Canine Good Citizen

{{short description|American Kennel Club program}}

{{Refimprove|date=October 2016}}

{{Infobox examination

| name = Canine Good Citizen

| image_name = Dogtags cgc fxwb.jpg

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| caption = Canine Good Citizen dogtag

| acronym = CGC

| type =

| test_admin =

| skills_tested =

| purpose = Determining dog aggression

| year_started = {{Start date and age|1989}}

| year_terminated =

| duration =

| score_range =

| score_validity =

| offered =

| attempt_restriction = Must pass all 10 exercises in a single attempt. Can retry test as desired.

| regions = United States

| language =

| test_takers =

| prerequisite =

| fee = Nominal fee varies by tester

| score_users =

| qualification_rate =

| free_label =

| free =

| website =

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}}

The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program, established in 1989, is an American Kennel Club program to promote responsible dog ownership and to encourage the training of well-mannered dogs.{{cite web|url=https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/030515m.aspx|title= Breed discrimination bites homeowners|website=Avma.org|accessdate=14 January 2019}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DNwJAAAAIAAJ&dq=american+temperament+test+society&pg=PA37|title=Akita, Treasure of Japan|first=Barbara|last=Bouyet|publisher=Magnum Publishing|accessdate=13 November 2018|via=Google Books|isbn=9780971614604}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DQczhcWhIcAC&dq=Canine+Good+Citizen&pg=PA175|title=Dog Training For Dummies|first1=Jack|last1=Volhard|first2=Wendy|last2=Volhard|date=14 September 2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|accessdate=30 August 2018|via=Google Books|isbn=9781118054529}} A dog and handler team must take a short behavioral evaluation of less than half an hour; dogs who pass the evaluation earn the Canine Good Citizen certificate, which many people represent after the dog's name, abbreviating it as CGC; for example, "Fido, CGC".{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JikKQGDOXZgC&dq=Canine+Good+Citizen&pg=PT195|title=Chihuahuas For Dummies|first=Jacqueline|last=O'Neil|date=3 March 2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|accessdate=30 August 2018|via=Google Books|isbn=9781118052259}}

The evaluation consists of ten objectives.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O6xaDQAAQBAJ&dq=Canine+Good+Citizen&pg=PT21|title=Tons of Golden Fun: Ten Exciting Dog Sports Your Golden Retriever Will Love!|first=Nancy|last=Aingworth|date=14 June 2012|publisher=BookBaby|accessdate=30 August 2018|via=Google Books|isbn=9781623091934}} All items must be completed satisfactorily or the team fails. Test items include:

• Accepting a friendly stranger.{{cite web |last=Hughes |first=Val |date=2018-05-18 |title=WHAT IS THE CANINE GOOD CITIZEN TEST? |url=http://fox28spokane.com/what-is-the-canine-good-citizen-test/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115013120/http://fox28spokane.com/what-is-the-canine-good-citizen-test/ |archive-date=2022-01-15 |accessdate=17 December 2018 |website=FOX 28 Spokane}}
• Sitting politely for petting.
• Allowing basic grooming procedures.
• Walking on a loose lead.
• Walking through a crowd.
• Sitting and lying down on command and staying in place.
• Coming when called.
• Reacting appropriately to walking by a dog and person.
• Reacting appropriately to distractions.
• Calmly enduring supervised separation from the owner.

Evaluators sometimes combine elements during the actual test. If a dog fails the test initially, owners can continue training with their dog and retake for the test in the future.

If all ten objectives are met, the handler can apply for a certificate and special dog pet tag from the AKC stating that the dog has earned the CGC.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8gkl9G4CZLcC&dq=Canine+Good+Citizen&pg=PA74|title=Training Your German Shepherd Dog|first=Dan|last=Rice|date=30 August 1999|publisher=Barron's Educational Series|accessdate=30 August 2018|via=Google Books|isbn=9780764108525}}

Dogs do not have to be registered with the AKC to earn a CGC, nor do they have to be purebred or, in fact, registered with any canine organization.{{cite web |date=2008-12-23 |title=What happened to Michael Vick's dogs ... |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2008/12/23/vick-dogs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326020034/https://www.si.com/more-sports/2008/12/23/vick-dogs |archive-date=2024-03-26 |accessdate=2018-09-04 |publisher=Sports Illustrated}}{{Cite news |last=Weaver |first=Harlan |year=2013 |title="Becoming in Kind": Race, Class, Gender, and Nation in Cultures of Dog Rescue and Dogfighting |url=https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Weaver_Becoming.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115172103/https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Weaver_Becoming.pdf |archive-date=2022-11-15 |work=American Quarterly |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |format=PDF |via=University of Pennsylvania |volume=65 |issue=3 |doi=10.1353/aq.2013.0034}} The goal is to promote responsible dog ownership for all dogs.

Since its inception, the CGC program has become the model for similar programs around the world, is the base for other exams, such as those given for therapy dogs, and is used as a starting point for more advanced dog training.{{cite web |last=Prisco |first=Joanna |date=2015-03-05 |title=Why your dog should get officially certified as a 'good citizen' |url=https://nypost.com/2015/03/15/why-your-dog-should-get-officially-certified-as-a-good-citizen/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201200100/https://nypost.com/2015/03/15/why-your-dog-should-get-officially-certified-as-a-good-citizen/ |archive-date=2021-12-01 |accessdate=2018-12-17 |publisher=NY Post}}