Versatility Awards
The Versatility Awards Program is part of the National Specialty. This program rewards the overall versatility, capabilities and efforts of the Portuguese Water Dog competing in a variety of events at the National Specialty. To be eligible dogs must be entered, compete and qualify in three or more areas of competition where points are tallied for placements 1 through 4. The scoring system allows dogs at all levels to compete and be recognized for their achievements.
Download the Versatility Awards Entry Form
Scoring for Versatility Awards
updated July 8 2022*
1. CKC Conformation
Points are given in all classes eligible for Best of Breed and Altered:
| 1st place |
4 points |
| 2nd place |
3 points |
| 3rd place |
2 points |
| 4th place |
1 point |
- Best In Specialty Show will receive 6 points total.
- Award of Merit, Best Of Winners, Best Of Opposite Sex, Select Dog and Bitch, Winners Dog and Bitch will receive 5 points total.
- Reserve Winners Dog and Bitch will receive 4.5 points. (Note: a dog with two placements will take the points for the higher win. For example, if a dog takes 1st place in his class and that then takes WD, the dog will be given the points for WD win only.)
Class size
There must be a minimum of 5 dogs in the class for Conformation or points will be lowered.
- If there are only 4 dogs in the class, the points would be 3, 2, and 1 point for 1st through 3rd place, and no placement point for 4th place.
- If there are 3 dogs in the class, points would be 2 and 1 for 1st and 2nd place, and no placement points for 3rd place.
- No points will be awarded if there are less than 3 dogs in the class.
- The maximum points awarded in Regular Conformation Classes are 6.
2. CKC Obedience
Regular Obedience class points are:
| 1st place |
4 points |
| 2nd place |
3 points |
| 3rd place |
2 points |
| 4th place |
1 point |
- A dog must earn a minimum qualifying score of 170 points from a possible 200 to be eligible to earn points from these classes.
- Dogs who qualify in a class but do not place will receive a single 0.5 point.
- Dogs with placements or qualifying scores from multiple classes will take the points of their highest-scoring class.
- Points from multiple classes are not added together for the final score.
- High In Trial or High Combined from Regular classes will receive a total of 6 points regardless of class placement.
- Any Combined score from Regular classes (Open B and Utility) other than High Combined will be given 1 bonus point in addition to placement or qualifying points.
- If multiple days of Obedience trials are offered for all levels, only scores from Friday and Saturday will be considered. The highest score will count towards Versatility points.*
- The maximum points awarded in Obedience are 6.
3. CKC Rally
Rally Novice and Intermediate class points are:
| 1st place |
3 points |
| 2nd place |
2 points |
| 3rd place |
1 point |
| 4th place |
0.5 point |
Rally Advanced, Excellent, and Master classes are:
| 1st place |
4 points |
| 2nd place |
3 points |
| 3rd place |
2 points |
| 4th place |
1 point |
- Dogs who qualify but do not place will receive 0.5 point.
- Dogs with two placements or qualifying scores will take the points of their highest scoring class.
- Points for two classes are not added together for the final score.
- Any double combined score from Advanced and Excellent will be given 0.5-bonus point for the double Q in addition to the placement or qualifying points
- Any triple combined score from score from Advanced/ Excellent/ Masters will be given 0.5 bonus point for the triple Q in addition to the placement or qualifying points.
- Dogs that earn A/E/M triple Q will NOT receive additional bonus points for the A/E double Q.-
- Rally High Triple Combined (HTC) will earn a total of 1 bonus point (instead of the triple Q 0.5 bonus) in addition to the placement or qualifying points, for a maximum of 5 points.
- No additional bonus is given for High Combined (HC) other than the double Q bonus if Applicable.
- If multiple days of Rally trials are offered for all levels, only scores from Friday and Saturday will be considered. The highest score will count towards Versatility points.*
- The maximum points awarded in Rally are 5.
4. PWDCC Water Work
Points for qualifying scores in water classes are:
| JWD |
3 points |
| AWD |
4 points |
| WWD |
5 points |
| CWD & Master |
6 points |
- If multiple days of Water trial or related Water Trial following the next day after the Specialty Trial are scheduled, where all levels are offered in the Premium Lists, the highest award will be considered for Versatility points.*
- The maximum points awarded in Water Work are 6.
5. CKC Scent Work
Placements in each class will be determined by time.
Scent Work Instinct class points are:
| 1st place |
3 points |
| 2nd place |
2 points |
| 3rd place |
1 point |
| 4th place |
0.5 point |
Scent Work Novice class points are:
| 1st place |
4 points |
| 2nd place |
3 points |
| 3rd place |
2 points |
| 4th place |
1 point |
Scent Work Open and higher classes points are:
| 1st place |
5 points |
| 2nd place |
4 points |
| 3rd place |
3 points |
| 4th place |
2 point |
- Dogs who qualify but do not place will receive 0.5 point.
- Dogs with placements or qualifying scores from multiple classes will take the points of their highest-scoring class.
- Points from multiple classes are not added together for the final score.
- No additional points awarded for any high in trial if offered.
- If multiple days of Scent trials at all levels are offered, the highest single score will be considered for Versatility points.*
- The maximum points awarded in Scent Work are 5.
Additional Information
An additional 1 bonus point will be added to the final Versatility Awards totals for a dog that earns points in and is handled by one person in 3 or more venues (must include Conformation). The same handler must show the dog in all classes entered.
- Handlers must notify the Versatility Awards chair at the beginning and end of contest to confirm that one handler has shown the dog in all classes.
- Handlers are responsible for ensuring their scoresheets are delivered to the Versatility Awards Chair
- When several days of performance events are offered, scores from the official Specialty date as published in the Premium List will be the only scores considered for Versatility Awards points
- If factors beyond anyone’s control occur and an event is canceled before it is completed, the committee may disallow all of the scores for that venue, at the discretion of the committee.
Exceptions are:
- the Swim with-Handler exercise in Water (As described in the Water Trial Manual).
- a handler with two dogs in the same Obedience class group sits and downs.
- a dog passed on to a different handler for Winners or Best of Breed in Conformation.
- a handler who is injured during an event and cannot continue.
In case of a tie
In case of a final tie, the dogs will share the placement. It is the responsibility of the PWDCC to provide duplicate awards in the case of a final tie.
Should Agility and or Tracking be offered at a future National Versatility Rules will be established at that time.
