Does your dog sit quietly while you talk to friends? When you walk in a crowd does he come along with you, ignoring other dogs and distractions? Does he allow others to pet him and come when called? If so, you already know that he is a good dog. Passing the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, however, will show everyone that he is a good canine citizen, too.

The American Kennel Club's CGC program encourages good dog ownership and rewards dogs for good manners. The program, started in 1989, is open to any dog, mixed or purebred, that is more than a year old and has a current rabies vaccination.

Even if your dog can't perform all the requests mentioned earlier, you can begin training and helping him gain the confidence he needs to pass the test. 

Practicing for the CGC test also is a great way to have fun and strengthen your bond.

Two good examples are Cowboy, 3, and Baloo, 2. They're Australian Shepherds with young owners who enjoy training them. They earned their CGC certificates last summer.

Training Cowboy was a fun bonding experience, says Kayla, 11, of Manassas, Virginia. We took several obedience classes and then continued to train on our own for the CGC test. Training for the test is good for dogs because the tests are about things that dogs experience in daily life. Passing the tests shows that your dog is well-rounded and well-behaved.

Tom, 13, from Vernon, New York, also got in on the dog-bonding action. He knew about the CGC program because his mother has CGC titles on her dogs. I thought it would be fun to do it with Baloo, too, he says. Training teaches valuable lessons, and they almost all apply to CGC and even to life.

Get Ready
If it sounds like fun, do it! Check with your local kennel club to see if they offer CGC prep classes. Many humane societies offer CGC classes to encourage owners to train their dogs. If you can't find a CGC class, enroll in an obedience class offered by a training club. Tell your instructor that you want to take the CGC test so you can make sure that you gain the skills that you and your dog will need to pass.

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