Working Team/Lead Dog Application (Racing)
Working Team/Lead Dog Application (Trekking)
Purpose of the scheme
The purpose of this scheme is to encourage owners of the Canadian Eskimo Dog to take part in recognised working events and to provide a method of identifying and celebrating dogs who achieve the required levels by offering certification. It is hoped that this scheme will encourage the breeding of Canadian Eskimo Dogs that are fit for purpose.
Scope
The scope of the scheme is:
- To establish criteria for certification of the working Canadian Eskimo Dog.
- To establish the rules for certification.
- To revise the criteria as required to improve the certification program.
The criteria may only be modified, changed or discontinued upon the recommendation of the majority of the Working Dog Committee and approval of the CEDCGB General Committee.
The Working Dog Certification Scheme shall be self-supporting and thereby not be a financial burden to CEDCGB. Certification charges shall be sufficient to pay for printing and mailing of certificates and any unforeseen costs.
Eligibility
The Canadian Eskimo Dog must be registered to The Kennel Club or other country’s recognised registration society (AKC, CKC, etc.). The scheme will not apply to unregistered or cross-bred dogs.
Basic Requirements
All events entered must meet requirements in this document.
It is the responsibility of the dog owners to make sure that their dogs are sufficiently trained and conditioned that they pose no hazard to the health or welfare of themselves or other dogs participating in the event. Any team proven a hazard to other dogs or owners shall be disqualified from certification. Any musher/handler who displays poor sportsmanship or abuses his dogs shall be disqualified from certification.
It is the responsibility of the dog owner to obtain and mail all the necessary documents, signatures and otherwise complete all requirements to get their dogs certified by the CEDCGB.
Common courtesy and good sportsmanship shall prevail during all events. Any applicant who is abusive to his dogs or other people shall not be eligible for a Working Dog award for his dogs. Dogs must present a good example for the breed, being manageable, non-aggressive workers and not posing a threat to other dogs or people.
Dogs do not have to run on an all CED team.
All trekking miles must be independently verified and applications shall be accompanied by a GPS or Phone App print out of miles claimed.
Miles shall be carried out using a sled, dryland rig, un-motorised quad or scooter. Bicycles are not to be used for the purposes of this scheme.
Certified Dogs
Any dog certified by the Canadian Eskimo Dog Club of Great Britain shall be privileged to use the title in any CEDCGB literature. This title does not constitute part of a dog’s Kennel Club registered name.
Protests
Any person wishing to protest the eligibility of a dog or dog team, the qualification of an event for certification purposes, or protest any violation of race rules or certification requirements, must do so immediately following the conclusion of the event. The protest may be verbal but must be followed by a written statement to the event organiser within 10 days with a copy to the Working Dog Certification committee. The committee shall notify the concerned parties of the protest in order that they may file an appeal. It shall be the responsibility of the Working Dog Committee to decide whether or not the protest is valid by a 2/3 majority vote.
Officials of the Scheme
The scheme shall be managed by the Working Dog Committee of the CEDCGB, overseen by the General Committee. Judges, or other necessary officials, may be CEDCGB members or other person the Committee recognises and accepts as having necessary qualifications to confirm eligibility of working applications.
Certification Requirements
Canadian Eskimo Dogs taking part in the events are required to adhere to the rules of the competition in question and certification claiming qualifying legs must be signed by the chief judge/event organiser.
All event entry fees must be paid to the event organiser to qualify.
A fee of £6.50 shall be paid to the Canadian Eskimo Club of Great Britain for production and postage of certificates.
Any person found guilty of willingly falsifying documents in order to certify a dog shall be ineligible for certification. (Falsifying records may consist of a dog’s name, forging documents or otherwise making false claims to certify a dog).
The Working Dog Committee shall consist of a pre-determined number of persons appointed by the General Committee.
Certification application forms may be obtained by writing to the Working Dog Committee whose name will be listed on the CEDCGB website and in the club magazine. The completed forms shall be returned to the Committee for review.
Working Team Dog (WTD)
Vehicle may be snow sled or wheeled cart.
Team does not have to be all Canadian Eskimo Dog.
Dog does not have to run on same team each time.
Certification may be achieved by any one of the following three methods.
- Method 1 – Racing or Cross Country
*Dog must qualify in three different races. The races may be any class. The dog may run in any combination of three races. Minimum number of teams competing is three. Races must be run under the rules of the approved race organising club. Each heat may count as a race as long as it fulfils the above requirements.
*The team must complete the race in an acceptable speed as determined by the committee. Under normal conditions this will be 9 MPH for the sprint class and 7 MPH for freight and cross country races. Under conditions of extreme weather or terrain, the Committee may accept a slower average time.
*OR the team must complete the race in the top 30% of the competition.
