Yes! Any dog – no matter its age, breed, or mix of breeds – is eligible to take AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. Essentially, the CGC test is a test of your dog’s manners in public. It’s not an obedience test – your dog doesn’t have to have a perfect “heel” – but she does need to be under your control at all times. With a little dedication to your training, you and your dog can master the 10 skills required to attain your CGC.
The 10 skills are:
- Accepting a friendly stranger: the tester will greet you, and ask to pet your dog.
- Sitting politely for petting: your dog must not jump up, shy away, or show any aggression.
- Appearance and grooming: your dog must be clean and well-groomed for their breed or coat type, must be able to be brushed lightly, have both ears examined, and have both front paws handled.
- Out for a walk: your dog must be able to walk on a loose leash and follow you if you turn.
- Walking through a crowd: your dog must be able to do the above, through a crowd of people.
- Sit and down on command and staying in place: for the “stay,” you walk away and come back.
- Come when called: from a distance of 10 feet.
- Reaction to another dog: You and another team will approach each other, say “hi,” and walk past each other. Your dog must not attempt to go to the other dog, nor shy away or act aggressive.
- Reaction to distraction: a loud noise or fast moving object will happen, and your dog must not show aggression or excessive fear.
- Supervised separation: a “friendly stranger” will hold your dog’s leash for 3 minutes, as you go out of sight (think: “can you hold my dog for a bit while I use the restroom?”). Your dog must stay relatively calm while waiting for you to return.
To get a better idea of how these skills are tested, watch this demonstration video:
Time training your dog to pass the CGC test is time well-spent. As you can see, the focus is on practical skills that will make life with your dog easier, safer, and more enjoyable for everyone – you, your dog, and those you may encounter in the course of your lives, whether it’s the vet, the groomer, the day care staff, or just a stranger passing on the sidewalk.
If you’d like to take on this goal and learn to train the best-behaved dog in your neighborhood, we can help! Call (775) 420-2322 or contact us and let us know you’d like to get started!
