The Canine Good Neighbour (CGN) test is an evaluation that rewards basic good manners and temperament with a title and certificate from he Canadian Kennel CluTb (CKC). Responsible dog owners train their dogs to behave appropriately around people and other dogs in public and at home. The Canine Good Neighbour test helps prove that these responsible owners have reliable, well-mannered dogs that are welcome in any neighbourhood. All dogs can participate – family pets or top show dogs, purebreds or mixes, as long as they are over six months of age.
How it works
The test consists of 12 exercises meant to reflect real-life situations. During the test, you can talk to your dog, repeat commands and if you see your dog is about to make a mistake, like jumping up to greet the evaluator, you can tell him not to.
The test is really like taking your dog out for a walk on a busy street. Exercise number 12, for example, demonstrates a dog’s response to handler commands as well as the handler’s ability to control his dog at a door or gate. Other exercises reflect common everyday occurrences during a walk – such as exercise five (Walking Through a Crowd) and exercise two (Politely Accepts Petting).
Life skills
Have you ever walked your dog past a jogger, or a door that suddenly opened when you approached? Exercise 10 (Reaction to Distractions) demonstrates that your dog is confident when faced with that kind of visual or auditory distraction. Other aspects of the test involve such everyday considerations as being able to leave your dog in the care of another adult, and your dog reacting appropriately to other dogs it encounters.
Although dogs have to show they are trained and can follow commands, they don’t have to be perfect. Obedience trials are for perfection and performance. Canine Good Neighbour is about everyday living with dogs. Flexibility and communication between dog and owner should be taken into account by any evaluator.
The program’s roots
The CKC started the Canine Good Neighbour program in 2002 in response to growing anti-dog legislation and the public misperception that all dogs are dangerous. The program has been growing steadily since then and with the addition of the’CKCs RDog (Responsible Dog Owner Groups) initiative, the push to have well-behaved dogs recognized by the community at large is growing in strength and organization.
In 2009, 1,579 Canine Good Neighbour certificates were awarded – 938 to purebreds and 641 to unregistered or mixed-breed dogs. The Canine Good Neighbour program is becoming more widely recognized as an important part of dog ownership. The next step is to follow the lead of some areas in the United States that have reduced licence fees for Canine Good Citizens, the American equivalent of CGN.
Good manners
As society becomes more restrictive and less tolerant, it is more important than ever for our shared comfort and safety that we teach our dogs how to behave properly. Dogs learn canine communication and appropriate behaviour – such as sniffing rear ends and how to play-wrestle – from their mothers and other dogs. But dogs need our guidance and training to learn how to behave appropriately in a human environment. Basic good manners are necessary for dogs to live comfortably in our midst and if every owner taught their dog enough to pass a Canine Good Neighbour test, there would be a lot less irresponsible anti-dog media hype and fewer restrictive laws.
A CGN dog and owner team can walk down a busy street without really being noticed. This is a two-edged sword because the noticeable dogs are the ones that cause a problem and the well-behaved ones are part of the landscape. A CGN evaluation pays attention and rewards the people who spend the time to teach their dogs appropriate manners.
When your dog passes the CGN test, he’ll receive the CGN title and a certificate to acknowledge his success
