Sky Did It! Four Ways Earning a Canine Good Citizen Title Benefited Our Speech Therapy Dog Journey

“She did it,” I thought to myself, gratefully leaning down for an enthusiastic puppy kiss from my little Sky.

Though she was the fourth dog I’d taken through the CGC training and testing process, I didn’t know if I would be successful this time.

The first time through the six-week preparation course with my three-year-old Brittany spaniel I had opted to sit out the actual test.  I knew energetic Sky needed more work on impulse control and energy regulation, but even now after a second six-week class she was not yet consistently keeping her feet on the floor for polite greetings.

Additionally, while she didn’t have any difficulty being apart from me when we had started this process, we had spent so much time together over the past six months that she had started to display a little separation anxiety.

I knew that regardless of the outcome of this attempt, however, we had built important, functional skills for our future work together. 

Here’s what we learned from training for the Canine Good Citizen Test:

The Canine Good Citizen Test, or CGC, is offered to all dogs regardless of breed(s) by the American Kennel Club at a very low cost ($15-25, not including fees for taking an optional preparation class) and is widely available.  Sky and I took basic obedience and then two CGC prep classes to prepare before passing in June ‘24.

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#1. Developing a strong bond with my future speech therapy dog

One of the most challenging aspects for a therapy dog working in a professional setting is that no two days are the same.  Children may become upset and act in a startlingly way; usually friendly clients might have a standoffish day; new families starting services meet a therapy dog for the first time.

Because of the time we’ve spent together practicing socialization and obedience skills in a variety of settings, I have a pretty good idea of when she is likely to need a little extra support—through touch, praise, eye contact, or even a treat distraction. 

Through practicing greetings in public, I know that Sky:

• still gets a little nervous when surrounded by a group a people,

• prefers to be initially pet on her back rather than have hands immediately reaching for her head, and

• is easily excited by crying little ones. 

Because I’ve learned her preferences, I will be able to guide new clients in how to best interact with her and Sky knows she can look to me for guidance when unsure how to respond.

#2 Learning to ready Sky’s stress “tells”

Stress is not always a bad thing when in moderation. 

For a sensitive and energetic therapy dog hopeful like Sky, the increased arousal she feels in anticipation of arriving at class and greeting new people is a form of positive stress (but nonetheless tiring). 

The added adrenaline of the situation could also potentially lead to trigger stacking, where a few seemingly small startles build to create a larger than expected fight/flight/freeze response.

Because I want to keep Sky looking forward to public outings, I watch her carefully for signs she is getting too worked up and try to intervene prior to reaching a point where she can’t quickly return to her baseline level of wiggles.  For her that most often means watching for:

• repeated tongue flicks,

• a tail that wiggles without her body also being loose, and

• lifting a front paw in the air repeatedly. 

If she starts giving these tells, it’s up to me to remove her from the situation (either off to the side of class or taking a break outside) and/or check in with touch, a calm voice, eye contact and/or treat distractions until she returns to baseline and seems ready to try again.

Sky’s signs of increased arousal/stress are fairly clear.  However, part of the reason I could read her so clearly is that I’ve had to learn about dog communication through partnering with Delta, my five-year veteran of therapy dog work , who is much more subtle in her communication and more likely to shut-down (freeze) than become excitable (flight).   

I have found The Language of Dogs by Sarah Kalnajs to have the clearest depictions and explanations of dog body language. The online course Getting the Pot Off the Stove Before You Get Burnt, though more specifically geared to recognizing escalating warnings of aggression, is also incredibly helpful.    

A teen enjoys a “puppy kiss” from new therapy dog Sky during an animal-assisted speech therapy session.

#3 Every CGC test item directly relates to speech therapy dog work

I started bringing Sky to work in a limited capacity while still training and can honestly say we use each of the ten CGC required skills every day she joins me. 

Sky must confidently but unobtrusively meet clients as they enter our office (test item #1, accepting a friendly stranger and #2, sit politely for petting). 

While I don’t typically have clients groom her, kids do often touch her feet and ears while petting and may even have a toy in their hand as they reach for her, the same as being approached with a brush (#3 appearance and grooming).   

Walking to and from bathroom breaks or carrying items from the car she must walk the halls without pulling (#4 out for a walk) and often we must maneuver around people heading to the other offices in our building (#5 walking through a crowd). 

Throughout the day Sky is asked to move closer or away from me as needed while addressing client goals and often must stay on her bed for short periods to be out of the way or get a break (#6, sit/down on command and stay in place, #7 come when called). 

Even though she is the only dog in my particular office, it’s not unusual to encounter other dogs in cars as we head through the parking lot for her bathroom spot (#8, reaction to another dog). 

Kids drop toys and behave unpredictably throughout the day (#9, reaction to distractions) and Sky must be able to both keep herself safely out of the way and not overreact. 

And finally, there are some sessions where Sky’s presence is too much for a child to handle at that moment and she must wait calmly in my inner office (#10, supervised separation). 

While there are definitely other skills that are helpful, such as leaving items that are dropped, waiting behind the threshold instead of darting out an open office door, and a few specific tricks, the ten items assessed in the CGC are a great foundation for the therapy dog work Sky will be doing.

New speech therapy dog Sky rests near a client during an animal-assisted speech therapy session. Her ability to stay away as directed or come closer when called is helpful every day and are two items assessed in CGC testing.

#4 Building a community for your therapy dog

I admit, I’m not naturally inclined to reach out to others for help when I need it. 

Through the preparation work for CGC testing, though, I have found a network of people with different knowledge bases than my own that I can contact when questions or concerns arise.  And trust me, working with a therapy dog can entail frequent trouble shooting and creative problem-solving! 

I was lucky to find a dog trainer duo who has been happy to answer questions and meet for private sessions to analyze challenges with my previous three therapy dogs, but I wouldn’t have this if I hadn’t developed a relationship with them through our classes. 

They have also been able to steer me towards new places to socialize, additional distraction work that might be helpful, and guide me towards teaching Sky a few tricks that are sure to please future client. 

While I have chosen to use the CGC for third party evaluation of my dog’s readiness to work in a public space, in accordance to the minimal requirements my professional liability carrier asks, you may choose to pursue specific therapy dog testing instead or in addition. 

Regardless of the route you take, realize that the training process is about so much more than just earning a certificate.  It is the foundation of developing a strong working relationship with your canine co-therapist that will help you communicate together through years of partnership! 

If you’re interesting in learning more about working with a therapy dog in a professional role, please follow on Instagram @Speech_Dogs. 

I have a FREE Roadmap to Partnering with A Speech Therapy Dog available at www.speechdogs.com and September ‘24 ASHA Press will be publishing Paws for Progress: Integrating Animal-Assisted Interventions Into Your Speech-Language Pathology Practice. 

May your days be filled with puppy wiggles and children’s giggles,

Sharlet