A WINCHESTER teenager has been praised for his work training his dog.

Dan Parsons, 17, and 18-week-old Jack Russell puppy Molly have passed their Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme (GCDS) Puppy Foundation assessment with flying colours.

It comes as heavy scrutiny is falling on dog owners, with life sentences being recommended for owners of killer dogs.

But Dan, of Harestock, has proven how responsible training can be done and has previously trained two Labrador retrievers in the past.

He said: “We started going to the classes when Molly was nine weeks old and haven’t looked back since. We attended the classes with the aim to socialise Molly with other dogs, people and train her to ignore distractions.

“She learnt a variety of different things including recall, sit and stay and we hope to build on this at Bronze level. My overall aim with Molly is to own a well behaved and obedient pet.”

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, added: “Dan is a fantastic example of a responsible dog owner. It’s great that he is so passionate about dogs at such a young age. We wish Dan and Molly all the best with their Bronze Award.”

Now in its 21st year, the GCDS’ aim is to promote responsible dog ownership. Since the scheme was founded in 1992, over 450,000 pass certificates have been issued to dogs and their owners.