Awards, Titles & Recognitions

The Canine Good Citizen test (CGC) is a certification program that evaluates the “practical, functional behaviors that every dog should have to be welcomed in the community.”

CGC Testing Criteria:

• Accepting a friendly stranger

• Sitting politely for petting

• Appearance and Grooming

• Walking on a loose lead

• Walking through a crowd

• Sit and Down on cue and stay in place

• Coming when called

• Reaction to another dog

• Reaction to distraction

• Supervised separation

AKC Community Canine is the advanced level of the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Program. The AKC Community Canine test is done in real situations including at shows, classes, and in the community.

CGCA Testing Criteria:

• Dog stands, sits or lies down and waits under control while the owner sits at a registration table and fills out paperwork

• Walks on a loose leash in a natural setting (not a ring) — does not pull

• Walks on a loose leash through a crowd

• Dog walks past distraction dogs present; does not pull

• Sit-stay in a small group

• Dog allows person who is carrying something to approach and pet it

• Dog walks by food and follows owner instruction to “Leave it”

• Down or sit stay — 20ft distance

• Recall with distractions present — 20ft distance

• Dog will sit or stand stay while owner enters/exits a doorway or narrow passage

There are five Trick Dog Titles that can be earned:

Novice Trick Dog (TKN)

The dog performs 10 skills from the Novice tricks list. If a dog has a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title, it can do 5 Novice tricks to earn the Novice title.

Intermediate Trick Dog (TKI)

The dog must have the Novice title, plus perform 10 Intermediate tricks.

Advanced Trick Dog (TKA)

The dog must have the Intermediate title, plus perform 10 tricks from the Advanced list.

Trick Dog Performer (TKP)

I​n this title, handlers perform a short routine with at least 10 tricks previously learned. Checklist.

Trick Dog Elite Performer (TKE)

Testing of this truly elite trick dog level requires the dog to perform 10 tricks with at least 5 props and there must be a story. Checklist.

The AKC Temperament Test (ATT) was developed to bring focus and provide a meaningful evaluation to assess the temperament of our canine companions.

The ATT tests how a dog reacts to a variety of stimuli. Desirable traits are that the dog will be emotionally stable, inquisitive, cooperative, appropriately social for its breed, biddable and demonstrates the ability to recover from a startling situation in a reasonable amount of time.

In the ATT, dogs are tested in 6 categories of stimuli that include: Social, Auditory, Visual, Tactile, Proprioceptive (motion), and Unexpected stimulus. Dogs are required to pass two separate attempts under different judges to earn this title.