The Canine Good Citizenship Test is a test designed by the AKC that tests whether or not your dog or puppy can behave well in public. The behaviors it tests are not quite what you would encounter in an obedience class, which is sad because the behaviors on the test are more important than half the behaviors covered in most classes. If you really want your dog to be well behaved, doing an obedience class and studying to pass the Canine Good Citizenship Test are two of the best things your can do with your pup. So, what does this test entail and where can you take the test? Let’s take a look.
What Does the Test Cover
The Canine Good Citizenship Test covers ten topics: Accepting a friendly stranger, sitting politely for petting, appearance and grooming, out for a walk (loose leash), walking through a crowd, sit and down on cue and stay in place, coming when called, reaction to another dog, reaction to distraction, and supervised separation.
What do each of these entail? Most of them have an element that is clear by their name, such as sitting politely for petting, sit and stay, down, and stay in place on cue, and coming when called. But they do all come with some elements that you will need to know before working on these skills with your pup.
Accepting a Friendly Stranger
Accepting a friendly stranger simply means your dog needs to be able to remain comfortable and under control while its handler greets a new person and shakes their hand. According to the AKC website, the dog must “show no sign of resentment or shyness” (resource 3) during this greeting.
Sitting Politely for Petting
This section of the test helps the evaluator see how well the dog accepts contact from other people. The dog must sit in place while the evaluator pets its head and body. It may stand up as it is being petted, but it must “stand in place” (resource 3).
Appearance and Grooming
For appearance and grooming, the dog must look nice and be in good health. The dog must be clean and well taken care of, including being at a healthy weight for its breed and age (resource 3). It must also allow the evaluator to brush its fur, check its ears, and pick up at least one paw (resource 3).
Out for a Walk (Loose Leash)
Out for a walk requires that the handler and dog demonstrate their loose leash walking skills. The dog does not need to heel but does need to walk in a way that makes it clear it is paying close attention to the handler. It also must remain on one side of the handler as they perform “a right turn, left turn, and an about turn with at least one stop in between and another at the end” (reference 3).
Walking Through a Crowd
Walking through a crowd consists of the dog and handler walking through a crowd of people (usually a smallish crowd) passing nearby people as they go. The AKC website says that the dog needs to be able to “walk with the handler without evidence of overexuberance, shyness or resentment” (resource 3). This skill is one of my favorites. It is a massively undertrained skill in the dog world as many people focus on teaching dogs to greet people when they see them, rather than teaching them to simply walk by them. This skill is highly important, and I recommend training it even if you are not going to take the test.
Sit and Down on Cue and Stay in Place
This one is pretty straight forward, the dog must be able to sit and lay down on cue and hold either a sit or a down stay as the handler walks twenty feet away, turns, then approaches the dog again (resource 3). The dog must “remain in the place in which it was left (it may change position) until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the dog” (resource 3).
Coming When Called
This test item is another one that is pretty straightforward, but there is a distance requirement. The dog must be able to hold a stay while the handler walks ten feet from the dog and turns to face it. Then the dog must come directly to the handler when the handler cues it to do so (resource 3).
Reaction to Another Dog
When reacting to another dog, the dogs being tested must be able to “show no more than casual interest in each other” while the handlers walk them towards each other and stop at a twenty foot distance to wave at each other, then proceed for about ten feet (resource 3).
Reaction to Distraction
When presented with a distraction such as dropping a chair, rolling something past the dog, having someone jog past the dog, or other similar things, the dog must “express natural interest and curiosity and/or may appear slightly startled but should not panic, try to run away, show aggressiveness, or bark” (resource 3). The dog will be presented with two distractions and must respond accordingly to both.
Supervised Separation
This test helps evaluators see if the dog being tested suffers from major separation anxiety and other stresses. To pass this part of the test, the dog will stay with the evaluator while its handler leaves for three minutes. The dog must “not continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness” (resource 3).
Study and Prepare
To ensure you have set yourself up for success, please visit the AKC website to read the full explanation of each test section so you will know what to expect and work on. Please also note that it is your responsibility to work with your dog to teach it these skills and to ensure it feels safe. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety or is uncomfortable in crowds, please get help from a trainer to help your dog overcome these fears before taking the test. Even if your dog will “tolerate” these things enough to pass the test, it may not feel comfortable with them in real world situations for extended periods of time. Please ensure you know your dog well and know what it can handle and for how long. Please do not push your dog past its breaking point.
Where Can You Take the Test
Unlike what some might expect, this test is not taken in any specific place. Actually, all you need is someone certified to proctor the test for you and your dog. Thankfully, the AKC website has a fast way to find someone in your area to contact. To find an evaluator, all you have to do is go to this link: https://www.apps.akc.org/cgc-evaluator/#/ and search your state. Doing this will bring up a list of evaluators and what zip code they operate in. Find your zip code, or one close to it, then contact the evaluator via the email listed for their contact information. From there on out you will work the details out with your evaluator! It’s that easy! Have fun!
Reference
Comments