*Required distances will be determined by the class in which the dog is running. Required distances will be 1 mile for each dog on the team with a minimum of 3 miles required. The freight class shall be a minimum of 5 miles with a minimum of 50 pounds per dog added to the weight of the sled.
- Method 2 – Racing
Dog must accumulate a minimum of 25 race miles. The dog must have completed the course in all races considered. Races must be a minimum of 5 miles if a freight race. Distances of Method 1 apply.
The dog must complete all races in an acceptable amount of time as determined by the Committee.
All events must be certified by a race official or an impartial witness.
- Method 3 – Excursion
Dog must accumulate a minimum of 40 sledding excursion miles. Dog or dogs must pull sled a minimum of 10 miles per excursion. An impartial witness must sign for form to be sent to the Committee verifying proof of distances and dog or dogs competing.
- Method 4 – Combination racing and Excursion
One or two 10 mile or longer races may count towards the total of 40 excursion miles.
Addenda
Each heat shall be counted as a race for the following reasons.
Heats are occasionally run to establish the top teams in each heat. The top teams or team then running in a final heat.
Occasionally the first heat is completed, but musher, dogs or equipment may be too damaged to compete in the next heat or heats.
A change in weather or other conditions may cause heats to be cancelled.
When certifying by accumulating 25 race miles, completing one race of 25 miles or more is qualifying.
Working Lead Dog (WLD)
DOG MUST RUN SINGLE LEAD on a team consisting of 3 dogs minimum.
Lead dog requirements are identical to those for working team dog.
Dog does not have to lead the same team each time to qualify.
Dog must run on the LEADING team if 2 or more teams are traveling together.
Working Team Dog Advanced (WTDA)
Races must be run under the rules of the approved race organising club (see above)
Dogs may run on any size team and need not run on the same team for each event. Sledding may be Alaskan style or Nordic style (single file team pulling a pulk). Vehicle may be snow sled or 3- or 4-wheeled vehicle, e.g., a traditional training rig, ATVs without motor assistance, but not to include pedal-assisted vehicles
Total mileage for all applicants shall be 110 miles.
- Method 1 — Races must be a minimum of 25 continuous miles. Races need not be completed so long as the minimum 25 miles per race are met. Alternatively, races may consist of two or more heats of at least 15 miles each where the applicant has completed at least two consecutive heats.
- Method 2 — Backcountry excursion trips shall be a minimum of 25 miles per day. The team must travel as a self-sufficient unit, hauling supplies necessary for the trip. Examples of suitable places are national forests, parks, or other areas where trail and roads are not maintained for winter use by vehicles, excepting snowmobiles. If the trip takes place in a wilderness type area, where there are no defined trails and dogs may be expected to break trail, the trip must be a minimum of 15 miles.
- Method 3 — Backcountry camping excursion shall be a minimum of 15 miles per day, with a total minimum of 30 miles per trip. The team must travel as a self-sufficient unit, hauling supplies necessary for the trip. Examples of suitable places are national forests, parks, or other areas where trail and roads are not maintained for winter use by vehicles, excepting snowmobiles.
- Method 4 — A combination of Methods 1, 2 and 3.
Working Lead Dog Advanced (WLDA)
The WLDA award shall be for dogs who have completed requirements for the WTDA, and who have completed at least half those requirements running single lead in a team of at least three dogs, where that team is also the lead team for approximately 50% of the time, if several teams are traveling together.
Working Team Dog Excellent (WTDX)
Races must be run under the rules of the approved race organising club (see above)
Dogs may run on any size team and need not run on the same team for each event. Sledding may be Alaskan style or Nordic style (single file team pulling a pulk). Vehicle may be snow sled or 3- or 4-wheeled vehicle, e.g., a traditional training rig, ATVs without motor assistance, but not to include pedal-assisted vehicles.
Total mileage for all applicants shall be 180 miles.
- Method 1 – Races must be a minimum of 60 continuous miles. Races need not be completed as long as the minimum 60 miles per race are met.
Alternatively, races may consist of two or more heats of at least 40 miles each where the applicant has completed at least two consecutive heats.
- Method 2 – Backcountry excursion trips shall be a minimum of 60 miles. They shall take place in remote areas inaccessible at that time of year to motor vehicles excepting snowmobiles. The team must travel as a self-sufficient unit hauling supplies necessary for the trip. Examples of suitable places are national Forests, parks or other areas where trail and roads are not maintained for winter use by vehicles excepting snowmobiles. If the trip takes place in a Wilderness type area where there are no defined trails and dogs may be expected to break trail, the trip must be a minimum of 40 miles.
Working Lead Dog Excellent (WLDX)
The WLDX award shall be for dogs that have completed requirements for the WTDX, who have completed at least half those requirements running single lead in a team of at least three dogs, where that team is also the lead team for approximately 50% of the time, if several teams are traveling together.