Our AKC trainers offer AKC Certification testing for all of the Canine Good Citizen programs! With 3 certified AKC evaluators, we can test and certify you and your dog for AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC), AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, AKC Community Canine (CGCA), AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU), and all levels of AKC Trick Dog.
All of our dog training programs prepare you to pass the CGC tests with ease. It will require a bit of homework on your end before you are ready for the tests though. We recommend you come to at least 1 follow-up class before coming to one of our Canine Good Citizen testing days. Testing days are listed on our training calendar. You can through the Gingr Pet portal or by reaching out to us!
You don’t have to be a Complete Canine Training client to join in on our testing days. These test days are open to the public. Any dog and handler team that is ready to test just needs to call or email us to enroll in a testing day!
What Are The AKC Tests?
AKC Puppy S.T.A.R
S.T.A.R. stands for Socialization, Training, Activity, and Responsible Owner. This is the 1st test in the CGC lin-up. It includes owner education, tips and tricks for dog management in the home, and sets your dog up with a solid lifelong foundation. You can enroll in our Puppy Foundation Board & Train program or our one-on-one classes to get started.
The test itself consists of 20 different steps that must be completed in order to pass the evaluation. It is broken down into 3 categories; Owner Behaviors, Puppy Behaviors and Pre-Canine Good Citizen Test Behaviors. You can view all 20 steps here: https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/akc-star-puppy/test-items-pledge/
AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
The CGC Test is a 10-skill test that ensures your dog is the “good-est” boy or girl in the neighborhood. Our training programs are designed to help you and your dog be the best team you can be. Once you’ve completed a training program with us you should be able to breeze through the test and earn your CGC Title. We do suggest you come back for a free follow-up before your test, just to be sure you are going to pass!
The CGC test consists of 10 skills that test you and your dog’s ability to work together. It assesses your handling skills, your dog’s behavior, and their mannerisms. You can complete the CGC test at any age with your dog and you don’t have to be a Complete Canine client to test.
AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU)
AKC Urban CGC requires that the dog demonstrate CGC skills and beyond in a setting that includes traffic, crowds, noises, smells, and other distractions that are present in a city or town. There are prerequisites for the CGCU; you must have completed a CGC test and have it on record with AKC and the dog MUST be registered with the AKC.
Another 10-skill test for you and your dog, but this time out in public and in a city or urban environment. You and your dog will be tested in a fairly distracting environment going through normal everyday dog-owner things, like crossing the street or ignoring food on the sidewalk.
AKC Community Canine (CGCA)
The Advanced Canine Good Citizen tests your training at another level! AKC Community Canine is the advanced level of AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program. There are some prerequisites for the CGCA. Before taking the CGCA test you must have completed a CGC test and have it on record with AKC and the dog MUST be registered with the AKC. We hold these tests on an “as-needed” basis. They will be announced and listed on our Training Calendar.
This test is also a 10-skill test and the standards are raised from the CGC. In our testing, you will be working around bigger distractions and it will be a true test of how well you and your dog work together.
AKC Trick Dog™
Who doesn’t love tricks?!? There are 5 AKC Trick Dog Titles you can earn with your dog. Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Performer, and Elite Performer. At each level, the tricks get more difficult and your dog must perform more of them. Check out the rules and tricks here.
There are a few things to note with trick dogs titles;
- Your Dog Must be AKC registered
- Your Dog must be 4 months old to test
***Note that passing any of the CGC tests does not make a dog a service dog or emotional support dog. A key distinction of service or emotional support dogs is that the owner/handler has a disability and the dog is trained to perform a task or set of tasks for the handler/owner. It is unethical to misrepresent a pet dog as a service or emotional support animal.***
AKC Canine Good Citizen
Test Fees
All AKC CGC tests administered by Complete Canine Training are $150.00 per dog per test. A 10% discount is offered for testing multiple dogs on the same test day. The testing fees must be paid during test registration. The price for a re-test, if you do not pass, is $25.00
Pricing is for the test facilitation only. Pricing does not include AKC Certificates, Titles, or Registration. Test Fees are non-refundable.
Who Can Test?
Everyone is eligible to test in the AKC CGC program. Each test is available to both AKC-registered dogs and non-registered dogs. AKC Registered dogs may opt to add the official title to their registration and get a certificate for completing and passing the test, while non-registered dogs can only get the certificates.
Your dog doesn’t have to be purebred to be AKC registered! There are multiple options for registration. If you want to register your dog with the AKC start here!