5 Reasons To Earn the CGC Award with Your Dog

5 Reasons To Earn the CGC Award with Your Dog
Posted March 12, 2010 by caninegoodcitizen


We get this question nearly every day here at AKC…”Other than the certificate and beautiful gold Canine Good Citizen medal I can get, what are the benefits to training for CGC?”

1. We know you’re a responsible owner.

Earning the CGC award marks you as a responsible owner who cares enough about your dog to have completed a basic training class. CGC is becoming recognized as the gold standard of behavior for dogs in our communities and you’ll have earned a recognizable distinction.

But, enough about you already. Let’s talk about your dog.

2. Trained dogs are happy dogs.

When dogs are participating in the training process through classes and daily training activities, they have something to wrap their minds around. We see these dogs as having fewer behavior problems, even when training is at a basic level.

3. Training opens up the lines of communication between you and your dog.

In CGC classes, you’ll learn to give commands to your dog in a clear and consistent fashion. You’ll also learn how to reinforce only the behaviors you want to see. You’ll also learn how to not inadvertently reward behaviors that you don’t like such as fearfulness.

4. Well-behaved dogs have a better life.

If you have a dog that is a pleasure to take on outings, this will be a dog you’re likely to take to the park or for a walk in the neighborhood. A dog that lunges at other dogs or tears hotel rooms apart is often sentenced to a lonely life in his own house and backyard. This makes the world a very small place for the dog and actually results in behavioral issues such as inappropriate reactions to strangers and other dogs (Items 1, 2, 5 and 8 on the CGC test).

5. CGC Training provides a foundation for all other training.

Sit, down, come, and stay along with all of the other basics taught in CGC classes lay the groundwork for any future training you’ll do with your dog. Canine Good Citizen training is just the beginning. There is a world of fun you can have after CGC in rally, obedience, agility, and tracking.

To find a CGC evaluator/trainer near you, see: http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/cgc_bystate.cfm