The AKC Canine Good Citizen program offers two levels of testing, CGC and CGC-Advanced. We offer prep and test classes for each. These classes are led by one of WAGD’s AKC approved Evaluators.
The Canine Good Citizen certificate is an AKC program designed to demonstrate that your dog is a “good citizen” in public – the test takes you through several scenarios to show your dog’s good manners. The first four weeks of this five week course will prepare you and your dog to take the CGC test. We will brush up on our polite greetings, loose leash walking, attention around distractions and other skills that will help you earn the certificate. The CGC Test itself is will be given in the fifth week of class and is included with this class.
Our Manners 2 class teaches the base skills for the CGC test. The Manners 3 class covers the base skills required for the CGCA test. This class teaches you how to take those base skills and apply them to the challenging test exercises you’ll encounter during the CGC and CGCA tests.
Please see www.akc.org for details on the test items. Please note that in order to earn the official CGCA title from the AKC, your dog will need to have first earned his CGC.
- Dogs should possess the skills taught in Manners 2 (for CGC) and Manners 3 (for CGCA).
- If your dog is younger than 1 year, and they haven’t been in facility in 2 months or more, a new Class Readiness Evaluation is required.
- If your dog is older than 1 year, and they haven’t been in the facility in 6 months or more, a new Class Readiness Evaluation is required.
- Dog must be current on vaccinations.
- $210 for 5, 50-minute group sessions
- The official AKC CGC/CGCA test is included in the class.
- The AKC charges a fee (not included in this class) if you choose to register your test results with them.
Class Preview
Your Instructors
Specialty & Pet Manners Trainer
Gabi Vannini CPDT-KA
Gabi Vannini CPDT-KA joined the WAGD staff in fall 2018. She teaches barn hunt, agility, conformation, rally and manners. She is an AKC CGC, trick, ACT test, temperament test and farm dog evaluator. Gabi competes in a variety of dog sports with her own dogs and has titled in obedience, agility, rally, conformation, lure coursing, dock diving, barn hunt, tricks and herding. She has a particular fondness for rare breeds and has titled multiple “off” breeds in various dog sports, including Icelandic Sheepdogs, Norrbottenspets, Great Pyrenees and mixed breeds. She is heavily involved with her two rare breeds, as the president of the American Norrbottenspets Association and a board member of the Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America and the National Icelandic Sheepdog Rescue Alliance. Her Icelandic Sheepdog, Link, has been among the top ranked in his breed in agility, obedience, rally, conformation, coursing, barn hunt and dock diving. He has won High in Trials, competed at Westminster, the AKC Rally National Championship, AKC Obedience Classic and AKC Agility Invitational. She has a degree in Journalism from Michigan State University, and has worked in marketing for various animal shelters. Most recently, she managed the equine adoption program at the SPCA of Texas. She and her husband Chris have fostered more than 400 animals in the last few years. When she’s not competing or hanging out with her dogs, she enjoys traveling and trying unique new foods.
Matt Henry
Matt first joined the What a Great Dog! Team in March of 2022. He completed the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations course in the fall of 2022, and finished the WAGD Trainer Education Program in 2023. He teaches Pet Manners classes and does WOW In-home Training Sessions.
As a child, Matt dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. Although he didn’t follow that path, his love of animals has always been strong. While an undergraduate student, he worked part-time jobs at a veterinary clinic and at local pet stores, and over the years he has provided a loving home to a variety of rescued cats and dogs.
Matt was raised in upstate New York, but he has called Texas home since 1997. He holds a master’s degree in English and a doctorate in Humanities and is currently a faculty member at Dallas College, where he teaches courses in composition and literature. His experience as an instructor has prepared him well for teaching at WAGD and helping clients learn how to build stronger relationships with their beloved dogs. Clients tell us that they love his approachable style and clear instructions during class.
Matt has served as a foster for the Golden Retriever Rescue of North Texas, and he adopted his current dog, Bella, from GRRNT in April of 2022.