The Good Citizen Dog Scheme
The Good Citizen Dog Scheme is the largest Dog training programme in the UK
The aim is to promote responsible pet ownership by teaching dog owners practical dog training skills, which are used in everyday life situations, it also helps enhance a dog owners relationship with their dog and make the community aware of the benefits of dog ownership.
The scheme incorporates 4 award levels, each is a natural progression and aims to build understanding and knowledge for both dog and owner
Puppy Foundation Award
For dogs under 1 year of age on completion of the course. The Puppy Foundation Award aims to provide a means of socialising puppies and to lay down a foundation for education and training. On successful completion of the course, puppies will respond to their handlers and the handlers will have an awareness of the responsibilities of dog ownership. The inclusion of play exercises adds an extra dimension to the dog’s life and can be used to make training fun. Constructive play and suitable incentives are encouraged within the puppy training programme. Exercises in the level will include:
- Responsibility & Care
- Cleanliness & Identification
- Attentive response to name
- Play
- Socialisation
- With a placid dog unknown to the puppy
- With an adult person unknown to the puppy
- With noise distraction
- Handling & Inspection to maintain health.
- Recall
- Basic puppy positions
- Walking in a controlled manner
- Take an article away from puppy
Bronze Award
For dogs of any age. No previous levels are required. The emphasis is placed on the handler’s ability to handle, control and generally care for their dog in a domestic environment. Some exercises will be extensions of the puppy foundation award. The Bronze Award aims to produce a dog that will walk and behave in a controlled manner on the lead, will stay in one position on command and allow its owner to clean, groom and inspect it. The dog must also be able to positioned by its handler for inspection i.e. stand, sit or lie down on either side or on its back, all on the lead. The dog must come to hand when called. Exercises in this level will include:
- Cleanliness and identification
- Collar, lead and equipment
- Walk on lead
- Control at door/gate
- Controlled walk amongst people and dogs
- Stay on lead for one minute
- Grooming
- Examination of the dog
- Return to handler
- Responsibility and care
Silver Award
For dogs of any age and must have completed the Bronze Award. The Silver Award aims to build on the skills learned in the Bronze Award whilst increasing the level of difficulty. The Silver Award is a natural progression of dog training skills and introduces new concepts as the controlled greeting, road walk and vehicle control exercises which are important in everyday life situations. Exercises in the level will include:
- Play with the dog
- Road Walk
- Re-join the handler
- Stay in one place for two minutes
- Vehicle control
- Come away from distractions
- Controlled greeting
- Food manners
- Examination of the dog
- Responsibility and care
Gold Award
Dogs must be a minimum of 12 months old and must have successfully completed the Silver Award. The Gold Award is the highest level of achievement in the scheme. It builds upon the skills learned in the Silver Award and develops more advanced training skills of the dog and the handler. Exercises in this level include:
- Road walk
- Return to handler's side
- Walk free beside handler
- Stay down in one place
- Send dog to bed
- Stop the dog
- Relaxed isolation
- Food manners
- Examination of the dog
- Responsibility and care)