AKC Community Canine

AKC Community Canine is the advanced level of AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program.

As with CGCAKC Community Canine has a 10-step test of skills that dogs must pass to earn the official AKC Community Canine title. This is a title that appears on the dog’s title record at AKC.

Test Requirements

  1. Dog sits or lays down and waits under control.
  2. Walks on a loose leash in a natural situation (not in a ring)—does not pull.
  3. Walks on a loose leash through a crowd.
  4. Dog walks past distraction dogs present; does not pull.
  5. Sit-stay in small group (3 other people with dogs).
  6. Dog allows person who is carrying something to approach and pet it.
  7. “Leave it.” Dog walks by food and follows owner instructions, “Leave it.”
  8. Down or sit stay-distance (owner’s choice).
  9. Recall (coming when called) with distractions present.
  10. Dog will enter/exit a doorway or passageway with owner and remain under control.

All skills on the test are tested on leash. The AKC Community Canine (CGCA) test may be done in a class, at shows, in pet stores or in the community. When the test is administered in community settings such as at a business or special event, evaluators must have the necessary approval of the business owners, etc.

While Canine Good Citizen tests are simulations of real world skills, (e.g., dog/handler walks through a “crowd” of evaluators in a ring), the goal of AKC Community Canine is to test the dog’s skills in a natural setting. For example, rather than the dog being tested in a ring, in AKC Community Canine, the “walks through a crowd” test item will involve the dog walking through a real crowd at a dog show, on a busy sidewalk, in a therapy dog setting, or at a training club.

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