KOREA’S FIRST PET OWNERS’ ABILITY TEST

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There are no bad dogs, only bad owners, as the saying goes. It means that a dog's behavior depends on its owner's training. For the first time in Korea, a test was held to assess not the dog's ability but that of the owner's.

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[Soundbite] "Start when you're ready!"

[Soundbite] "Turn left and go straight."

Dogs walk around the test ground as instructed. Sometimes a dog walks ahead of its owner or becomes distracted. But they work together with their owners and complete the test. This is the nation's first pet owners' ability test hosted by the Seoul city government..

[Soundbite] "Go to the crosswalk and wait there."

The owners are assessed on how they handle everyday situations.

[Soundbite] Kim Min-hee(Judge, Pet Owners' Ability Test) : "I look for how much owners know their pets and how deep their bonds are."

Since the test focuses on the human, not the dog, an owner that fails to hold on to the leash or yells at the dog is eliminated right away. This test isn't mandatory like in other countries, but the organizers hope it will help people take better care of their pets.

[Soundbite] Yun Min(Seoul Metropolitan Gov't) : "This is an event that motivates people to live happily without disputes."

Those who took part in the event agreed that pet owners need to learn because they care about their pets.

[Soundbite] Lee Seul-ah(Seoul Resident) : "I just thought of him as a dog at first. But I came to realize that he is just as precious as any human. So I plan to learn more. The more I know, the better I can take care of him."