Dog lovers who have made a difference for man’s best friend over the past twelve months have been honoured in the annual Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme (GCDS) Awards and KC Dog Awards.

A special prize-giving ceremony was held at the Kennel Club in London’s Mayfair to celebrate the efforts of organisations and individuals nationwide who have invested time and energy into helping to train dogs, educate owners on the importance of responsible dog ownership, and campaigned for dog owners’ rights throughout the year.

The Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme was set up in 1992 to promote socially acceptable dogs by way of creating responsible dog owners, and is now the largest dog training scheme in the UK. It provides a quality standard of training for dogs and owners, and incorporates many domestic obedience exercises, with over 465,000 certificates of achievement having being awarded to owners and their dogs who have successfully passed the scheme’s tests. There are currently around 1,800 dog training clubs and other organisations around the country actively administering the scheme.

The KC Dog Awards credit the actions taken by politicians, local authorities, public bodies and individuals to protect dog owners’ rights and ensure that the UK remains known as a nation of dog lovers.



The categories for the GCDS awards and winners are as follows:

Kennel Club Registered Training Club
Island Dog Training Club, Guernsey

Kennel Club Listed Status Club
On Track Training School, Rochdale

Kennel Club Registered Breed Club
Southern Finnish Lapphund Society, South of England

Local Council Category - Most Effective Campaign
Medway Council, Kent

Island Dog Training Club was chosen as the overall winner of the GCDS Awards for their dedication, commitment and outstanding support in promoting the scheme in 2013.

The winners of the KC Dog Awards were selected on account of their positive approach to supporting the rights of dog owners their local area. This year’s winners are:

KC Dog Campaigner Award
Carnoustie Canine Capers, Angus, Scotland

KC Dog Local Authority Award
Hampshire Country Council

KC Dog Local Authority Award
Whitehill and Bordon, Hampshire

KC Dog Parliamentary Award
Matthew Offord, MP for Hendon

KC Dog Recognition Award
Scottish Natural Heritage

Speaking at the ceremony, Kennel Club Vice Chairman, Mike Townsend, said: “These awards are an opportunity for us to credit the actions taken by politicians, local authorities, groups and individuals to ensure that the UK’s well trained dogs and their owners continue to enjoy maximum access to our countryside and urban open spaces.

“We really do feel that each of the winners and nominees have done fantastic work in promoting responsible dog ownership in local communities and each deserves a huge vote of thanks.  The enthusiasm and dedication they have shown help organisations like the Kennel Club to promote responsible dog ownership and canine welfare, and we extend our appreciation for helping us continue making a positive difference for dogs and their owners.”

KC Dog is an information network, free to join, whose members benefit from news and information on the Kennel Club’s campaigns. Visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/kcdog for more information, or email kcdog@thekennelclub.org.uk.

More information on the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme can be found at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/dogtraining.