Canine Good Citizen Award Requirements

Courtesy of Jon Hurd/Laertes: Flick

What Are the 10 Tests to Earn the AKC Good Citizen Certificate

Can your dog pass the 10 tests to earn the AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate?  

If not, you can teach your dog how to be an AKC Good Citizen in only five minutes a day.

Start working on each test with your dog for five minutes, two or three times per day and he should pass without a problem.  Good luck!

About the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program 

The American Kennel Club offers a Canine Good Citizen test that certifies all dogs as reliable and friendly pets and respected community members. Dogs must pass 10 tests to be awarded the Canine Good Citizen certificate.

According to the AKC, once dogs pass the ten Canine Good Citizen tests, they are certified as "reliable family members, as well as community members in good standing." The reasoning behind the Canine Good Citizen Test is to train dogs that are welcomed in the community, in homes, in public places, and are friendly with other dogs. Purebreds and mixed breed dogs are eligible to receive The Canine Good Citizen Award.

Training your dog for the Canine Good Citizen test helps you work with your canine buddy, bonding and having fun at the same time. Your dog can benefit from learning the 10 tests for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Award, becoming loving and friendly member of your family.

10 Canine Good Citizen Tests

1 Accept a Friendly Stranger

This test requires your dog to let a stranger come near and speak to you in a friendly way. A friendly stranger should be able to speak to the you while your dog remains calm at your side.

2 Sit Politely While Being Petted

This test requires your dog to let a friendly stranger  approach and pet him while he's with you. Your dog should remain calm, without jumping or nipping at the friendly stranger.

3 Handling and Grooming

This test requires your dog to stay calm while being groomed or handled by a veterinarian, groomer, or friends. This practical test also shows that you're a responsible dog owner, and you're aware that your dog should behave at the groomer's and vet's office.

4 Loose Leash Walking

Loose leash walking tests your control over your pet. You can walk your dog on either the left or the right side. While walking, your dog must keep the leash loose without tugging or pulling you, even with distractions.

5 Calmly Walking Through a Crowd

This test requires your dog to walk calmly through a crowd of people. Many dogs find crowds intimidating and distracting and often react either aggressively or overly excited. If your dog can walk calmly through a crowd, then he shows that he is well trained and welcomed in public places.

6 Sit and Stay

The Sit and Stay test requires your dog to sit in an area that you tell him, and stay there until you return and take him out of the stay. Your dog can either sit or lay down for this test.

7 Reliable Recall

Your dog must show that he will reliably come when you call him.

8 Calm Reaction to Other Dogs

For this test, you have to walk your dog close to other dogs and they need to act politely with each other. Your dog also has to stay by your side.  No sniffing, lunging, barking or other reactive behavior is allowed.

9 Distractions

This test presents distracting situations to your dog, for instance a person in a wheelchair rides past, someone on crutches walks by or a vacuum runs near your dog. Your dog must exhibit confidence and calm behavior in all distracting situations, showing no fear, excitement, or aggression.

10 Separation from Owner

Your dog must demonstrate that he can be left with a trusted person while you're out of sight. Usually, you give your dog to someone else and then leave the room. Your needs to stay with the other person and demonstrate good manners until your come back.

American Kennel Club
Canine Good Citizen Dept.
P.O. Box 37914
Raleigh, NC 27627-7914
(919) 816-3532
email: cgc@akc.org