Kennel Club Good Citizens

Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme

The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme (KCGCDS) is the UK’s largest dog training programme, designed to help owners build happy, well-behaved, confident dogs. The scheme teaches practical life skills such as loose-lead walking, calm greetings, recall, settling, and good manners at home and in public.
All dogs—purebred or crossbreed—are welcome, and you can join at any level that suits your dog’s ability.

The Levels

Puppy Foundation

A gentle introduction to training and socialisation for young dogs. Covers early skills such as responding to their name, basic positions, simple lead walking, and being handled calmly.

Bronze Award

Focuses on everyday control and good manners. Dogs learn to walk on a loose lead, return when called, greet politely, wait calmly, and be comfortable with basic grooming and inspection.

Silver Award

Builds on the basics and improves reliability in real-life situations. Includes controlled walking in public areas, longer stays, recall from distractions, safe car travel, and responsible dog ownership knowledge.

Gold Award

The highest level, designed for advanced obedience and excellent behaviour in busy environments. Dogs demonstrate reliable off-lead control, long stays, safe road behaviour, emergency stops, and calm separation from their owner.