# Taking a Community Canine Class



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Since I cannot find a subnovice class anywhere around, I decided to sign up for an AKC Community Canine class that I found by digging around and asking. It is in Fairfax County a little closer towards the city, so the price is not nice($180), but I believe it's worth it, especially since this could be the only class of it's kind in my area. I will be taking it October 27th through December 8th. I tend to give in and pay prices I don't agree with since I have no choice. : Well anyway, I am very excited about this!


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

We are teaching our first session of it, and it is so fun. The dogs are incredibly well trained. We're going to give the first tests on October 27th, and the different CGC evaluators will even have to test one another's dogs since no one has this title already. We charge 140 for the class, bc we know the clients have to then turn around and pay AKC too.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)




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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Ljilly28 said:


>


Cool Man!


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Maverick's first class starts tomorrow, can't wait. We've been practicing for it for months and the course was finally available.


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## Colie CVT (Sep 15, 2013)

Is that basically a CGC class? Or is that something different? It has me kind of curious now since I see two kinds of ribbons lol.


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

What my instructor is going to do is go down the list for the CCA, and we practice all the items on the list. The course should take anywhere from 2-6wks, depending on the dog. 

I was told you need to have the CGC before taking the CCA as a prerequisite. Think of it as a more advanced CGC that deals more with distractions and more everyday scenarios/environments.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Colie CVT said:


> Is that basically a CGC class? Or is that something different? It has me kind of curious now since I see two kinds of ribbons lol.


The CGCA is something the AKC added recently. I think there are a couple of recent threads discussing it or see http://www.akc.org/dogowner/training/akc_community_canine/links.cfm:


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

They still have the evaluator's guide in a draft, but the test kits came the other day. It tests skills in a more real life situation, and focuses thematically on the dogs performing behaviors with the addition of distractions and at greater distance/ and closenesses to other dogs. There is a "leave it" and an item testing if you can walk through the doorway on a loose leash well enough to carry a cup of coffee in your other hand and not spill it.


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## Colie CVT (Sep 15, 2013)

That sounds like a really interesting class.  The sort of thing that often many dogs have trouble with. Lots of distractions definitely can send some dogs off of their A game. 

We went to the Black Dog Walk today in our area and some dogs definitely didn't handle the stress well! I was proud of my two. Myles has had some nervousness about strangers we've been working with and this year, we were basically surrounded by people and other dogs (which Myles never has trouble with other dogs) and he was very calm, just sitting in front of me - partly distracted by treats. Thankfully his sister is mostly an airhead as long as no one starts making too threatening of gestures. She is actually very happy to walk up to people who are saying hi to her and lean against their legs to say hello.

I would totally be interested in learning more about these classes.  I know a trainer in town who offers CGC prep and testing.


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