Canine Good Citizen/ Breed Ambassador

The American Kennel Club (AKC) designed the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program in 1989 to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club.

This class will introduce teams to the ten components of the CGC evaluation test. Each week, handlers and dogs will develop and practice the skills necessary for the test. The sixth week the test will be taken.

Any handler/dog team that would like to obtain the designation recognized in the community as a Canine Good Citizen. Additionally, Omaha city ordinance requires Pit Bulls, Cane Corsos, Presa Canario, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldogs, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and predominant mixes of these breeds to be muzzled whenever they are outside and not in a securely fenced yard. However, those dogs who are exceptionally gentle and under the control of their owners can get a muzzle exemption by following certain requirements and passing a Canine Good Citizen Test.

This class is free to new adopters of any of the above breeds included in the ordinance. It is recommended that teams take a basic dog training class (such as Adult Skills) prior to taking the CGC class.