A manners milestone
The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, run by the American Kennel Club and offered through approved evaluators, checks everyday manners in 10 items. Dogs of any breed, including mixed breeds, can take it. Many owners use it as a goal for training, and some landlords, insurers and therapy-dog programs value it.
The 10 items are: accepting a friendly stranger; sitting politely for petting; appearance and grooming; out for a walk; walking through a crowd; sit, down and stay in place; coming when called; reaction to another dog; reaction to distraction; and supervised separation. This course is independent preparation and is not affiliated with the test organizer.
Key takeaways
- The CGC test checks 10 everyday manners items.
- Any dog, purebred or mixed, can take it.
- Use the 10 items as a training checklist.
Training session: Self-assessment
- Write the 10 test items as a checklist.
- Score your dog 1–5 on each item.
- Circle your three lowest scores.
- Plan which lesson to study first.
Troubleshooting: Look up approved evaluators near you to see local test dates.