Changes to the Kennel club good citizen scheme

WITH EFFECT FROM 6TH APRIL 2016


1) In line with new legislation dogs are required to have a microchip which is registered on a Defra approved database, in the UK (check exemptions).
Any dog taking a Good Citizen Dog Scheme Test after the 6th April 2016 or passing a Puppy Foundation Award Course will be required to have a microchip.
2) Clubs will be required to provide a microchip scanner . If Clubs or Scheme Examiners wish to purchase a scanner a discount Scheme has been introduced. More details on this will be published shortly.
3) Bronze, Silver & Gold Equipment changes – Dogs will be permitted to wear a Head Collar , Body Harness or slip lead during a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award testing session. Note dogs will still be required to wear a collar with legally compliant information on it.
4) Gold Award – the minimum age for a dog taking a Gold award test has been changed to 12 months.
5) Gold Award - the approximate time for Examiners testing 10 dogs has been increased to 3 hours.
6) Gold Award – Relaxed Isolation –A crate or cage can now be used to secure the dog. This is in addition to the current options.
7) There will also be changes to all paperwork and a new Good Citizen Dog Scheme logo.

I near fainted when I heard they could use a headcollar for ALL the stages, surely its about having your dog under control, and in the Gold Scheme most of it is offlead. We were told about this a couple of months ago, and personally I don't think a training class is the place for a headcollar once they've done Bronze, and even then I would expect the dog to take the test without one. I use headcollars as a safety measure because mine are big strong girls and it only needs once for things to go pear shaped, but take them to training in one, never everand thats from the word go by the way. Also the isolation is all about leaving your dog at stay in an out of sight situation, in other words about training stay properly. If its going to be in a crate for goodness sake why bother.

I've never liked the isolation part of the test as it gives out the wrong message in my opinion. As for the headcollar, I see nothing wrong with it because as the tests progress, a lot of the exercises are off-lead anyway.

'Having your dog under control' - whether on collar, head collar or harness, does it really matter if the dog is 'under control'

Totally disagree with making it easy, to pass these tests at present you have to train and practice regularly, both of these changes mean that you don't really have to anymore as you are working your dog by artificial means rather than by effort put in over days and weeks

We are going to have to agree to disagree on this one because my idea of the tests is that owners can show they are in control. Most dogs have to be trained to a head collar for reliable loose lead walking same as with a collar or harness. Many more elderly folk with big dogs for example, like the extra safety measure of a head collar and, provided they have got loose lead walking with the dog, they shouldn't be barred from the tests.

Relaxed isolation out of sight of the owner has always seemed a barmy idea to me as it really isn't safe in everyday life. I'd drop it completely

I was so very grateful I had the added security of the headcollar today, otherwise I would have been dragged into the road because of numbnut owners on the other side, probably be dead or something, as I had control of her head she couldn't drag me. One dog on its own in a training situation shouldn't need a headcollar by the time its progressed beyond Bronze.I can more than see the advantages in the real world, believe me if I have 2 or more dogs with me then they are on headcollars. Also if you have a large dog all the more reason to ensure your training is up to scratch and it isn't going to drag you here there and everywhere and you aren't in control, headcollars are all very well, but you need to be able to do it without artificial aids.

I really don't see them as an artificial aid. The tests are supposed to reflect life training which is why I've never seen the point in banning head-collars and harnesses, or having the dog in an out of sight stay.

The loose lead walking should be just that, whether on collar, harness or head collar.

I would expect a fail if the dog was straining on any of the pieces of kit.

Yeah but you need to be able to do it properly rather than rely on a gadget, otherwise you're not going to learn correctly and understand how training and practice does pay dividends long term without the presence of anything but yourself.
I think if people cannot be bothered to learn how to train themselves and their dog but rely on whatever is the current fad then they aren't doing themselves, their dog, or any future dogs any favours.

As said, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one because my point of view is that all training should reflect real life and if in real life the dog is walked on a head collar so be it. Why should owners need to buy a whole new set of kit that will likely never be used outside of the training club just to prove they can?

Loose lead walking is loose lead walking regardless of kit

Its the same kit everyone uses, and I use whenever I'm walking the girls, collar and lead, the 'extra' kit is actually the headcollar.
I feel that people need to really know and understand why and how stuff happens, how to remedy it and how to train properly. Taking a short cut to this with a headcollar is not going to solve specific problems, its going to make the owner think its OK when they have no real understanding of what their own training needs are because they are masking problems by using gadgets. Once you have learned how to recognise and solve problems using basic kit, and passed all the levels showing that you know and understand where you're at, then using a gadget for a specific reason, ie. walking more than one dog for instance is fine, totally relying on it to get you out of bad situations isn't