American Kennel Club
We're proud to be an AKC certified training facility
American Kennel Club (AKC)
The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) is a leading nonprofit funding dog health research through donations from various sources. It invests in diverse grants for better treatments, accurate diagnoses, and understanding disease mechanisms. CHF collaborates with AKC Parent Clubs, dog owners, breeders, veterinarians, and researchers. Grant submissions undergo meticulous reviews for scientific merit and impact.
The Foundation's dedication is to advance dog and owner health through research and information dissemination, embracing the One Health model. CHF's goals include funding diverse research, selecting high-standard projects, and communicating discoveries for preventing, treating, and curing canine diseases. They support research improving dog health by addressing illness origins, diagnosis, treatment development, and disease prevention strategies.
Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
At the AKC, they believe in the potential for all dogs to be well-behaved and all owners to be excellent caregivers, advocating for training, love, and praise. The Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) program, designed by experts, is introduced to enhance the relationship between dogs and owners.
This 10-skill test focuses on teaching good manners to dogs and responsible ownership to their caregivers. The AKC now provides a convenient Title Application Portal (TAP) System for submitting CGC Title Applications. The program is inclusive, welcoming both purebred and mixed breed dogs, with no age restrictions. Recognizing the differences in training puppies and adult dogs, the AKC also offers a specialized program, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, designed to establish a strong foundation for puppies.
Community Canine (CGCA)
AKC Community Canine is the advanced stage of the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program, featuring a 10-step skill test for dogs to earn the official AKC Community Canine title. Administered on a leash, the test can occur in various settings, including classes, shows, pet stores, or the community, with approval needed for community settings.
In contrast to CGC's simulated skills, AKC Community Canine evaluates dogs in natural settings, such as walking through real crowds at events or busy sidewalks. To earn the title, dogs must fulfill both CGC and AKC Community Canine test requirements, allowing for simultaneous testing on the same day. Additionally, dogs need an AKC number (registration, PAL, or Canine Partners) to receive the title, as titles are linked to the unique identifier.
Puppy Stars Program
The American Kennel Club (AKC) prioritizes being the advocate for all dogs, emphasizing the belief that every dog deserves training and a responsible owner. The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program is designed to kickstart positive dog-owner relationships and serves as an ideal initial in-person training class for puppies. It also acts as a precursor to earning the Canine Good Citizen title. Training classes offer effective communication methods with puppies and facilitate socialization with other dogs.
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy classes address various puppy-raising questions, covering topics like housetraining and practical skills. The process involves attending a 6-week class, taking the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy test, and, upon passing, enrolling in the program. All dogs, regardless of breed, are welcome. Enrolled puppies receive a medal, inclusion in AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy records, and a package with a certificate and monthly newsletters for ongoing learning beyond classes.
Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU)
AKC Urban CGC is a title within the Canine Good Citizen awards and titles, encompassing AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen, and AKC Community Canine. The Urban CGC requires dogs to demonstrate advanced CGC skills in a city or town environment, navigating traffic, crowds, noises, and distractions. Similar to Canine Good Citizen, it involves a 10-step test administered in real-world settings, not in a simulated ring. The test serves as a public access demonstration, showcasing dogs' good behavior and training in public spaces.
Dog-friendly businesses can use the Urban CGC test to recognize and accept well-mannered dogs. Requirements include having a Canine Good Citizen certificate, and dogs must possess an AKC number (registration, PAL, or Canine Partners) for title creation. If tested on the same day, both CGC and CGCU forms should be submitted together.
