The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that is designed to teach responsible dog ownership to owners and certify dogs that have the training and behaviors needed to be reliable, well-behaved members of their families and communities.

When we conduct the CGC Test at the Ann Arbor Dog Training Club, we normally group the four items below, what we call “movement items,” into station 2. They are all done with one evaluator in one place.

Since we want to provide you the exact rules and regulations of the test, we will use copy directly from the evaluator guide of the AKC's Canine Good Citizen Program. It is a noncopyrighted document, but what we use from this guide will be set in quotes to credit the American Kennel Club.

Item 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose leash)

“This test demonstrates that the handler is in control of the dog. The dog may be on either side of the handler, whichever the handler prefers. (NOTE: The left side position is required in all AKC obedience competitions). The Evaluator may use a preplanned course or may direct the handler by calling out instructions (e.g., ‘right turn’). 

Whichever format is used, there must be a right turn, left turn, and about turn, with at least one stop in between and one at the end. The handler may talk to the dog throughout the ‘walk’ to encourage it and may give praise. The handler may also give the dog a command to sit at the stop, if desired.

• “The dog’s position should leave no doubt that the dog is attentive to the handler and is responding to the handler’s movements and changes of direction.
• “The dog need not be perfectly aligned with the handler and need not sit at the stops.
• “The dog should not be constantly straining at the leash so that the leash is pulled tight. The Evaluator may instruct the handler to loosen (put more slack in) the leash. An occasional tight leash may be permitted.
• “Excessive sniffing of the floor or ground, such that the dog will not walk along with the owner, should result in the dog not passing the test.
• “If the dog is totally inattentive to the handler (e.g., does not change directions), it should not be passed.”

A right and left turn are 90 degree turns in that direction, just like with an automobile. An “about turn” is a 180 degree turn, that is, turning around and going back the way you just came.

What we look for throughout this exercise is that the dog is moving with the handler and does so on a loose leash. A dog will not be passed who pulls on the leash. In addition, the handler may not jerk on the leash or use other harsh corrections to make the dog stay by her side. The dog does not have to be in perfect heeling position, but the dog must be at the handler’s side and respond to the handler’s movements.

Item 5: Walking through a crowd

“This test demonstrates that the dog can move about politely in pedestrian traffic and is under control in public places. The dog and handler walk around and pass close to several (at least three) people. ... Some of the members of the crowd may be standing still; however, some crowd members should be moving about. This test simulates settings such as busy sidewalks or walking through a crowd at a dog show or public event. If the CGC is being given for therapy dog certification (which is not an AKC activity), most national therapy dog groups require that at least one person in the crowd use some health-care equipment such as walkers, canes, wheelchairs, etc. There may be one dog in the crowd, but the dog must be on-leash, well mannered, and not attempt to initiate contact with dogs that are being tested.

• “In this test, the dog may show some interest in the strangers but should continue to walk with the handler, without evidence of over exuberance, shyness or resentment.
• “The dog may show mild interest in members of the crowd. The dog may sniff a person in the crowd briefly but must move on promptly.
• “The dog may not jump on people in the crowd or attempt to go to them.
• “The dog should not be straining at the leash.
• “The dog should not be trying to hide behind the handler.”

As evaluators, we are looking for the same things as in item 4: a loose leash and a dog who responds to its owner’s movements. We don’t want to see a dog who pulls on the leash, but we also don’t want to see a shy dog who backs away from the people in the crowd or their equipment. At the Ann Arbor Dog Training Club one person in the crowd walks with a walker, and one of the evaluators has a walking stick. These two pieces of equipment also fulfill the visual distraction of item 9.

Item 8: Reaction to another dog

“This test demonstrates that the dog can behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 15 feet, stop, shake hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on.

• “The dog should show no more than a casual interest in the distraction dog. If the dog attempts to go to or jump on the distraction dog, it should not pass the test.
• “The dog may move slightly toward the other dog/handler, then stop. The dog must stay back from the other dog/handler.
• “The dog can stretch its neck and sniff without moving forward to the other dog/handler.
• “When the handlers stop to shake hands, the dog does not have to sit. It can remain standing beside the handler. If the dog remains standing, it should not cross over in front of the handler to go to the other dog.
• “The conversation between the handlers can be brief, “Hi, good to see you again. Give me a call sometime.”
• “As the handler leaves, if the dog turns around and begins pulling as if to follow the other dog/handler, the dog should not pass the test.
• “If the distraction dog causes a disruption, the dog can be tested again with a more appropriate distraction dog. The distraction dog should have been observed or evaluated before the test to ensure that it is reliable.”

This is a pretty straightforward exercise and one that clearly demonstrates how well controlled the dog is. What participants often do is put their dogs on a sit-stay, which will add a level of control against the dog moving toward the evaluator or the distraction dog.

Item 9: Reaction to distractions

“This test demonstrates that the dog is confident at all times when faced with common distracting situations. The Evaluator will select two distracters from among the following:
(Since some dogs are sensitive to sound and others to visual distractions, it is preferable to choose one sound and one visual distraction.)

• “A person using crutches, a wheelchair, or a walker (5 ft. away).
• “A sudden opening or closing of a door.
• “Dropping a pan, folded chair, etc. no closer than 5 ft. from the dog.
• “A jogger running in front of the dog.
• “A person pushing a cart or crate dolly passing no closer than 5 ft. away.
• “A person on a bike no closer than 10 ft. away.

“A note about distractions: Distractions such as gunshot, the rapid opening of an umbrella close to the dog, walking on a metal grid, etc. are temperament test items that are typically seen on formal temperament tests. The CGC Test should not be confused with temperament testing. While instructors may use a variety of distractions (e.g., a person in scuba gear) in training classes, in the CGC test, distractions should be items that are common occurrences in the community.

• “The dog may show casual interest and may appear slightly startled. The dog may jump slightly but should not panic and pull at the leash to get away.
• “The dog may attempt to walk forward slightly to investigate the distracter.
• “Dogs who become so frightened that they urinate (or defecate) should not pass.
• “Dogs who growl or lunge at the distracter should not pass.
• “An isolated (one) bark is acceptable. Dogs who continue to bark at the distracter should not pass.
• “Handlers may talk to dogs and give encouragement and praise throughout the test. Dogs may be given instructions by the handler (“Sit…good boy...watch me…”).
• “Several national therapy dog groups use the CGC as a part of their therapy dog evaluations. These groups specify which distracters should be used. Evaluators who conduct the test for therapy dog groups will have this information.
• “The distraction cannot simply be noise in the background (dogs barking, cars). Distraction stimuli should be consistent for each dog.”

Our visual distractions were used in item 5 when a person in the crowd uses a walker and another uses a walking stick. So, here we focus on a noise distraction. As the owner and dog walk away from the evaluator handling this item, the evaluator drops a folding chair when the dog is at least 5 feet away. Most dogs handle this exercise very well.

Next week we’ll talk about the “command items” of the Canine Good Citizen Test.

Bruce and Tracy Willoughby have taught dog training at the Ann Arbor Dog Training Club for several years. They can be reached at bew@umich.edu.