGC, you and your dog can simply enjoy a happy, healthy life together, or move on to advanced levels of the Family Dog Program, like AKC Community Canine or AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen.
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is an exciting program designed to get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is an excellent first in-person training class for puppies. We believe that all dogs deserve training and a responsible owner and our goal is to reward responsible dog ownership. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy provides a good lead-in to earning the Canine Good Citizen title.
Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
At the AKC, we believe that all dogs can be good dogs, and all owners can be great owners, all it takes is a little bit of training, lots of love, and of course, plenty of praise along the way.
That’s why we created the Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) program: an expert-made training program designed to help you and your dog be the best you can be–together.
Canine Good Citizen is a 10-skill test that teaches good manners to dogs and responsible dog ownership to their owners.
By training in CGC, you and your dog will deepen your bond and become a more connected team. Not only will you and your dog learn the basics of dog training and master skills like sit, down, and stay, but your dog will become a welcomed community member when out in public.
There are also Other levels to the CGC program like CGC Urban, CGC Community Canine, CGC advanced.
The CGC title is a prerequisite for many therapy dog certifications, as well as a great introduction to more advanced dog sports and activities.
AKC Therapy Dog
Therapy Dog is an AKC program which recognizes the necessary therapy work performed by dogs through accepted organizations based on the number of visits. Therapy work involves volunteers who schedule visits to various facilities and locations such a nursing homes, classrooms, libraries, assisted living centers, hospices, funeral homes, schools, shelters even courtrooms.
The moment a volunteer with a therapy dog walks into a room, you can instantly feel a change in mood. All eyes focus on them, as smiles spread across everyone’s faces. Therapy dogs are NOT service dogs.
Whether they’re working with a child who is learning to read, visiting a patient in a hospital or a senior in assisted living, therapy dogs and their owners work together as a team to improve the lives of other people. A dog can provide a valuable sense of reassurance, joy, or calmness to people experiencing stressful, lonely or depressing situations or general times in their life.
IF This Sounds like something you would like to do with your dog Check out more on AKC website or ask us how to get started.
AKC Fit Dog
Now more than ever, fitness is important for both dogs and people. The most commonly recommended exercise to improve fitness is walking. Walking is considered a safe activity that improves muscular strength, circulation, memory, weight loss, increases energy, helps with sleep, and reduces stress. The American Heart Association recommends walking a minimum of 150 minutes per week. Participation in the AKC FIT DOG program will bring health benefits to both you and your dog.
If you walk with your dog on a regular basis, join the ranks of AKC FIT DOG and get your free (5-3/4 inches) FIT DOG logo car magnet.
The AKC FIT DOG magnet proudly declares to the world that you are committed to your dog’s health and fitness through regular exercise.
AKC Trick Dog
AKC Trick Dog is one of AKC’s most popular training programs because trick training is fun for both dogs and their trainers.
You can teach your dog tricks yourself, or you can go to a training class.
Tricks are behaviors that are designed to entertain others. AKC Trick Dog ranges from very simple novice tricks such as teaching your dog to get in a box on cue, to complex tricks that are several behaviors chained together in one exciting sequence.
Get ready to wow your friends with your dog’s tricks! We hope to see you at AKC Trick Dog soon!
AKC Fetch
Welcome to AKC Fetch! When dog owners are asked about activities they like to do with their dogs, the most common responses are to take their dog for a walk and to play ball (fetch) with the dog.
AKC Fetch titles were created as another activity in which owners could have fun with their dogs in the AKC Family Dog Program. Earning AKC Fetch titles provides opportunities for both physical and mental exercise. While some dogs are natural retrievers, AKC Fetch, especially at the advanced levels, will involve teaching new skills such as retrieving.
Virtural Home Manners
Virtual Home Manners (VHM) is the answer when you want to train your dog at home. When you get a puppy or new adult dog, Virtual Home Manners can get you started on practical skills before you attend a training class.
The evaluation of a dog’s ability to perform ten home manners skills will be done by a video recording. Two levels of Home Manners will be offered – Virtual Home Manners Puppy (VHMP) and Virtual Home Manners Adult (VHMA). Dogs that pass the tests will be awarded these titles.
The Virtual Home Manners tests assess ten skills that well-mannered pet dogs need in the home setting. The skills relate to the dog owner having control over the dog, being able to walk the dog (which is one of the most frequently cited activities that owners want to do with their dogs) and developing a bond with the dog during playtime. Check out our “How to Train” VHM training videos to get started.