On Saturday October 5, The Wag Way, a dog training school in Somerset West, hosted a Kennel Union of South Africa (KUSA) Canine Good Citizen Test.
This is a non-competitive test that proves you not only have trained your dog but that you are a responsible dog owner.
Having a CGC award stands you in good stead when you want your dog to accompany you on holiday or to a pet friendly restaurant or coffee shop where good manners are expected.
The test is done at 4 levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold, as well as a Puppy level for puppies between 4 and 8 months.
The tests require more training as you go up the levels and requires the handlers and dogs to work together as a team.
At the lower level, handlers and dogs are tested on stays, loose lead heel work, reaction to another dog and distractions, gate and food manners, and recalls to mention a few items.
At the higher level more trained skills are required such as an emergency stop, road work, heel work with distractions, stays out of sight, supervised isolation, etc.
Jane Twell a KUSA assessor, who is also a discipline judge, was the evaluator. There were three Puppy, five Bronze and one Silver Canine Good Citizen dog and handler teams, all of which were students of The Wag Way, and all of whom passed with flying colours.
The next test day will be in 2025 at all levels. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
