Care & Responsibility (Gold)

CANINE GOOD CITIZEN TESTS (GOLD)

CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF OWNER

The object is to test the knowledge of the handler on the subject of his responsibility and care of his Canine companion. When the Evaluator is questioning the handler from the KUSA Code of Ethics or the Care and Responsibility document, the questions should not be phrased in an ambiguous manner and, where necessary Evaluators should rephrase the question in an attempt to bring out the correct answer from the handler.
Note: Only one numbered item may constitute a question.

Gold Test
The handler should be able to give six out of ten correct answers.

CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY

SECTION 2 (See Test 10 Gold level)

9. HEALTH

9.1 Vaccinations
Most veterinary surgeons will administer the first vaccination at six to eight weeks. They will advise when the dog can be allowed on the street, parks or mix with other dogs. Discuss with your veterinary surgeon the necessary vaccinations and frequency of boosters.

9.2 Fleas
Fleas are usually found around the neck and abdomen of a dog. Owners should regularly look for signs of fleas or their droppings, which appear to be black and no bigger than a grain of sand. There are various products, which effectively deal with fleas, and veterinary advice should be sought.

9.3 Ticks
Careful control to prevent a tick infestation must be undertaken. Just one bite from an infected tick can pass on Biliary. Immediate veterinary advice should be taken if your dog is lethargic, has loss of appetite, and has pale gums or eye membrane.

10. WORMING
Round worms and tapeworms are common in dogs.

10.1 Roundworms
There are many kinds of roundworms but Toxocara is the most common. They are a round white worm between 75 and 150mm long. When born nearly all puppies carry Toxocara canis as their mother will have transferred it to them. Badly infested puppies may pass worms in their faeces or vomit and often appear to be pot – bellied. The eggs of Toxocara canis can survive for years, therefore great care should be taken in cleaning up after a worm infested puppy or dog.

10.2 Tapeworms
Tapeworms are not so common and are less often found in puppies. However they should be treated. Tapeworms can be very long but usually small segments, which resemble rice grains, may be found in the faeces.

10.3 Medication
When worms are evident the dog must promptly be given the correct medication. Normal advice is every four to six months, but pregnant bitches and puppies should be treated more frequently. Take veterinary advice about dosing and about preventing infestation in the future

11. OUT AND ABOUT

11.1 Chasing
Never allow a dog to chase anything as it raises its predatory instinct.

11.2 Awareness
Ensure you know where your dog is and what he is doing at all times. Also be alert to any possible situation where the dog may cause a problem.

11.3 Leaving the area
Neither you nor your dog should leave anything behind including the dog’s faeces.

12. MISCELLANEOUS
Dog owners and non-dog owners have the right to live side by side. There are, however laws which must be adhered to. They are made to safeguard the environment for the benefit of everybody.

12.1 Identification
All dogs should wear a collar and carry the name and address of the owner when in a public place.

12.2 Fouling
It is inconsiderate and unhygienic not to clear up dog faeces and in some public areas it is considered an offence punishable by a fine.

12.3 Nuisance and public health
It is an offence for a dog to be kept in a manner that is prejudicial to public health and is a public nuisance.

13. FRIGHTENING OR OUT OF CONTROL DOGS

13.1 If a dog is dangerously out of control in a public place, the owner, or the person for the time being in charge of the dog, is guilty of an offence. It is not necessary that the dog injures, merely that there is reasonable grounds for believing that it will injure. Penalties maybe as follows: –

13.1.1 An order that the dog be kept under proper control.

13.1.2 A fine.

13.1.3 Destruction of the dog

13.1.4 A ban on keeping dogs in the future

13.1.5 Imprisonment

13.2 Stray dogs
A Dog should be kept in a secure garden and never allowed in the street unsupervised. A stray dog can be picked up and impounded at an animal shelter, where it is properly fed and maintained. In order to redeem the dog a fee (donation) is normally required. Any dog not claimed within 14 days is destroyed or rehomed

13.3 Local dog control measures
Local authorities are empowered to make local rules known as byelaws. Byelaws have the force of the law and charges laid are deemed as criminal offences. Dog control byelaws can restrict the number of dogs allowed to be on a property and can also ban dogs from certain sensitive areas.

13.4 Unnecessary suffering
It is an offence for an owner to cause unnecessary suffering to their dog or permit anyone else to do so. This includes failing to provide food, water, shelter and necessary veterinary attention.

13.5 Abandonment
Temporary and/or permanent abandonment of a dog resulting in suffering is an offence.

13.6 Dogs and food outlets
By law, dogs are not allowed into restaurants or shops that sell food etc. If the dog is of sound temperament and will not feel threatened if approached it may be left tied outside. However, the best way to avoid any problems is not to have the dog with you when going to a food outlet.

13.7 Medical treatment
It can be an offence for someone other than a veterinary surgeon or para- veterinarian to provide medical treatment to a dog other than emergency first aid.

13.8 Dogs knocked down by vehicles
The owner of the dog is responsible for the damage caused to the vehicle and the dog’s veterinary bills.

13.9 Insurance claims
If a dog causes injury or damage to a person or property, the injured party can make a claim against the dog’s owner. You may wish to consider additional insurance to cover veterinary bills.

14. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING

14.1 Learning by habit: –
14.1.1 A dog learns by habit, therefore he is likely to repeat an experience that was pleasurable and avoid an experience that was not.

14.1.2 Every time he does something the habit becomes more ingrained. Therefore we should encourage and praise the good habits, and discourage the bad habits.

14.2 Inconsistency
Inconsistency causes confusion. If a dog learns by habit, our praise or discouragement allied to the dog’s habit must be prompt and consistent to advance the learning process. When play and learning are linked the result is a happy dog.

14.3 Analysing problems
When there is a problem with your dog’s training, do not immediately work at the symptom. Instead try to think like a dog to find the cause of any problem before trying to reverse it.

14.4 Teaching disobedience

If a dog learns by habit, then it is easy to teach disobedience. To continually repeat commands that a dog disobeys is therefore to teach disobedience to that command.

14.5 Natural learning
When a dog performs naturally an act that is desirable to us, i.e. sitting when we stop walking. If we consistently add the appropriate command to the dog’s natural action, the dog will learn to obey the command as a matter of course.

14.6 Punishment
Never hit your dog, your hand should only be used to praise or pat your dog. Hitting a dog only inflicts pain and it is not a form of punishment understood by a dog.