The PWDCC Achievement Program

The PWDCC is excited to offer an award program for competitive PWDCC member owners.

The purpose of this program is to highlight the versatility of our breed and reward the PWDCC members who work so diligently to put titles on their dogs. The award will come in the form of a PWDCC logo badge with your dog’s performance event embroidered on it. These badges are suitable to sew on a piece of clothing, your training bag or form a collage to frame and hang on a wall. As well as being a symbol of your team’s partnership and accomplishments, these badges may just inspire other PWD owners to join the PWDCC and/or enter the wonderful world of dog sports.

Badges will be awarded on an annual basis for the first title a dog achieves in all performance events achieved from a Titling Organization/Registry. An annual spring Email blast will advise you when to submit you application

Since Water Work was the original purpose of our wonderful breed, a badge will be offered for every level of achievement in this sport: Junior Water Dog; Apprentice Water Dog; Working Water Dog; Working Water Dog Excellent; Courier Water Dog; Courier Water Dog Excellent; (Versatility just awarded prior to 2017) and Masters (effective 2017).
For more information visit our Water Work page to download the manual.

Commencing January 1, 2015 these badges are available to owners for each dog earning titles. Members must apply for their badges using the online application form (pwdcc.org). The fully completed application and the required documentation can be scanned/pictures taken and sent via email or mail to the Program Coordinator following an annual spring eblast request.

FAQs

How do I know when to submit my application
An annual spring eblast will be sent to all members as a reminder to submit their application.

How many title badges can my dog get?
Your dog will receive one badge for each area of competition, with the exception of Water Work where a badge is earned for each level of competition. For more information visit our Water Work page to download the manual.
If you are a PWDCC member each of your dogs is entitled to earn badges. So if you have 3 dogs that title in Obedience you will receive 3 PWDCC Obedience badges.

My one dog has 3 Obedience CD’s from 3 different registries, can I get 3 badges for Obedience?
No, you will receive one Obedience badge.

My one dog was successful in attaining their Junior Water Dog and Apprentice Water Dog levels of Water Work, do I only get one badge?
No, in Water Work you receive a badge for each level at which your team is successful.

What if I receive a title from another titling registry /organization, am I eligible to earn a badge?
Yes, Complete the application form and send along with the appropriate documentation to the program coordinator by mail or email, however, if you already have a badge for that specific dog sport you will not receive another badge for the same dog sport even if it is from a different titling registry/organization.

I did not get my title certificate in time for the application cut off, what do I do?
No problem, just complete the application process for the next submission date.

What about Service dogs?
These are for dogs who work in either Therapy, Search and Rescue or as an Assistance dog. There are specific eligibility requirements for each. Find out more about Service Dog eligibility below. It is your responsibility to fill out the required paper work and send it to the program coordinator.

I’m from the USA, can I include American Titles?
Yes. If you are a PWDCC member complete the application form and send with the appropriate documentation to the program coordinator by email or mail.

I am a co-owner and I showed my dog but never received a badge. Why?
If you co-own a dog and are a PWDCC member but are not listed first on the Registration papers you will not receive the badge even if you were the person who put the title on the dog (except for water titles). The badges are sent to the first PWDCC member named on the dog’s registration papers. You will need to contact the co-owner to get your badge or you can purchase a badge. If you wish to have the names reversed, both owner and co-owner need to contact the program coordinator via email so that it can be switched in the program database.

How do I purchase a badge?
Sometimes owners lose a badge and sometimes there is a co-owner on a dog who also wants a badge. You are allowed to purchase replacement badges by completing the application form and sending via email or mail along with the appropriate documents to the program coordinator. Please include payment of $15.00 per badge by VISA/Paypal or cheque payable to PWDCC.

I have a dog who earned a title prior to the commencement of the program. Can they get a badge?
Dogs who earned performance titles before the program began January 1, 2015 (alive or deceased) are eligible to purchase a badge. For the purpose of this program and titles prior to 2015 we are defining performance titles as everything except conformation. These are titles that always required the partnership of a working team to achieve the title whereas in Conformation the dog is not always owner/handled. Complete the application process and send via email or mail along with the appropriate documents to the program coordinator. Please include payment of $15.00 per badge by VISA/Paypal or cheque payable to PWDCC.

My dog earned his title before I was a PWDCC member, can he get a badge?
Yes. Complete the application process and send via email or mail along with the appropriate documents to the program coordinator. Please include payment of $15.00 per badge by VISA/Paypal or cheque payable to PWDCC.

I know I am supposed to get a badge but never received it. What should I do?
If you meet all of the criteria and are sure you are due a badge then contact the program coordinator so that it can be straightened out. Sometimes the badge goes to the wrong owner, sometimes there is a change of address that doesn’t get into the database in time and sometimes a name is changed or not listed in the membership roster as primary PWDCC member.

I just earned my first title. How long will I have to wait to get a badge.
You will be reminded by an annual spring email blast to submit your application along with the appropriate documentation to the program coordinator.

What titling registries/organization are recognized in this program?
Accepted areas of competition include nationally-recognized registries/organizations that issue titles, as long as there is documentation of the title earned. Remember that only titles, not certificates or awards (other than Water Work), count towards the program. For some of the newer or more unusual areas of competition, the applicant may need to provide information to the program coordinator on the titling registry /organization, venue, and titles so that area of competition and titling levels may be determined.

Service Dog Award
The PWDCC Awards Committee offers a Service Dog award as part of the PWDCC Achievement program. This award recognizes dogs working as valued members of the community. It will be awarded to dogs that perform Therapy work, Assistance work and trained Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs.
Dogs earning certificates, currently working or becoming eligible after the date the program starts will receive a complimentary badge when documentation is submitted to the Awards Committee. Owners of dogs who worked in a Service capacity and are now retired or deceased may purchase badges for $15.00.

Requirements for eligibility:

Therapy Dogs
The category recognizes PWD teams who give of their time to others through the therapy dog program.
In order to apply for this award the team must be registered with a recognized therapy dog organization. Examples of these organizations are St. John Ambulance, Canadian Service Dog Foundation (CSDF), Delta, and Therapy Dog International (TDI).
The dog must complete 50 visits in order to apply for the badge. A visit will consist of one visit per facility. Therefore if you visit a nursing home and see ten different patients that will not be considered 10 visits but one.
In order to qualify for this badge you will need to provide a letter on the organization’s letterhead stating that you have completed your 50 visits.

Assistance Dogs
This category recognizes PWDs who work with persons with disabilities in order to help them live a more independent life.
In order to qualify for this badge you will need to provide a letter from a medical professional stating that this dog is required in order to help you live an independent life.

Search and Rescue Dogs
This category recognizes PWDs who work as Search and Rescue Dogs who are accredited by a National, Provincial or Local Search and Rescue Group. Examples of such groups are Search and Rescue Dogs (SAR), Canadian Service Dog Association (CSDA), National Search and Rescue Association of Canada (NSARDA) and FEMA.

A letter or copy of the official card must be submitted, indicating that the dog has passed the test and meets the test criteria for Search and Rescue. Organization contact name, address and phone number is required.
Send all the pertinent information to the program coordinator.

Remember

You will be reminded via an annual spring eblast to submit your application by mail or email to the the program coordinator.
The current program coordinator is Karen Matthews. Her address, and phone number are listed in the membership directory, or she can be reached at karen@pwdcc.org.