Good Citizen Scheme

Established in 1992, The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training scheme is the largest dog training programme in the UK. The scheme is open to all dogs, young or old, pedigree or crossbreed. Dogs do not need to be registered with The Kennel Club to take part. The scheme promotes responsible dog ownership by teaching owners to train their dog for everyday life situations. There are four award levels: Puppy Foundation, Bronze, Silver and Gold.

PUPPY FOUNDATION

This course lays the foundations for early learning and assists new puppy owners in understanding basic training techniques. Enrolment can take place from 8 weeks of age, depending on the club and course completion up to 12 months of age. This award level is assessed by the class instructor over a minimum four-week period.

BRONZE

The bronze award aims to produce a dog that will walk and behave in a controlled manner. It is a basic standard that all adult dogs can achieve with correct handling. Owners must show that they have means of picking up after their dog and that their dog is wearing a lead and collar with the name and the address of the owner inscribed on the collar/disc to take part.

SILVER

The silver award aims to build on the skills learned in the bronze award while increasing the level of difficulty. It is a natural progression of practical dog training skills and introduces new concepts such as greeting a friend, vehicle control and a road walking exercise which are vital in everyday life situations.

GOLD

The gold award is the highest level of achievement within the scheme awards. It builds upon the skills learnt in the silver award and develops more advanced training skills of the dog and handler. The gold award introduces new concepts such as sending a dog to bed, relaxed isolation, an emergency stop and heelwork off the lead, all of which provide greater understanding and control.

More details can be found about each course on this link