Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme

How will courses be conducted? The Puppy Foundation Assessment will be based on the puppy and its owner’s attendance at training classes. It is not an award that is conducted on a one-test basis. The thinking behind the Puppy Foundation Assessment course is that puppies learn on a gradual basis, over a period of time. This way a puppy will have time to settle into a new class and gradually build up solid foundations for the future. Upon enrolment onto a course your puppy will receive an introduction pack including the Puppy Foundation Syllabus, a Puppy Foundation diary and Canine Code.

How old does my puppy have to be? The minimum puppy age limit is at the discretion of the training course provider and will be based on the premises and environment used for puppy training. Some dog training clubs may enrol puppies for their course from as young as 10 weeks, other clubs may ask that puppies have completed their second vaccination, whilst other training clubs may like your puppy to be older still. The maximum age for a puppy to enrol will again depend on the individual training club, but will not exceed 12 months old.

How long does it take to complete the course? Each dog training club or organisation will set their own duration for the courses e.g. 6 - 8 weeks, but puppies must attend for a minimum of 4 weekly sessions.

What does my puppy have to do? As part of any normal dog training process, training the owner is as important as training the puppy, therefore both owners and puppies are assessed. The course includes 12 different exercises and each exercise will be covered as part of each training session. They are: -

• Responsibility & Care
• Cleanliness & Identification
• Attentive Response To Name
• Puppy Play
• Socialisation
• Handling & Inspection
• Puppy Recall
• Basic Puppy Positions
• Walking in a Controlled Manner
• Stay for approximately 10 seconds
• Take Article Away from the Puppy
• Food Manners (take a treat without snatching)

Is there an examination at the end of the course?
NO - this programme has been designed to lay the foundations in a puppy’s education and therefore assessment will take place over the duration of the course and not on one occasion.

What does my puppy get when he or she passes assessment?
In addition to laying the foundations for a well-behaved dog, puppies who successfully complete the Puppy Foundation Assessment course will be awarded their very own rosette and KC Good Citizen puppy certificate.

Bronze Award
This award aims to produce a dog that will walk and sit in a controlled manner on the lead, will lie down on command, will allow its owner to clean and groom it and inspect it. The dog must also be able to be positioned by its owner for examination ie: stand, sit, lie down on either side or on its back, all on a lead. Finally the dog must come to hand when called.

• Cleanliness and Identification Each handler must carry with them some form of "poop scoop" and all dogs must wear a collar and identification tag.
• Collar and lead Put on collar and lead.
• Walk on lead Walk on lead without distraction.
• Control at Door/Gate Walk on lead through Door/Gate.
• Controlled walk through people and dogs Walk on lead passing people and dogs. Behave in controlled manner whilst owner holds a conversation for one minute.
• Stay down on lead Lie down and stay on command, on lead.
• Grooming the dog Groom and inspect to maintain health.
• Present for examination Present for examination, on lead, including mouth, teeth, throat, eyes, ears and feet.
• Return to the handler Release from lead, play with or without toy, or in some other way distance themselves from their dog, recall and attach lead.
• Responsibility and care The object is to test the knowledge of the handler on this subject.

Silver Award
For the Silver Award examiners will only accept dogs that have already been awarded a Bronze Award Certificate, that have proper means of identification and, whose handlers can show their means of cleaning up after their dog.

• Play with the dog The object is to demonstrate that the dog will play with its handler. Play adds an extra dimension to a dog's life and can be used to make training fun.
• Road walk The object is to test the ability of the dog to walk on lead under control.
• Rejoin the handler The object is for the dog to remain steady while the handler leaves but the dog will rejoin when instructed to do so.
• Stay in one place The object is that the dog will stay on the spot while the handler moves away for 2 minutes. The handler should remain in sight.
• Vehicle control The object is for the handler to get the dog in and out of a vehicle in a controlled manner. The dog should remain quiet, relaxed and under control during the exercise.
• Come away from distractions The object is for the handler to remain in control of their dog when there are distractions.
• Controlled greeting The object is to demonstrate that the dog will not jump up. Should this happen, the handler must be able to successfully instruct the dog to cease.
• Food manners The object is for the dog to have good manners when aware of peoples' food.
• Examination of the dog The object is to demonstrate that the dog will allow inspection of its body by a stranger as might be undertaken by a veterinary surgeon.
• Responsibility and care The object is to test the knowledge of the handler on this subject.

After successful completion of the Silver Award, awardees can purchase a Silver Good Citizen Dog Scheme Tag.

Gold Award
For the Gold Award examiners will only accept dogs that have already been awarded a Silver Award Certificate, that have proper means of identification and, whose handlers can show their means of cleaning up after their dogs

• Road walk The object is to test the ability of the dog to walk on lead under control beside the handler and for the handler to determine the speed of the walk.
• Return to handler's side The object is to be able to bring the dog back under close control during a lead free walk.
• Walk free beside handler The object is for the dog to be kept close to the handler's side as may be necessary on a walk in the park.
• Stay down in one place The object is that the dog will stay down on the spot while the handler moves away for 2 minutes both in and out of sight.
• Send the dog to bed The object is to demonstrate control such as might be required in the home.
• Stop the dog The object is for the handler to stop the dog at a distance in an emergency situation.
• Relaxed isolation The object is for the dog to be content when left in isolation. During such times the dog should not become agitated, unduly stressed or defensive.
• Food manners The object is for the dog to be fed in an orderly manner.
• Responsibility and care The object is to test the knowledge of the handler on this subject.

After successful completion of the Gold Award, awardees can purchase a Gold Good Citizen Dog Scheme Lapel Badge.

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