Border Collie and Golden Retriever Activities
Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme
DOG TRAINING IN HAMPSHIRE AND SURREY
PET TRAINING, FUN AGILITY, CLICKER TRAINING, 1-2-1 LESSONS
Primrose was the youngest dog to pass the KCGCDS
In the past most dog training clubs were run mainly by enthusiasts of competitive obedience, working trials or other competitive canine pastimes and the training they offered was based on teaching a few "exercises" to a very high standard. Today there is recognition that most dog owners would like to have a well rounded, sociable, responsive, reliable and well behaved pet, rather than just a dog that is "programmed" to obey a few commands but may be lacking in other areas. In response to this need The Kennel Club assembled a test called the Good Citizens Scheme, this was designed to test basic obedience, tolerance and good manners.
Sirius (Mastamariner Sirius
Blue)
Passed his Gold KCGCDS aged 7 months and 1 day
The KCGCDS as it was known proved very popular not least because it gave dog owners realistic and useful targets to aim for and a standard against which to compare themselves rather than just attending general training classes. The test was so well received that The Kennel Club introduced further more demanding tests and redesigned the scheme to offer Bronze, Silver and Gold awards this revised scheme is called the GCDS (Good Citizen Dog Scheme).
Sonar (Mastamariner Navigator)
Passed her Gold KCGCDS aged 8 months
Later an additional Puppy Good Citizens Assessment
was added, this is particularly helpful as many new owners only attend
classes for a "puppy course" and do not continue with further
classes. The Puppy Assessment brings even the youngest puppies inside
the KCGCDS scheme and encourages owners to continue training after completing
a puppy course. The KCGCDS not only encourages
the training of dogs but also highlights the awareness of the responsibilities
of dog owners since elements of the test are aimed at the owner as well
as the dog.
Dogs who pass the tests receive a certificate
The KCGCT is available to all dog
owners and is coordinated and administered by local dog training clubs.
Except for the Puppy Assessment owners and their dogs do not have to
belong to or attend a dog training club but can simply attend a test,
however training with the encouragement and comradeship of other dog
owners is more fun and offers more support. The tests themselves must
be carried out by a qualified person either approved by The Kennel Club
(such as a Dog Warden or Environmental Health Officer) or by a member
of the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers, excepted from
this is the Puppy Assessment which can be awarded by class leader or
instructor and is based on attendance at classes and ongoing progress,
there is no single test for the Puppy Assessment.
Camilla and Timothy after passing the Bronze GCDS
The Puppy Foundation Assessment
is 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 minimum puppy age limit is at the discretion of the training course
provider and is based on the premises and environment used for puppy
training. Some dog training clubs are forward looking may run special
classes for puppies as soon as they have had their first inoculation,
from as young as 8 weeks. Other schools may require puppies to have
completed their full course of vaccination, whilst some less enlightened
classes may like your puppy to be older still. The maximum age for
a puppy to enroll for the Kennel Club Good Citizens Dog Scheme - Puppy
Assessment may not exceed 12 months.
Each dog training organisation sets their own duration for the courses
e.g. 6 - 8 weeks, but puppies must attend for a minimum of 4 weekly
sessions.
The requirements for the assessment are
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Responsibility & Care
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Cleanliness & Identification
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Attentive Response To Name
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Puppy Play
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Socialisation
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Handling & Inspection
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Puppy Recall
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Basic Puppy Positions
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Walking in a Controlled Manner
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Stay for approximately 10 seconds
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Take Article Away from the Puppy
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Food Manners (take a treat without snatching)
There is no single examination but assessment
will take place over the duration of the course rather than on one
occasion.
The GCDS encourages training from puppyhood
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 i.e.: stand, sit, lie down on either side or on its back, all on a lead. Finally the dog must come to hand when called.
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Cleanliness and Identification - Each handler must carry with them some form of "poop scoop" and all dogs must wear a collar and identification tag.
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Collar and lead - Put on collar and lead.
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Walk on lead - Walk on lead without distraction.
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Control at Door/Gate - Walk on lead through Door/Gate.
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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.
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Stay down on lead - Lie down and stay on command, on lead.
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Grooming the dog - Groom and inspect to maintain health.
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Present for examination - Present for examination, on lead, including mouth, teeth, throat, eyes, ears and feet.
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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.
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Responsibility and care - The object is to test the knowledge of the handler on this subject.
Each level has its own certificate - Bronze
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.
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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.
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Road walk - The object is to test the ability of the dog to walk on lead under control.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Come away from distractions - The object is for the handler to remain in control of their dog when there are distractions.
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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.
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Food manners - The object is for the dog to have good manners when aware of peoples' food.
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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.
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Responsibility and care - The object is to test the knowledge of the handler on this subject.
The KCGCDS - Silver Certificate
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
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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.
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Return to handler's side - The object is to be able to bring the dog back under close control during a lead free walk.
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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.
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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.
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Send the dog to bed - The object is to demonstrate control such as might be required in the home.
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Stop the dog - The object is for the handler to stop the dog at a distance in an emergency situation.
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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.
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Food manners - The object is for the dog to be fed in an orderly manner.
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Responsibility and care - The object is to test the knowledge of the handler on this subject.
KCGCT Gold Award
For more information about The Kennel Club Good Citizens Test contact the GCDS department at, The Kennel Club on 020 7518 1011.