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All dogs are eligible of obtaining the Canine Good Citizen award through AKC regardless of whether the dog is registered or not. The dog can still be breedable or altered as well. This is the only award offered by AKC that is open to all dogs purebred or not.
The Canine Good Citizen Test includes the following tasks:
1. Accepting a Friendly Stranger = The evaluator will walk up to the dog and handler, greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness and must NOT break position or try to go to the evaluator.
2. Sitting Politely for Petting = With the dog sitting at the handler’s side, the evaluator pets the dog on the head and body. The handler may talk to his or her dog throughout the exercise. After petting, the evaluator then circles the dog and handler, completing the test. The dog must not show shyness or resentment.
3. Appearance and Grooming = The evaluator inspects the dog to determine if it is clean and groomed. The handler should supply the comb or brush commonly used on the dog. The evaluator then easily combs or brushes the dog and, in a natural manner, lightly examines the ears and gently picks up each front foot. The dog does not have to hold a specific position during the examination and handler may talk to the dog and give encouragement throughout the exercise.
4. Walking on a Loose Lead = 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 does not have to be perfectly aligned with the handler and does not have to sit when the handler stops. The evaluator may use a pre-plotted course or may direct the handler and dog by issuing commands. In either case, there must be a left turn, right turn, and about turn, with at least one stop in between and another at the end. The handler may talk to the dog along the way to praise or command it in a normal tone of voice. The handler may also sit the dog at the halt, if desired.
5. Walking Through a Crowd = The dog and handler walk around a pass close to several people (at least three). The dog may show some interest in the strangers but should continue to walk with the handler, without evidence of overexuberance, shyness or resentment. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise the dog throughout the exercise. The dog should not be straining at the leash.
6. Sit and Down on Command Staying in Place = The handler can choose the sit or down position for this exercise. Prior to this test, the dog’s leash is replaced with a 20-foot line. The handler may take a reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to make the dog sit and then down. The evaluator must determine if the dog has responded to the handler’s commands. The handler may not force the dog into either position but may touch the dog to offer gentle guidance. When instructed by the evaluator, the handler tells the dog to stay and, with the 20-foot line in hand, walks forward the length of the line, turns and returns to the dog at a natural pace. The dog must remain in the place in which he was left (the dog may change position) until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the dog.
7. Coming When Called = The dog will still be attached to the 20-foot line for this test. The handler will walk ten feet from the dog, turn to face the dog, and call the dog. The handler may encourage the dog to come. If the dog attempts to follow the handler when the handler is walking 10 feet away the evaluator may distract the dog for the handler to get into position 10 feet away.
8. Reaction To Another Dog = Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 10 yards, stop, shake hands, and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 5 yards. The dogs should show no more than casual interest in each other. Neither dog should go to the other dog, or its handler.
9. Reaction to Distractions = The evaluator will select only two of the following list: (Note: Since some dogs are sensitive to sound and others to visual distraction, choose one sound and one visual distraction.)
(a) A person using crutches, a wheelchair or a walker.
(b) A sudden closing or opening of a door
(c) Dropping a large book, no closer than 10 feet behind the dog
(d) A jogger running in front of the dog
(e) Good-natured pushing and shoving or animated, excited talk and back-slapping by persons, with the dog, and handler passing within 10 feet
(f) A person pushing a cart approaching from the front or rear, passing within 10 feet
(g) A person on a bicycle approaching from the front or rear, passing about 6 feet to the side of the dog
(h) Knocking over a chair, no closer than 6 feet from the dog
The dog may express a natural interest and curiosity and may appear slightly startled but should not panic, try to run away, show aggressiveness or bark. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise it throughout the exercise.
10. Supervised Separation = The handler will fasten the dog to a 6-foot line such as the dog’s leash, give the end of the leash to the evaluator and go to a place out of sight of the dog for three minutes. The dog should not continually bark, whine, howl, pace unnecessarily, or show anything other than mild agitation or nervousness. This is not a stay exercise, dogs may stand, sit, lie down and change positions during this exercise.
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