What Is Dog CGC?

If you have ever thought about getting your dog into therapy work, one of the first requirements is for him to earn Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification from the AKC's Good Canine Citizen Program. Appropriate behavior is essential in environments with sick or frail people; and since therapy dogs primarily visit hospitals and senior facilities, good manners in your therapy dog are an important tool for you, the handler, to make sure both the dog and those he visits are at ease.

  1. Training Steps

    • Good manners are as advantageous for canine homebodies as they are for working dogs; those that overstep behavioral boundaries or are ill at ease in certain situations benefit by becoming more confident and better social companions, which they'll be after mastering the following 10 CGC steps:

      - Accepting a friendly stranger.
      - Sit politely for petting.
      - Appearance & grooming.
      - Out for a walk.
      - Walking through a crowd.
      - Sit and down on command/staying in place.
      - Coming when called.
      - Reaction to another dog.
      - Reactions to distractions.
      - Supervised separation.

    Valuable Benefits

    • CGC certification is not restricted to any certain age or type of dog, so old Chihuahuas, young bull mastiffs and mixed breeds of all shapes and sizes are welcome to participate. Currently, more than 500,000 dogs have earned designation of good behavior. In fact, according to Citizen Canine, this certificate is quickly becoming the one document that can override the insurance industry's sweeping "uninsurable breeds" list and allow dogs to be judged on a case-by-case basis, which benefits homeowners and renters alike.

    The Learning Process

    • Each step is taught in a separate basic training class where pup and parent jointly learn what is expected of them. CGC certification is as much a process for the human as it is for the dog, because owners are expected to continue reinforcing these skills long after training has ended. Once all steps have been successfully achieved, an approved evaluator tests the dog to determine his skill and knowledge level; once he has passed, it's just a matter of submitting AKC paperwork before receiving official certification.

    The Pet Parent's Role

    • Along with continuing to maintain your dog's skill level for all 10 steps, another significant role you play in the CGC program is being responsible for his overall well being. Certificates are issued in conjunction with a signature on the AKC's "Responsible Dog Owner's Pledge" that calls for all pet parents to be responsible for their dogs' health, safety and quality of life, as well as not allow them to run at large or be neighborhood nuisances.