SPECIALTY TRAINING
Earn Your Dog's AKC Canine Good Citizen Title
Polished manners, real-world reliability, and a nationally recognized AKC certificate, coached by trainers who run the test themselves.
How does my dog earn the AKC Canine Good Citizen title?
The AKC Canine Good Citizen title is earned by passing a 10-skill evaluation, and our class teaches every one of those skills over roughly six weeks before testing on-site. Your dog learns to accept a friendly stranger, sit politely for petting, walk calmly on a loose leash and through a crowd, hold a sit, down, and stay, come when called, behave around another dog, stay composed through distractions, and handle supervised separation. It is more than a certificate. CGC is a proven foundation of everyday good manners that makes your dog welcome almost anywhere in the community.
QUICK ANSWER
What Is the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test?
The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) is a 10-skill test from the American Kennel Club that certifies your dog as a well-mannered, socially reliable companion. Skills include accepting a friendly stranger, sitting politely for petting, loose-leash walking, walking through a crowd, sit and down and stay on command, recall, reaction to another dog, reaction to distractions, and supervised separation. At Partners Dogs, our 6-week prep program teaches every skill in order, then administers the official AKC test on-site at our Scottsdale or Cave Creek facility.
Not sure CGC is your dog's right next step? A brand-new puppy, or a dog working through reactivity, fear, or aggression, starts somewhere else first. Take a PD360 Assessment and we will point you to the right beginning, often Puppy Program or Behavior Camp.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Three Things Every CGC Prep Class Delivers
All 10 CGC skills, in orderEvery test item is broken down and rehearsed in sequence, from accepting a friendly stranger to supervised separation, so your dog builds on each skill instead of cramming.
Coaching from an AKC CGC evaluatorYour instructor is credentialed to run the official test, so they know exactly what the rubric rewards and what quietly costs dogs the title.
On-site test and certificateTest day happens at our facility, the same place and the same people, so it is lower stress. Pass and your dog earns the AKC CGC title and the official certificate.
COACHED BY PEOPLE WHO RUN THE TEST
Your Instructor Knows What Passes and What Fails
Most CGC prep classes teach the skills. Ours is run by an AKC-approved CGC evaluator who administers the actual test, so every coaching decision is grounded in what the rubric rewards and what it rejects on score day.
That means your dog practices under the same conditions they will face on test day: the exact ring pattern for Walking Through a Crowd, the actual 3-minute supervised separation, and the controlled greeting that catches dogs who only practiced in a quiet living room.
You leave week five knowing your dog's honest test-readiness, not finding out for the first time on evaluation day.
Family-owned since 1997. 70,000+ dogs trained. 4.8 stars across roughly 2,000 reviews. Two Arizona campuses, Scottsdale and Cave Creek.
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THE 10 CGC SKILLS
Every Skill Your Dog Must Pass
- Test 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger. Your dog remains calm and controlled while a stranger greets you, ignoring the approach and staying in position throughout.
- Test 2: Sitting Politely for Petting. Your dog accepts being touched by a stranger while seated, without jumping, pulling, or showing anxiety.
- Test 3: Appearance and Grooming. Your dog tolerates a light examination of ears and paws and accepts a brief brush, demonstrating comfort with handling.
- Test 4: Loose-Leash Walking. Your dog walks attentively at your side without pulling, maintaining a loose leash through turns and pace changes.
- Test 5: Walking Through a Crowd. Your dog moves calmly through a group of people, staying focused on you and not lunging, cowering, or making contact.
- Test 6: Sit, Down, and Stay on Command. Your dog holds a sit or down while you move away on a 20-foot line and return, demonstrating impulse control.
- Test 7: Coming When Called. Your dog returns to you reliably from 10 feet away, called from a sit-stay, with no hesitation or veering off.
- Test 8: Reaction to Another Dog. Your dog remains polite and controlled when passing another handler and dog, with only brief, appropriate interest.
- Test 9: Reaction to Distractions. Your dog stays composed through a sudden environmental event, a dropped chair, a jogger, or a bicycle, without panicking or breaking position.
- Test 10: Supervised Separation. Your dog remains calm for 3 minutes with a neutral handler while you step out of sight, the item that quietly decides the most prepared dogs.
PRACTICE THE TEST, NOT JUST THE SKILLS
Your Dog Rehearses Test-Day Conditions, Not a Quiet Living Room
The skills are the easy part. What catches most dogs is doing them under pressure, in a crowd, around another dog, with a stranger reaching in. We stage those exact conditions every week.
By the time the real evaluation comes, none of it is new to your dog. The crowd, the controlled greeting, the dropped chair, the supervised separation, all rehearsed deliberately, so test day feels like one more practice rep.
HOW IT FLOWS
Your 6-Week CGC Roadmap
Every cohort follows the same proven build, with daily homework after each class so the work compounds. Final week is the official AKC evaluation on-site.
- Week 1: Foundation and Focus. Baseline assessment, name attention, loose-leash mechanics, and accepting a friendly stranger without breaking position. We identify the two skills most likely to cost you the title before Week 2 begins.
