The Canine Good Citizen Test

Have you ever met a dog who's just a ray of sunshine to be around? They always have a smile and a happy wagging tail, and they're well-behaved around children and other dogs. Some dogs are naturally quite amiable, and all dogs have the potential to behave this way! How is that, you ask? Well, the Canine Good Citizen Test is a good place to start.

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What is the Canine Good Citizen test?

The Canine Good Citizen test (CGC) is an evaluation designed and run by the American Kennel Club (AKC) to help people train their dogs to have good behavior. It's just as much about the people as it is their pets, though! It's important for pet owners to look out for their animals and make sure that they can be happy and comfortable in how they move in the world.

As a pet owner, you are largely responsible for your pet's actions in public spaces. The safety of you, your dog, and other folks and creatures is imperative, and the CGC test can help you and your dog start to form appropriate behaviors to help you become a responsible dog owner and your canine a good citizen of their community.

The CGC test is non-competitive and much more informal than obedience classes. It takes place in a relaxed environment, because the point is to make sure your dog is comfortable in everyday situations, not a competitive showring.

This 10-skill evaluation will help ensure that dogs have good manners and are upstanding members of their families and communities, no matter where they are or what distractions may be around them.

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What's on the test?

The test includes a variety of different basic skills that serve as a solid baseline of behaviors for a dog to have to thrive out in public and at home.

One key factor about each part of the test is that your dog looks and feels comfortable and relaxed throughout the process. If they seem shy or resentful of what's happening, they will not pass the exam. It is okay, however, for you to reassure and encourage your dog throughout the test. The point of the exam is to prove that your dog is confident about dealing with a variety of everyday situations.

The ten test items are as follows:

1. Accepting a friendly stranger

In this section, your dog will be tested to see if they will allow a friendly stranger to approach you, their handler. The evaluator will ignore the dog in this test and just speak to the handler and mime a handshake.

2. Sitting politely for petting

For the second test, your dog will pass the exam if they can comfortably allow a friendly stranger (the evaluator) to approach and pet them. The evaluator will walk up, ask you if they can pet your dog, and then proceed to do so.

3. Appearance and grooming

The third test is all about making sure your dog can behave in situations where humans might need to move around their legs or examine them, such as at the vet or the groomer's. This will also demonstrate that the owner cares to keep their dog clean and in good health. You'll need to bring the brush you normally use to groom your pet, and the handler will gently groom your dog. They will also examine your dog's ears and lift up each front paw.

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4. Out for a walk

Fourthly, the evaluator will test your ability to control your dog while on a walk. They're looking to see that your dog is attentive to you, doesn't lag behind or pull forward, and can respond to your movements and changes in direction. The evaluator might plot a course for you, or otherwise they'll provide verbal directions.

5. Walking through a crowd

This test checks to see if you and your dog can politely navigate walking around/through a group of people, and generally behave on a leash in public. You and your dog will walk close to a small group of people. Your dog can be interested but not overly excited and has to ultimately follow your lead as the handler.

6. Sit and down on cue and stay in place

The sixth test demonstrates that your dog has training and will respond to your cues of "sit" and "down", and that they will stay in these positions. The dog doesn't have to do so immediately; the handler is allowed to verbally encourage and even use gentle touch to get the dog to sit/down/stay. Your dog will first be put on a 20-foot lead, and then you will tell them to sit/down/stay. Then you will walk the length of the line and back. Your dog is allowed to shift around and change position, but they must stay in place and not follow you.

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7. Coming when called

Test seven is simple   does your dog come when you call? Here they also use the 20-foot lead. You'll walk away from your dog, turn around, and call them to you.

8. Reaction to another dog

In the eighth test, you and your dog will approach another dog and their handler from 20 feet apart. The handlers will have a brief pleasant conversation and be on their way with dogs in mildly interested tow. Here, your dog needs to stick by your side and not follow the other dog or handler or get overly excited about the situation.

9. Reaction to distraction

For the ninth test, there will be two distractions to check if your dog can remain confident and calm. The evaluator will perform a couple of the following, or something similar: dropping a crutch or cane, having a jogger run in front of the dog, rolling a crate dolly past the dog, or dropping a chair. It's okay if your dog looks slightly startled; the goal is for your dog not to panic, bark, run away, or become aggressive.

10. Supervised separation

Finally, the tenth test evaluates whether or not your dog can be left with a trusted person for a little while and keep their composure. The evaluator will approach and say something along the lines of "Would you like me to watch your dog?". You'll hand over the leash and walk out of sight for three minutes. Your dog is allowed to change position, but shouldn't bark, pace, whine, or seem more than mildly uneasy. The evaluator might talk to your dog a little here but won't try to manage their emotions.

After

If everything went well, congratulations, your dog is now Canine Good Citizen certified!

Your dog can earn their CGC as a certificate, or as an official AKC title (which also includes a certificate). If you want the official title, your dog needs to be registered with either an AKC number, a purebred alternative listing number, or an AKC canine partners number (for mixed-breed dogs).

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Other considerations

The test itself takes about 10 minutes and will take place at either a pet store or in the showring at an AKC trainer's school. There are no breed or age restrictions, though a puppy may be better suited to the AKC STAR puppy program.

There are multiple options for how to prepare your dog for the CGC test. You can learn how to train your dog at home using AKC.tv, you can hire a personal trainer, or you can attend a group class at a local AKC training club or Petco. The plus side of a group class is that you can work on socialization at the same time! Personal trainers are often also qualified to administer the CGC test.

Some folks decide to retake the test every couple of years to make sure these skills are maintained, but this is totally optional   the CGC certificate does not expire.

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More AKC behavior programs

There are several other AKC behavior programs that you and your dog can experience, should you wish to further and expand your dog's skills beyond the CGC exam.

• AKC STAR Puppy Program
• The acronym for this 6-week program explains it well: Socialization, Training, Activity, and Responsible Owner   all things puppies need for their wellness.

• AKC Community Canine
• The standard CGC is a prerequisite for this more advanced program. This test examines the ability of you and your dog to handle being in real-life scenarios rather than simulated scenarios.

• AKC Urban CGC
• The standard CGC is a prerequisite for this program, as well. This exam tests the ability of you and your dog to navigate the hustle and bustle and particular challenges of city living.

• To check out even more programs, you can go to the AKC's website.

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Conclusion

Being a responsible dog owner takes time and dedication. An important component of responsible dog ownership is being able to communicate well with your dog and also manage their behavior in public spaces. This benefits your dog, you, and those around you. By training your dog how to behave in common situations in life, you can increase their confidence and thus wellbeing. A confident and relaxed dog is a happy dog!

The Canine Good Citizen test is a well-established training program made to help you and your dog with good behavior and manners, which helps you both feel more comfortable moving together out and about in the world. It is not the only training program out there, of course, just one worth considering.