Ten-year-old Molly Foxall from Cramlington, and her devoted Golden Retriever, Nacho, have together achieved the highest award in dog training – The Kennel Club Gold Citizen Award, following three years of dedication and hard work.
The Good Citizen Dog Training scheme, which promotes responsible dog ownership by teaching owners to train their dog for everyday life situations, has three levels: Puppy Foundation, Bronze, Silver and Gold. This remarkable accomplishment makes Molly one of the youngest trainers to reach the Gold level, showcasing both her exceptional commitment to dog training and her bond with Nacho.
Molly’s family welcomed Nacho into their home in 2021, and from the outset Molly was actively involved in Nacho’s training, attending puppy classes with her family and progressing to individual training sessions. Molly then took on the responsibility of Nacho’s training entirely by herself, aged just eight years old working through each level of The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training scheme.
Molly’s mum, Emma, commented: “Molly feels very happy and proud to have achieved this and we are all very proud of her. They make a wonderful team.”
By September 2024, Molly and Nacho had passed the rigorous Gold level assessment, having achieved all three levels on their first attempt.
Molly says of her achievement: “Getting my Gold award with Nacho made me feel happy and proud, because I worked really hard. I was really nervous on the night of the exam but Nacho was very good. Nacho is a lot of fun to train because he loves his treats and is a very good boy.”
In addition to their Gold award, Molly and Nacho have tried their paws at rally and agility, along with attending the Young Kennel Club Camp in Scotland for the past two summers. She has also began training their newest family member, Peri, a Jack Russell Terrier puppy, who has just started working toward his Bronze Good Citizen award.
“It’s wonderful to see such a responsible young handler demonstrate so much commitment and maturity,” commented Helen Kerfoot, Chief Canine Health, Activities and Events Executive at The Kennel Club. “Molly and Nacho’s achievement is an inspiration to young trainers everywhere.”
For more information about The Kennel Club Good Citizen Training scheme visit: The Kennel Club