- Week 2: Sit, Down, Stay Under Pressure. Position commands held through coach distractions, including the controlled greeting. Homework: 5-minute reps in your driveway twice a day.
- Week 3: Walking the Crowd and Loose-Leash Polish. Movement around handlers, dogs, and obstacles, including the exact ring pattern for the item that quietly fails the most prepared dogs.
- Week 4: Recall and Reaction to Distractions. Come-when-called at testing distance plus reaction to a dropped chair, a jogger, or a sudden noise. Every distraction you might see on test day is staged deliberately.
- Week 5: Supervised Separation and Mock Test. Your dog is handed off to a friendly stranger for 3 minutes while you wait out of sight, then a full mock test scored against the official AKC rubric. We tell you honestly whether your dog is test-ready.
- Week 6: Official AKC CGC Evaluation On-Site. The real test, administered by a Partners Dogs AKC-approved CGC evaluator at our facility. Pass and your dog leaves with the AKC certificate in hand.
Schedule details are confirmed in your welcome email. Make-up sessions are available for missed weeks if booked in advance.
LOGISTICS
Pricing and What to Bring
Pricing. CGC prep is competitively priced against other Phoenix-area programs, and the AKC test fee is included, no surprise add-on at the end. Current pricing is posted on every cohort listing. Call 480-595-6700 if you want a number today.
What to bring. A 4 to 6 foot flat leash (no retractables), a flat buckle or martingale collar, current vaccination records, a water bowl, and high-value treats your dog already loves. We supply the rest.
What we do not promise. Your dog passing on the first attempt. We will tell you in Week 5 whether they are ready. If not, we will lay out the exact plan to get them there. The title matters because it is real. We do not paper it.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
What a Partners CGC Prep Class Covers
- All 10 CGC skills in sequence. Every test item is broken down and rehearsed in order from Week 1 through Week 5, so your dog builds on each skill and does not arrive at test day drilling in isolation.
- Coaching from an AKC-approved evaluator. Your instructor is not just a trainer. They are credentialed to run the official test, which means they know exactly what passes and what the rubric penalizes.
- Realistic practice conditions. Crowds, distractions, the supervised separation, and the controlled greeting are all staged to mirror test-day conditions, not a quiet gym with two handlers.
- Honest Week 5 readiness check. We score a full mock test against the official rubric and tell you plainly whether your dog is ready or whether they need more time before the evaluation.
- On-site AKC evaluation included. Test day happens at our facility. No travel, no new building, no unfamiliar evaluator. Same place, same people, lower stress.
- AKC certificate and title registration. Pass and we handle the AKC paperwork. Your dog's CGC title goes into the official registry and their certificate is ready to take home.
IS CGC PREP RIGHT FOR YOUR DOG
Honest Guidance on Where Your Dog Belongs
- If your dog has the basics and you want polished, reliable manners, CGC prep is the fit. Your dog should already know sit, down, and come, and walk without constant pulling. If you are close but not sure, a private lesson first is the fastest way to get evaluation ready. Private Lessons
- If your puppy is under six months, start with foundations. CGC requires a dog at least six months old and current on vaccinations, so younger pups build the groundwork first. Puppy Program
- If reactivity, fear, or aggression is the real issue, start there first. Serious reactivity or anxiety needs a focused reset before a public test makes sense, and a PD360 assessment tells you honestly which path fits. Behavior Camp
PAIRS WELL WITH
Related Programs
- Pet Parenting Group Classes Weekly foundational skills your dog needs before CGC prep.
- Private Lessons One-on-one polish for the specific CGC items your dog struggles with.
- Agility Training CGC is the recommended prerequisite for our agility classes.
- Scent Work Mental enrichment sport that pairs well with the polished obedience CGC builds.
Ready to earn the CGC title?
Talk to our team about the next CGC prep cohort, or take the quiz if you are not sure which class fits your dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my dog need any prior training to enroll?
Your dog should know basic sit, down, and come, and walk on a leash without constant pulling. If you are not sure, a private lesson first is the fastest way to get evaluation-ready. Puppies under six months old should start with Puppy Program.
What breeds can take the CGC test?
Every breed is welcome, purebred or mixed. The AKC CGC test is breed-neutral. Dogs must be at least six months old and current on vaccinations.
How much does the program cost, and what does that include?
CGC prep is competitively priced for the Phoenix metro and includes the official AKC test fee, the AKC paperwork submission, and the on-site evaluation by an approved CGC evaluator. No surprise add-on at graduation. Current cohort pricing is published on the booking page. Call 480-595-6700 if you want a number today.
What is the success rate, and what if my dog does not pass on test day?
Most dogs who complete the full 6-week prep and do the homework pass on the first attempt. The ones who do not almost always fail one of two items: Walking Through a Crowd or Supervised Separation. We tell you in Week 5 whether your dog is test-ready. If they are not, we will give you the exact plan to close the gap and the retake is heavily discounted.
Is the CGC title useful beyond the test itself?
Yes. It is a prerequisite for therapy dog programs, many apartment communities, and AKC sports including agility and rally. It is also the foundation skill set for scent work, agility, and other advanced classes at Partners Dogs.