Is Your Puppy a S.T.A.R.?

As a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a strong proponent of early socialization and education for puppies, I am genuinely excited about AKC’s new S.T.A.R. Puppy Program!

The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program is meant to be a pre-cursor to the Canine Good Citizen Program (CGC). Like the CGC, S.T.A.R. is open to all breeds of dogs, both purebred and mixes.

This special program for dogs up to one year old advocates Socialization, Training, Activity and Responsibility. Students who take a puppy class of at least 6 weeks that is taught by a CGC Evaluator are eligible to enroll in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program and will be tested at the end of their puppy class.

Pups who pass the 20 item test receive the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Medal (for display or memento purposes; not suitable as a collar tag), will be listed in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy records, and so that they can continue learning, receive the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy package that includes:

•A beautiful, frameable certificate designating your puppy is in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy records at AKC

•AKC Puppy Handbook, a valuable resource

•Discount to enroll in AKC Companion Animal Recovery Corporation, a 24-hour recovery service

•Ongoing Monthly Email Newsletter: Your AKC. This includes training tips and up-to-date information every dog owner needs to know. We want you and your puppy to continue learning beyond puppy classes.

To see the twenty items in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program Test, visit the AKC website at http://www.akc.org/starpuppy/. While you’re there, you can also find an Approved CGC Evaluator in your area.

I will be posting pictures of our first S.T.A.R. Puppy Grads right here on DSD in a few months!