Interested in training your dog to be a therapy dog for an organization like PALS? Want to learn how to start training an Owner Trained Service Dog? Or maybe you just want a well-behaved pet, that even your neighbours enjoy? Teaching your dog the skills required to pass the Canine Good Neighbour Test is the first step.

Our CGN classes will help prepare you for the CGN test, which evaluates a dog’s basic manners and obedience training. To receive your certificate requires a pass in ALL of these 12 skills/steps:

Accepting a Friendly Stranger – without jumping or barking

Politely Accepts Petting – while in a sit or down position

Appearance and Grooming – accepting brushing and demonstrating comfort when handled by a strange is helpful in many situations, like vet visits

Out for a Walk – politely walks on a loose leash

Walking Through a Crowd – loose leash walking around several people, which may include children

Sit/Down and Stay in Place

Come When Called – reliable recall in a distracting environment

Praise/Interaction – demonstrates the ability to settle down after enthusiastic play

Reaction to Passing Dog – demonstrating the ability to ignore the distraction of a friendly dog

Reaction to Distractions – tests comfort around everyday distractions such as a person with a cane or the sound of a vacuum cleaner

Supervised Isolation – dog must remain quiet and demonstrate comfort without jumping up when the owner is out of sight for 3 minutes

Walking Through a Door / Gate – shows that the dog won’t bolt ahead of the handler.

Your Instructor is Dr. Carla Simon, BSc, MD, MBA, who is a CGN evaluator. Carla has been a CKC member for 23 years, a former behavior assessor for the Calgary Humane Society, and organized Alberta’s first CGN test in 2002. She’s a professional sniffer dog trainer, whose dogs regularly demonstrate all of the CGN skills at work, including bed bug deployments in diverse environments. Carla has taught thousands of students around the world and is passionate about making evidence-based dog training both motivational and effective.

Please note that CGN classes will help prepare you to pass the CGN test but does not include the test. Watch for upcoming CGN test dates, as they are approved, on the Canadian Kennel Club website. While some service organizations require proof that the dog passed its CGN test, passing the test does not automatically mean the dog will qualify as a service dog or a therapy dog. Depending on your previous relationship with your dog and how much sustained effort you put into your homework, some teams may need to take the class or the test more than once to pass.

The CGN test welcomes mixed-breed and purebred dogs over 6 months of age. Encouragement and praise may be used throughout testing. Multiple commands are allowed. But training aids including pinch collars, food and toys are prohibited, clickers, etc. will not be allowed.

Training these foundational obedience skills is fun, rewarding, and useful for working dogs, service dogs and well-mannered pets. It will help you to build a richer bond with your canine partner and enjoy the freedom that comes with a well-trained dog.

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