Curriculum
At CBS Inc our aim is to teach guardians the skills they need to help integrate their pet dog into the home and to become welcomed members of their community. To achieve this, our classes are structured progressively towards the Canine Good Citizen™ Award. Our Bronze and Silver classes teach everyday manners for dogs, an understanding of how dogs learn and how we humans can begin to understand the dog's body language.
Using a series of learning activities to help put this knowledge into practical application in the home and in the community, our classes are a fun way of acquiring new skills. An important part of dog training is also ensuring that dog guardians are given the information they require to help understand why their dogs behave the way they do. Hence our classes contain an educational component for people as well as dogs.
Bronze Class
In this class we teach guardians how dogs learn and provide an introduction to reading the body language of dogs. We will also teach you how best to approach and handle your dog. Guardians will be taught how to train their dogs to pay attention to them, sit, drop, stand, walk on a loose lead, go to their mat or bed, come when called, stay, leave specified objects alone and sit politely to greet a stranger.
Silver Class
This is the second term’s work in which the Bronze level exercises will be consolidated. We will teach you how to have your dog walk closely next to you, giving you attention both on and off the lead. We will help you prepare your dog for veterinary examination by having him stand still for handling as well as to stay quietly to accept petting. We will extend the recall to include distance and calling away from distraction. Foundation skills of “leave it” will extend to the floor and a table or chair. These exercises help prepare the dog and guardian to undertake the Canine Good Citizen™ Award Class that can follow at the Gold Level.
Gold Class
Twice a year (more often if required) we will hold a program that prepares dogs and guardians to undertake the Canine Good Citizen™ Award Test. This is the ultimate test for pet dog training.
Other activities in Gold class are driven somewhat by the Gold students undertaking the program. Gold class will build on the foundation skills of Bronze and Silver by developing the guardian’s skills in the direction they choose to go. Basics of Gold class are improved work both on and off the lead, improved duration and distance with stays and recalls and time will be spent having fun with the dogs training tricks, using training games to further develop skills and giving dogs and their guardians what is needed to ensure good citizens on both ends of the lead.
Canine Good Citizen Award
This test challenges pet dogs and their guardians to complete a series of exercises that relate to everyday life, e.g. safety in and around the car, good manners when being greeted and petted by a stranger, how to behave appropriately around another dog, coming back when called, good door manners and several other life skills that make living with your dog a pleasure. The guardian is also challenged with an open book, written test about responsible pet ownership.
The successful Canine Good Citizen™ Team is awarded a photographed certificate and the successful dog is permitted to wear the specially designed and highly respected Canine Good Citizen™ collar and lead.
