Two dogs sitting in opposite directions looking up obediently at their handlers.

AKC Canine Good Citizen Test

We administer the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen Test for certification! This 10-step test is non-competitive and admits all dogs, including purebreds and mixed breeds. This certification can be beneficial for a variety of reasons, including housing and insurance. It's also a prerequisite from some therapy dog groups.

The test evaluates a dog's good manners and obedience skills in everyday situations, and it requires that pup parents sign a Responsible Dog Owners Pledge. Below are the ten steps you can expect when taking the test.

Accepting a friendly stranger: The dog remains calm when a stranger walks up and shakes their hand.
Sitting politely for petting: The dog sits for petting without jumping or becoming overly excited.
Appearance and grooming: The handler allows a stranger to give the dog a basic grooming, such as checking ears and feet.
Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead): The dog walks on a loose leash without pulling when the handler turns or stops.
Walking through a crowd: The dog walks calmly through a group of people.
Sit and down on command and staying in place: The dog will sit and lie down on command and remain in position for a short time.
Coming when called: The dog comes to the handler when called.
Reaction to another dog: The dog remains calm and well-behaved when another friendly dog is nearby.
Reaction to distraction: The dog ignores a distracting noise or object without reacting fearfully or aggressively.
Supervised separation: The dog remains under control when left with a handler for a short period of time while the primary handler is out of sight.

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