All dogs are permitted to take part in the program. They must be old enough to have received necessary immunizations such as rabies vaccines, and there is no age limit on the test. Dogs must take the 10 item Canine Good Citizen Test in order to receive the CGC award. All dogs that pass the CGC test receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club and are automatically recorded in the AKC's Canine Good Citizen Archive. These dogs are even eligible to participate in pet therapy programs at hospitals and nursing homes.
Owners can have their dogs tested if their dogs have been trained at home and are well mannered.
If this is not the case, almost every city has clubs and training programs that can provide CGC training to owners and dogs that need to brush up on their skills before taking the test. Your local AKC dog club should be able to do CGC testing for you and your dog.