If your dog has good manners, he or she may be eligible for an award from the American Kennel Club….
Started in 1989, CGC is a certification program that is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the CGC test receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club and as of January 1, 1999, they are automatically recorded in the AKC's Canine Good Citizen Archive.
Program Changes: AKC Now Sends Canine Good Citizen Certificates
The year 2001 was very eventful for the Canine Good Citizen Program. One of the most dramatic changes for CGC to be implemented since the program started was that in April, 2001, the AKC began sending out Canine Good Citizen certificates from in-house. This change was in response to the on-going requests from CGC participants to have a high-quality certificate that could be framed and proudly displayed.
CGC Evaluators Now Undergo Approval Process
A second major change within the CGC Program occurred in April, 2001, when the AKC began requiring that all CGC evaluators be registered with the AKC and assigned an evaluator number. There has been an overwhelmingly positive response to this procedure that was implemented in order to improve the quality and integrity of the CGC Program. The current requirements for evaluators are: 1) must have worked with other owners and their dogs in a professional or educational capacity for at least one year and 2) must have worked with a variety of breeds. If you would like to obtain a copy of the Evaluator Registration Form, click here.
CGC Evaluators on Web
One of the most frequent calls and emails we get in the CGC area is "where can I go to get my dog tested?" With written approval from the evaluator, we are now posting evaluator names and email addresses on the AKC web page so that we can provide potential CGC participants with the names of evaluators in their areas. Participants may still call the CGC office at (919) 816-3532 for evaluator information if they do not have access to the internet. In upcoming months, we will begin to list CGC tests held at AKC shows in the CGC section of the web page.
CGC - Over a decade of success!!
CGC is one of the most rapidly growing programs in the American Kennel Club. There are many exciting applications of this wonderful, entry level that go beyond the testing and certifying of dogs.
Many other countries (including England, Australia, Japan, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and Finland) have developed CGC programs based on the AKC's CGC Program. A CGC Neighborhood Model has been established, police and animal control agencies use CGC for dealing with dog problems in communities, some therapy dog groups use the CGC as a partial screening tool, and some 4-H groups around the country having been using the CGC as a beginning dog training program for children.
A number of specialty (one breed only) clubs give the CGC at their annual national dog show. Dog clubs have discovered that the CGC is an event that allows everyone to go home a winner. Veterinarians have recognized the benefits of well-trained dogs and there are some CGC programs in place in veterinary hospitals. State legislatures began recognizing the CGC program as a means of advocating responsible dog ownership and 14 states now have Canine Good Citizen resolutions.
In a little over one decade, the Canine Good Citizen Program has begun to have an extremely positive impact in many of our communities. This is a program that can help us assure that the dogs we love will always be welcomed and respected members of our communities.