Pepper has picked up everything I have taught her, and has done very well on a long lead at the park. She always has her eye on me and comes after me if we are too far apart. I found a place that does a training class that teaches all the benchmarks of the test, and then will even certify you when complete.  My question is, should I do it? She's almost a year old, but she is a lot more matured than just a few months ago, and I would like to get the good training in before she gets too reluctant and set in her habits.

I had always thought you have to train on your own or in standard training and then find a certified person to train you. Is this a legitimate class?

Any thoughts?

You can search for an evaluator here:

http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/cgc_bystate.cfm

You can also read about the 10 different stations of the CGC test:

http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm

My local shelter gives the test every June.  When Braxton earned his, we prepared by training in the yard, on leash, building on what he already knew from his previous training.  If a class will help you, and it's a legit evaluator, go for it!  Can't hurt! 

I havent done the class / test with my ratties, but I did do training and the test with my dobie a few years ago.  The classes we took were mostly obedience related and envolved lots of distractions---I worked my obedience training with her literally everywhere--in store parking lots with traffic and people with shopping carts running around everywhere,  on sidelwalks next to schools and playgrounds where kids and lots of screaming and running were going on, I took her to work with me so that she could ride in an elevator and go up and down several flights of stairs---every situation that I could think of that would have some sort of distraction, we trained until I knew that she was watching me and listening to me over everything going on around her.  She passed the test with flying colors! 

Good luck---it's a great training process and SO worth it to have a well behaved dog.  Oh, and when you finish and pass the test, those letters "CGC" that AKC awards your dog with are officially part of her name from that day forward!

The classes we took were 6 weeks, also, but was one hour a night, one night per week, so those other 6 days & evenings each week we practiced on what we learned each week, plus, I threw in any extra stuff I could think of to let her have lots of experience in different situations.  

I didn't take any classes... but because I've trained dogs, I knew the drill. You don't "have" to take classes, but it's probably smart for most people to do so. Paul gave you good advice... even though he took classes he did lots of homework on his own, and was smart to take Dar everyplace he could and do the drills with her in different environments... around different people... different surfaces (gravel -vs- pavement -vs grass -vs carpet -vs- hardwood -vs- ceramic tile -vs- dirt, etc.). It's not necessary for a dog to have his/her CGC certificate, but it serves as a nice 'measurement' as to how well behaved your dog is. If a dog can pass the test and perform the basic requirements... then you WILL have a well mannered dog.

I dont know about your location, but around here, dogs are allowed in the farm supply stores if they are on leash, and always Petsmart and Petco welcome dogs inside----those are excellent places to take a dog to practice listening to you amid various distractions.  I'm so glad you and Pepper are enjoying your classes----you will be amazed at how closely you guys will "bond" because of the extra time and effort you are putting into her training.  GOOD FOR YOU!!!

Only suggestion I might have to offer is "take it slowly".  If she doesnt like to stay in a sit or a down position for very long, then leave her in that position as long as you KNOW she will do it without correction, come back to her and praise her (or treat her, different people do it either way) and s l o w l y add an additional few seconds to her staying time each time you do it again.  Dont push her to go longer than she is comfortable doing right now, because, after all, she IS still a very young puppy, and her attention span will grow as she gets a little older.  Sounds like you are doing everything right so far, though, and I am thrilled to death that Pepper is doing so well at this!

Here it is, our official gRATuation picture!!!