Canine Good Citizen

AKC's Canine Good Citizen Program

*CGC testing and prep class not available at all locations

We offer evaluations for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program.

What is the CGC Program?

The CGC Program is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. It stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test will receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club.

The CGC award is a prerequisite for many therapy dog groups. Some homeowner’s insurance companies are encouraging CGC testing, and an increasing number of apartments and condos require that resident dogs pass the CGC test. The CGC Program also includes the AKC CGC Responsible Dog Owner Pledge.

CGC Prep Class

This group class is designed to prepare your dog to pass the CGC Test with flying colors! It focuses on loose leash walking, walking past people and other dogs, recall from far distances with distractions, longer waits while you are out-of-sight, and sitting for greetings, brushing, and to be petted. The class is not required to take the CGC Test.

How the CGC Evaluation Works

The 10-step CGC test is a non-competitive test for all dogs, including purebreds and mixed breeds. The test is administered by one of our accredited CGC test evaluators at a park or somewhere neutral and consists of the following:

Accepting a friendly stranger
Sitting Politely for Petting
Appearance and Grooming
Out for a Walk (walking on a loose lead)
Walking Through a Crowd
Sit & Down on Command and Staying in Place
Coming When Called
Reaction to Another Dog
Reaction to a Distraction
Supervised Separation

Visit the American Kennel Club’s website for more information.

Cost

Our Adult In-Home Training and Stay & Train clients can elect to take the test for $30.00. If you elect to have the official AKC CGC title listed on your dog’s title record, you would remit payment of $25.00 (per dog) directly to the AKC with a copy of your passing exam sheet. If you elect to have the CGC certificate only, you would then remit payment of $15.00 (per dog) to the AKC with a copy of your passing exam sheet.

If you have not gone through our training program, you can still have your dog evaluated for a fee of $85.00. Processing fees for certificates and title record updates are still to be remitted directly to the AKC with a copy of your passing exam sheet.