05/09/2026
A story from our recent Canine Good Citizen testing.
Hamilton Greets and Meets GG
We were honored that Susan Cohen, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen evaluator, asked Hamilton again to be the greeter dog for Del Monte Kennel Club’s testing on last Monday evening. Dressed in his AKC Therapy Dog Advanced red vest, he patiently waited for his part of the testing. There were six dogs all together, and all the dogs were bigger than Hamilton…except for GG.
In romantic movies, sometimes there is a scenario in which two strangers “exchange glances” across a crowded room. Well, that’s exactly what happened with Hamilton and GG. At the fairgrounds, Hamilton and I were seated across the room from GG and his”mom" Susan. It was within minutes that the two little white dogs sneaked glances and craned their necks in each other’s direction, while Susan and I, who know each other, tried to keep from laughing.
GG was the fifth dog to be tested. She and Hamilton politely approached each other in this test criterion that demonstrates if the dog being evaluated can behave politely around another dog who, in this case, was Greeter Dog Hamilton. The two handlers and their dogs must approach each other from a distance of about 20 feet, exchange pleasantries and continue on for about 10 feet. The dogs should show no more than a casual interest in each other, and neither dog should go to the other dog or its handler.
Susan and I knew Hamilton and GG were so eager to play with each other, but they were most appropriate when meeting, and then they continued on their separate paths. When all dogs had been tested, Hamilton and GG “finally” got to meet up close. They were so sweet and gentle with each other, even though GG only weighs 3 pounds, and Hamilton weighs 13-1/2 pounds. There seemed to be a special respect and understanding between them, as a new friendship began that night.
