NOW AVAILABLE!! Working Samoyed Patches!!

NOW AVAILABLE!! Working Samoyed Patches!!


When is a Samoyed not a Samoyed, even though he looks like one? Many Sammy owners would say its when he is not able to do any of the myriad tasks for which he was bred. Our Sams, being of ancient lineage, were originally required to be all-around, versatile helpers and companions. They pulled sleds, herded reindeer, carried their packs as they followed the migrations of the reindeer and their nomadic human partners, and hunted polar bears and seals. Their tasks shaped the breed. Their ability to do this work is a major definer of the true Sam.

Many years ago, a group of SCA members became concerned about a couple of trends. They were worried that many of the Samoyed working abilities were becoming lost in the quest for the perfect show dog. In addition, the patriarch of the breed club, Bob Ward, pointed out that while the SCA had, at the time, about 1000 members, many times that number of people had purchased his and Dolly Ward's book about the Samoyed. Why weren't all these other people, who loved Samoyeds enough to spend the money necessary for a hardback book, becoming part of the SCA community? The answer seemed to be that the club at the time was primarily caught up in conformation showing. We needed to provide some avenues of participation for those Samoyed owners who had other interests. That was the year that the SCA Board of Governors voted to create the Working Samoyed Certification Program.

Over the years, the certification program has gone through some changes. For those who are new to the breed, or for those who have not looked at the requirements for a few years, here is a brief summary of the program.

The club has two major goals for offering working titles:

to encourage Samoyed owners to work with their dogs in order to preserve the working abilities of the breed and
to provide recognition for those Samoyed owners who work with their dogs.
The Samoyed Club offers the following titles:
Working Samoyed (WS)
Working Samoyed Excellent (WSX)
Master Working Samoyed (WSXM)
In order to earn these titles, the owners and dogs have a number of choices and possibilities, as befits a versatile breed.
Working Samoyed (WS) title: the dog must have earned at least 1000 points in any one or a combination of the recognized working categories; sled and cart racing, excursion sledding or carting, weight pull, packing, skijoring, therapy, and herding. In addition, owners may request points for special applications.

Working Samoyed Excellent (WSX) title: the dog must have earned at least 2000 points in any one or a combination of the above recognized working categories. In addition, owners may request points for special applications.

Master Working Samoyed (WSXM) title: the dog must have earned at least 5000 points in at least four of the recognized working categories; sled and cart racing, excursion sledding or carting, weight pull, packing, skijoring, therapy, and herding. The dog must have earned a minimum of 200 points in each of the four categories chosen.

The entire set of requirements is published annually in the SCA's "At Your Service". Following is a brief overview.

Competitive sledding/carting: A Samoyed must compete in races under International Sled Dog Racing Association (ISDRA) rules. A form must be signed by a race official. Points are calculated using a formula devised by the Organization for Working Samoyeds.

Excursion Sledding and carting: A Samoyed must participate as a member of a team that pulls a sled for a minimum of 10 miles (5 miles if the team consists of only two dogs or if the dogs are pulling a cart rather than a sled.) Again, the club uses a formula to calculate points.

Weight Pull: A Samoyed must pull a minimum of 10 to 12 times its own weight (depending on whether the pull is on snow or ground) to earn points. The pull must be a competition sanctioned by ISDRA, the International Weight Pull Association (IWPA) or the Alaskan Malamute club. Points are earned by calculating the percentage of its own body weight the dog pulls in each competition.

Packing: A Samoyed must carry a minimum of 25% of its own body weight for a minimum of 5 miles. Each mile counts 5 points.

Skijoring: A Samoyed must pull a skier a minimum of 5 miles. Each mile counts 10 points.

Therapy: A Samoyed must achieve its Therapy Dog certification from a recognized organization for 250 points, and must do a minimum of 20 hours of actual therapy work in order to activate the 250 points. Each therapy hour, including the initial 20, counts 10 points.

Herding Instinct: A Samoyed will receive 100 points for each leg of its Herding Capability Test, and can also receive points for actual farm or ranch work.

Special Application: Owners can apply for special application points for work their dogs do that is not covered by the above categories. The SCA Working Samoyed Program committee determines the points allowed, case by case.

Many dogs have earned special application points through service work, search and rescue, hauling logs and brush for trail clearing, hauling equipment to an airplane crash site, and a variety of other such activities.

Points are not given for herding, obedience or agility competition because the AKC already acknowledges these activities with their own certification program. The SCA Working titles are not intended to duplicate other programs, but to honor the work Samoyeds do that has no other showcase.

Each application for a degree must be accompanied by rather meticulous documentation. Many Samoyed owners have produced wonderful books with their verification forms, pictures, and journal-type comments on their working activities. These documents are returned to the owners two years after submission. The documentation portfolios have become marvelous keepsakes of the time owners and dogs spend with each other.

As the years have gone on we are finding that the Samoyed community is paying much more attention to the dogs' working activities and abilities. The national specialty now regularly includes at least four to five performance (working) events, and some SCA members now attend the specialty particularly for these events.

Working with your dog is a wonderful way to get to know your dog better, and keep yourself in shape, as well! People interested in pursuing the working degrees can apply to the SCA for a workbook that includes a brief article on how to become involved in each of the activities, the forms necessary to document the dog's work, and useful information such as a selection of outfitters for equipment, and addresses of organizations such as ISDDRA and IWPA.