The American Kennel Club (AKC) applauds the state legislatures of Colorado and Delaware for recently passing AKC Canine Good Citizenship® resolutions. With the additions of Colorado and Delaware, in total 20 states have adopted CGC™ resolutions, including Massachusetts, Maine, Florida, Kansas, Alaska, Utah, Illinois, Louisiana, Georgia, New York, Alabama, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Michigan, Washington, New Hampshire and the U.S. Senate. The Canine Good Citizenship® resolutions recognize the importance of responsible dog ownership, and the fact that dog-related problems are most often caused by irresponsible owners, not the dogs or the breeds themselves.

"With an increase in breed-specific legislation being introduced at the local level, it’s wonderful to see so many states acknowledge the fact that responsibility for a dog’s behavior rests with the owner," said Dr. Mary Burch, animal behavior expert and AKC’s CGC™ Director. "We thank our CGC™ evaluators in Delaware and Colorado for their tireless efforts, as well as the Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs, Delaware Representative Wayne Smith and Colorado Representative Al White for recognizing the importance of responsible dog ownership."

CGC™ is a 10-step certification program that rewards dogs with good manners at home and in the community. Viewed as the first step in dog training, CGC™ lays the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, rally, tracking and performance events. CGC™ is one of the fastest growing programs at AKC and it has become a model for similar programs adapted in countries such as England, Australia, Japan, Hungary, Denmark and Canada.

The Canine Good Citizenship® resolution also provides the perfect opportunity for Legislative Liaisons and clubs to get involved on a positive, proactive issue and it is a terrific way to introduce fanciers to politics. Working with legislators in support of a CGC™ resolution helps establish relationships that can be very effective when future canine legislation is introduced and fanciers need someone to help with amendments or to make arguments against a bill. It also provides the fancy with a way to show the public that they are interested in responsible dog ownership and making communities a better place for dogs, their owners and all citizens. Please contact the Canine Good Citizenship® Department at cgc@akc.org if you would like to work to get a CGC™ resolution passed in your state.