The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme
The Kennel club good citizen dog scheme (GCDS) is a UK wide training initiative promoting responsible dog ownership and strengthening the bond between owners and their dogs. Established in 1992, it offers a structured program with four progressive levels, each focusing on key aspects of canine behaviour and training:
- Puppy Foundation: Introduces basic training and socialisation for puppies, ensuring they develop good habits early and are comfortable in everyday situations.
- Bronze award: Focuses on fundemental obedience, such as walking on lead, basic commands, polite behaviour in public, ensuring the dog is manageable and well-mannered.
- Silver award: Builds on bronze skills, emphasising more advanced training like controlled greetings, recall with distractions and vehicle safety, fostering reliability in various environments.
- Gold award: The highest leve, it tests advanced obedience and behaviour, including off lead walking, relaxed stays and controlled responses in complex scenarios, showcasing a highly trained and well socialised dog.
The GCDS aims to promote well behaved dogs, responsible ownership and harmonious integration of dogs into society through positive and practical training.
Below is more information on what you are working towards during you GCDS journey.
Puppy foundation: File: gcdspuppy.pdf
Bronze award: File: gcdsbronze.pdf
Silver award: File: gcdssilver1.pdf
Gold award: File: gcdsgold.pdf
Canine code: File: gcds-canine-code.pdf
GCDS guide: File: gcds-guide-1.pdf