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Working Samoyed Items of Interest |
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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.
For more information about the Working Samoyed Certification
Program, or for copies of the workbook, contact the
Working Committee Chairperson.
A
complete set of the working rules can be obtained by
clicking here. (MS
Word .doc file)
The following forms can be used
to record Working Samoyed points.
These forms are in rich text format. (*.rtf). Download
them onto your PC and open in your preferred word processing
software for printing.
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