What does it take to be a good club member?
What is it that sets you apart and makes you a good candidate for membership in a dog club?

What Clubs Look For
Just as you are checking and feeling out different dog clubs to see if you want to join, clubs too are checking you out to see if they would want you as a member. Remember, clubs are about relationships. One person can either enhance or destroy the overall relationship of the club.

So, what do clubs look for in prospective members? While this may vary, most clubs look for the following aspects:

• Respect for both people and dogs
• Willingness to devote the time to be active with the club
• An emotionally stable and resilient temperament
• A willingness to learn, share knowledge and grow
• A responsible, trustworthy, teachable character
• An ability to work well with other people and be a true team player
• A degree of independence and initiative

Notice that so far, there's nothing on this list about the dog! Clubs are about loyalty, family, and relationship. Dogs will come and go, but in a good club, members stay. So, clubs want dedicated individuals who are good people, and who will be committed to the club and its membership. They want a great team player who fits in with their particular family, regardless of the genetic capabilities and talents of the dog that they have.

Are You A Good Club Member?
How do you know if you are a good club member? Take a moment to reflect on the following questions:

• Do you help out even if there's nothing in it for you, or even if you don't have a dog in the activity?
• Do you get along well with others, and accept them for who they are?
• Are you motivated and dedicated, even when the going gets tough?
• Are you open to constructive criticism?
• Are you a team player who wants the entire team to succeed, and not just yourself?
• Are you resilient? When faced with disappointment, can you bounce back and move forward?
• When you have a conflict with a club member, can you handle it maturely and seek reconciliation, or will you pout, sulk, complain and gossip about that person to everyone else?

What Makes Someone a "Bad Fit" for a Club?

Clubs are reluctant to add people who are difficult to get along with. In any family, there will be some family drama and arguments, but in good clubs, they strive to keep this to a minimum by keeping the drama-causers out! Thus, they avoid potential members who routinely gossip about others, who have abrasive and controlling personalities, who complain about everything, or who secretly undermine others. Other traits that may cause membership refusal include:

• Having a sense of entitlement and demanding special treatment
• Having an irresponsible, untrustworthy character
• Having an arrogant, unteachable attitude and ego
• Being demanding, inconsiderate, and rude
• Refusing to listen to and abide by club rules, or having an attitude of "These rules don't apply to me" (entitlement again)
• Being selfish and always about "What's in it for me?"
• Not playing well with others (gossiping, stirring up conflict, creating dissension, instigating arguments)
• Not being a team player

If you would like to be considered for Membership into the Grand Canyon GSD Club please download the Application.