Good Citizen Scheme

The exercises are based on useful real-life manners.  At Bronze level, dogs learn things such as controlled stay, gate or door manners, how to interact with other dogs and humans.  Silver builds on this with exercises like play with the dog, road walking, controlled greeting, vehicle control and learning to rejoin the handler; Gold raises the standard further with work such as a controlled road walk, returning to the handler’s side, walking freely beside the handler, a stay down in one place, sending the dog to bed, stopping at a distance, relaxed settle, food manners, and examination handling.  The aim is to help owners train dogs for everyday situations while improving control, confidence and communication.

People get involved because it is enjoyable, structured and useful beyond the training class. Training is one of the most rewarding parts of owning a dog and short training sessions at home that reinforce the skills of the Good Citizen Scheme are an important part of success.  Benefits for dogs include clearer boundaries, better manners, and the chance to learn calmly around normal distractions, while owners gain confidence, practical handling skills and a stronger bond with their dog.  Surrey Dog Training Society run both Bronze and Silver/Gold level classes that typically run as a block of 8 or 10 lessons followed by the Royal Kennel Club approved test.  

Equipment is simple: a suitable collar and lead, a legally compliant identification tag, and poo-bags for clean-up are specifically required.  The scheme is award-based rather than competitive, but the progression is clear.