CGC Step 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger

I’ve had some requests to present the steps of the CGC test that we haven’t talked about. From CITIZEN CANINE, the official book on the CGC program,  here is Step 1, Accepting a Friendly Stranger.

We’ve all met them when we’re out in public–those happy, friendly, exuberant dogs who jump on us to say hello.  We approach to greet the dog’s owner and within seconds, we’re being jumped on and receiving a heartfelt slurpy wet kiss from a spirited, furry bundle of joy.

For those of us who love dogs, there are times when delightful canine kisses are welcome and we’re happy to receive them. But sometimes, such as when we’re enjoying a quiet walk or wearing business clothes, being jumped on by a frisky dog without an invitation may not be a good thing.

But never mind the business clothes. Some people are flat-out afraid of dogs. When an over-zealous 60-pound canine-greeting-committee-of-one lunges and appears to be out of control, these individuals find themselves feeling fearful and uncomfortable even though the dog is offering a well-intended convivial greeting.  In nursing homes and other therapy settings, dogs who give greetings that are so enthusiastic a person can be knocked down or scratched are not suitable as canine “therapists” until further training has been provided.

Is it ever acceptable for a dog to jump up on a person to say hello, jump into someone’s lap, or rush up to someone in excitement?  It might be, but the key here is whether or not the dog has been invited to initiate physical contact with the “friendly stranger.” Remember that being a responsible dog owner means that your dog never infringes on the rights of another person. Even dogs who are friendly should not jump up on a stranger you meet on the street or into someone’s lap without an invitation.

When you and your dog meet someone in public, being overly excited to see someone is not the only thing a dog can do that is a problem. Some dogs are at the opposite end of affability. These are the extremely shy dogs who when a stranger approaches, may hide behind the owner, pull away from the unfamiliar person, or in some cases, urinate inappropriately.

Meeting a friendly stranger in a calm, collected manner is a skill that every dog needs in order to be well regarded by people other than its owner. Meeting new people comes in the category of  “socialization.” Socialization means learning to interact with others in a manner that is acceptable. Dogs need to be socialized to deal with people outside of their families as well as with other dogs. Socializing your dog is one of the most important things you can do as a responsible owner. Socialization activities can begin with puppies and should continue throughout the life of the dog.

Exercises for Accepting a Friendly Stranger: Places to Go and People to Meet

            1.  Go to a local park, a pet super store, or somewhere else you can walk your dog and will be likely to see other people. Take your dog for a walk. Have your dog sit at your left side as a person walks by who is about 15-feet away. Can your dog do this without becoming overly excited?

            2.  If the dog will sit at your side while someone passes 15-feet away, have the   dog sit at your side while someone passes who is 10-feet away. If the dog is excitable and jumps out of the sit or attempts to pull you toward the person, extend the distance. You can also practice sitting by giving your dog reminders to, “Sit…sit, good girl,’” and reward with food if you are using food rewards.

            3.  When the dog will sit at your side as someone passes who is 10-feet away, you’re ready to repeat these steps having the dog sit at your side as someone walks by who is 5-feet away.

            4. When your dog will sit and watch as a person who is 5-feet away passes by, do the exercise again. This time, speak to the person, saying something brief such as, “Nice day out here, isn’t it?” or, “Isn’t this a great place to bring dogs?”  Watch how your dog responds. If he behaves acceptably when you speak to someone who is 5-feet away, you’re ready for the next step.

            5.  At this point, you may need a helper. You can ask a friend, neighbor, or someone in your dog training class to help you with this. The helper should be instructed to stand about 15-feet away and wait for you to signal that he or she should approach. With your dog at your left side, get the dog to sit. Give the signal for your helper to approach you and the dog. The helper should say something like, “Hi, how are you?” and reach out to shake your hand. In this exercise, the helper does not speak to or touch the dog. You answer and the helper walks away.

If the dog tries to jump on the person, you should prompt the dog to sit and reward the sitting behavior. For some dogs, this exercise could require several days of practice with the helper having to stay 5-feet away to greet you for a few days.

If a shy dog tries to hide behind you during this exercise, do not pick the dog up and hold it in your arms.

            6. Continue to practice this exercise. Vary the helpers or unfamiliar people who approach to greet you. Make sure your dog has experienced you being greeted by an adult male, a female, and a child.

            7.  In addition to varying the people who will approach and act as friendly strangers (e.g., male, female, young, older, child) you should have your helper vary the style in which he or she interacts. Initially, the helper can greet you with very flat affect. A bored sounding, quiet voice will not frighten a dog who is wary of strangers. As your dog successfully meets people and shows the ability to be under control and unafraid, you can have the helper approach with greetings that are increasingly animated.  An excited sounding friendly stranger can rush up and say in a louder voice, “HEY, HOW YA DOING?”  The ability to respond to people who behave like this is required for a dog who is steady in the community. This skill is also a requirement for therapy dogs. These dogs may encounter a variety of people in therapy settings who speak loudly or move quickly.

            8. As your dog becomes steady when an unfamiliar person approaches and briefly exchanges pleasantries with you (e.g., “Hi, how are you; nice to see you.”), extend the length of time from a brief verbal exchange to a conversation.

            9. Remember that socialization means exposure to new things as well as to new people. When you’re out on walks or outings, give your dog a chance to walk on different surfaces such as grass, concrete, and slick floors. Encourage your dog to jump over low obstacles on a trail and to walk with you on a sidewalk (on leash of course) near busy traffic.

            10. In the exercises above that involve meeting a friendly stranger, you can have the stranger give your dog a treat. This will help your dog learn that good things come from interacting nicely with other people.

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