As part of our Obedience Programs at Synapse Canine Learning Center, many of our dog training clients decide to pursue the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen title. The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program was designed to promote responsible dog ownership by making owners and dogs work together to complete a series of tasks that demonstrate that a dog can remain well-mannered in public.
In this article, we’ll outline the basics of the CGC test, including details of the tasks you’ll need to complete to pass – and the best way to practice for each component of the test.
What is the AKC Canine Good Citizen program?
The AKC Canine Good Citizen consists of a series of ten tests. Each test varies in complexity, but the overarching principle is that a dog receiving their CGC award should be friendly, sociable, calm, and well-behaved. Dogs and owners are assessed by an AKC-approved evaluator who determines if the dog meets the criteria for passing each test.
A dog must pass all ten tests to receive their Canine Good Citizen title (Note: the CGC is a title that can be appended a dog’s name with the suffix CGC).
CGC Eligibility
While some AKC-administered events – such as Conformation – stipulate that a dog must be purebred to participate, any dog (purebred or mixed-breed) can achieve their CGC award. There are no age restrictions or limits for the CGC.
To earn the CGC Title, a dog must be registered with the AKC, either through their AKC registration number or their AKC Canine Partners registration.
AKC Canine Good Citizen Tests
Below is a list of the tests that your dog will need to complete to pass their CGC exam. It is important to note that training collars (such as prong collars and remote collars) and treats are not permitted to be used during the test.
Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger. For this test, a friendly stranger approaches the dog’s handler and engages in a short conversation (ignoring the presence of the dog). The dog must not react to the stranger, and should remain calm at their handler’s side.
Test 2: Sitting politely for petting. For this test, the dog must sit at their handler’s side. The evaluator should pet the dog on their head and body, and must not show any signs of shyness or unease.
Test 3: Appearance and grooming. For this test, the dog must demonstrate calmness when being groomed by their regular comb or brush, or when having areas of their body (such as paws or teeth) checked. The dog must remain calm. This test is designed to demonstrate that a veterinarian or groomer can be comfortable working with the dog.
Test 4: Loose leash walking. For this test, the handler must demonstrate control of the dog when out for a walk. The evaluator may provide a course for the handler and dog to navigate together. The dog must be attentive to the commands and instructions of the handler.
Test 5: Walking through a crowd. For this test, a line of people (at least three) will stand still. The handler must weave their dog through the crowd, and the dog must remain at their handler’s side and not show reactivity towards people.
Test 6: Sit and down on cue, and stay in place. For this test, the dog must perform sit and down commands, before the handler chooses one command to put them in a stay. The handler then walks 20 feet away, and then back to the dog. The dog must remain in place until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the stay command.
Test 7: Coming when called. For this test, the handler must walk 10 feet away from their dog, before turning and instructing the dog to come to them.
Test 8: Reaction to another dog. For this test, the handler and dog must interact with another dog owner and their dog. The handlers will walk towards one another from approximately 20 feet apart, pretend to shake hands, and then continue past each other. The dogs should show little more than a passing interest in each other, or the other’s handler.
Test 9: Reaction to distraction. For this test, the evaluator will present two distractions that will test the dog’s reaction to unusual stimuli. The distractions can be visual or noise-based. The dog should not panic and must remain by their handler.
Test 10: Supervised separation. For this test, the dog will be left with the evaluator for three minutes, and the handler will hide out of sight. The dog must display calm behavior and should not whine, bark or pant excessively.
CGC preparation tips
In advance of the Canine Good Citizen exam, we typically work with handlers and dogs to ensure they are thoroughly prepared for the tests. While many of the tests may appear self-explanatory, here are some tips we have collated over the years to make the process easier for you and your dog.
- Find friendly strangers to practice with. For Test 1 (Accepting a friendly stranger), you will need to engage in a short conversation with another person while your dog remains calmly at your side. Practice this beforehand with a range of different people (this is also a great socialization opportunity!). Neighbors, family members, friends, or fellow dog owners can play the role of the friendly stranger.
- Build your dog’s obedience skills. Test 2 (Sitting politely for petting), Test 4 (Loose leash walking), Test 6 (Sit and down on cue, stay in place) and Test 7 (Coming when called) all rely on a solid foundation of obedience. You can spend a few minutes each day working on each of these simple behaviors.
- Make sure your dog is comfortable with grooming apparatus. For Test 3 (Appearance and grooming), your dog must be brushed and checked by the evaluator. Build their confidence by desensitizing them to brushes and combs, and practice handling their paws and checking their teeth.
- Use family members or friends to build a crowd. For Test 5 (Walking through a crowd), you and your dog will need to calmly weave through a crowd of at least three people. You can practice this by creating a line of people composed of your friends, family or neighbors in your backyard, and walking your dog through the crowd.
- Use a friendly dog as a partner. For Test 8 (Reaction to another dog), you and your dog will walk towards another dog owner and pup, before engaging in a short conversation. Using a calm, friendly and well-socialized dog when practicing this activity will reduce the chances of your own dog showing reactive behavior during the test.
- Create a variety of distractions. For Test 9 (Reaction to distraction), your dog must remain calm when distracted by visual or noise cues. When practicing for this test, use a wide range of different distractions. Have a family member ride a bicycle around your dog; bang some pots and pans together; drop an item that makes a noise when it hits the ground. All of these are great ways to desensitize your dog to any potential distractions.
- Practice the supervised separation. For Test 10 (Supervised separation), your dog will have to be apart from you for three minutes. If your dog isn’t used to this, it will seem like an eternity for both of you! You can use the friendly stranger from Test 1 to practice for this test. Leave your dog with them, and hide out of sight for three minutes. It may prove difficult at first, but your dog will improve with each iteration.
- Treat practice as if it was the test itself. If you have been training your dog using training tools (remote collars, prong collars, treats, clickers, etc.), make sure to prepare your dog to complete the CGC without the use of these aids.
- As a handler, remain calm. Yes, the CGC is a test – and any test brings some level of stress. Remember, however, that regular practice of these skills prior to the test will increase your chances of passing. If your dog has passed each of these tests in practice, there is no reason to suspect that it will be different during the actual evaluation.
In conclusion
Achieving the CGC award is something to be proud of as a dog owner! It represents your commitment to responsible dog ownership, and demonstrates that your pup is calm, friendly and sociable. It can also act as a springboard for further activities – including additional AKC programs like the Family Dog or Urban CGC, and even therapy dog work.
At Synapse Canine, our Founder and Dog Behavior Specialist, Stasia Dempster, CDBC, is an accredited AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator. Reach out to her today at stasia@synapsecanine.com or call/text on (336) 947-9240 for more information on how to prepare for the CGC test, or to schedule a CGC evaluation.