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AKC Urban CGC (CGCU): The City Dog Test

Urban CGC asks a specific question: can your dog handle the city? Crowded sidewalks, traffic noise, elevators, slick lobby floors, food on the pavement — the chaos of urban life, navigated calmly on leash.

It's the third leg of the CGC family. Where CGC tests manners in a controlled setting and CGCA tests them in public generally, CGCU is purpose-built for metropolitan environments. If you live in an apartment, ride transit, or work in a dog-friendly office, this is your title.

Like CGCA, it requires a CGC on record first. The test takes place in a real urban setting — downtown sidewalks, public buildings, transit stations.

Earning this title? Create your free ThePetAdvisor account — log it, track your dog’s progress, and find testing near you.

Requirements

• Prerequisite: CGC certificate or title on record with AKC, plus an AKC number (registration, PAL, or Canine Partners).
• Test 1 – Exit/enter doorway: no pulling through doorways in dog-friendly buildings.
• Test 2 – Walk through a crowd: navigate a busy urban sidewalk; people approach within 1 foot; tolerate hats, coats, and varied appearances.
• Test 3 – City distractions: appropriate reaction to urban stimuli — horns, sirens, construction noise, skateboards, bikes, carts, runners — and varied surfaces (concrete, grass, grates, wet pavement, tarps).
• Test 4 – Crossing the street: stop at the corner, wait (sit or stand), cross with no pulling.
• Test 5 – Ignore food on sidewalk: walk past dropped food, cups, and wrappers without diving for them.
• Test 6 – Greeting: a person (possibly carrying a bag) approaches and pets the dog; the dog stays composed.
• Test 7 – Public building: walk under control on slick and carpeted floors; hold a 3-minute down-stay in a lobby or outdoor dining area.
• Test 8 – Stairs or elevator: navigate at least 3 steps up and down, or ride an elevator calmly.
• Test 9 – Housetrained: for apartment/condo/city living — owner verification accepted.
• Test 10 – Transportation: owner's choice — car (enter/exit calmly, ride under control), subway/transit per local rules, or equivalent.
• All 10 items must be passed, administered by an AKC Approved CGC Evaluator in an urban setting.

Test items can be updated by AKC — confirm the current list with your evaluator before test day. Source: AKC official page.

How to earn it

1. Step 1: Earn CGC first — it's required, and the foundation skills are identical.
2. Step 2: Train in the city: practice loose-leash walking on real sidewalks, elevator rides, ignoring street food, and settling in busy lobbies.
3. Step 3: Find an Urban CGC test — offered by evaluators in metropolitan areas, often through training clubs.
4. Step 4: Pass all 10 items in the urban setting.
5. Step 5: Apply to AKC for the “CGCU” suffix title.

Frequently asked questions