CGC/CGN Training
 

I was hoping anyone whose gone through the AKC Canine Good Citizen or CKC Canine Good Neighbour tests can weigh in with your thoughts? I very much wanted to continue with obedience classes with Chloe to eventually go for this test and thought maybe if we're a good team to even try therapy training. However when I look at the evaluation steps, I have a concern about training for steps "accepting a friendly stranger" and "sitting politely for petting".

Chloe is very friendly with everyone and is very eager to play with anyone who walks up to us. She would sniff, maybe jump up, all tail wagging until I tell her to down but of course can't stay down for long cuz if anyone reaches down to pet her she'll take this as an invitation to jump around again. She'll let you pet her eventually after jumping around and even rolls on to her side for you to rub her belly. Obviously if she continues to do this we'll fail for sure, but my concern is I like that she acts this way with friends and family and I'm afraid if I train her according to CGC/CGN, I'll train this personality out of her!

I've seen other breeds that are so good with sitting and staying still but I don't prefer these breeds because they almost seem fixated on their owners. Wondering if anyone who has gone through CGC/CGN had to deal with this? Did you train your dog to sit still for greetings and do you feel it took away some of a yorkie's personality?

How old is she?

She's only 6 months right now.

Well I wouldn't worry about obedience training changing her personality. Once you release her from her sit/stay or down/stay, then she can be free to greet folks as you are comfortable with.

Although you should know if you really what her to be a therapy dog, they CAN NOT jump up on anyone at any time.

If she is only 6 months old, she will be more wound up. She can't take the CGC until she is a year anyway. Why not try her in AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy? She can do that until she is a year and it is a good start in learning some skills for the CGC.

I also wouldn't worry about obedience changing her personality. It's a good thing to learn those skills and I personally think a dog who has an owner willing to work with them on those skills is a happier and more secure dog anyway.

Two of my dogs have received their CGC certificates and the training did not take away any of their happy personality. I've trained my dogs to sit while being petted and if the person wants more, they are welcome to ask the dog to jump up or get excited.

Your dog can take their CGC test before a year. My youngest passed his at 11 months. There is no age limit.
AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program

Thanks everyone for your input! It definitely gives me some positive encouragement to keep going with it. I was hoping she won't mellow out even more as she grows since she's pretty mellow already..any more and she'd be like a cat! lol But I guess I'll also have to change myself in my attempts to train her cuz seeing her excited gets me excited too. =)

Buddy my rescued Golden is a CGC and a therapy dog. None of his personality changed! He is still my crazy dumb-dumb! Buddy remembered his manners long enough to pass his test. He is very gentle with kids and the elderly but with regular adults he is a wild man. He knows when to be gentle and when he can be rough!