American Working Dog Federation 2002

Preserving and protecting our working dogs' heritage in America is a goal that unites all member clubs of AWDF. When a small group of working dog enthusiasts met in 1989, we understood the need to make the public aware of the services our working breeds provide mankind. A lot has happened in the past 12 years. We have:

• formulated a common policy

• grown in membership

• established rules and regulations that meet international standards

• developed a website

• developed a judges program

• developed a registry

• are in the final stages of approving an all-breed record book (scorebook)

• host an annual "Battle of the Breeds" National Schutzhund Championship, (51 entries in 2001)

• developed international relationships

• enjoy a guest membership status in FCI

• participated in FCI working dog meetings

• send AWDF teams to compete internationally in various working dog events

as well as many other beneficial and progressive activities.

The tragic events of September 11th brought heightened public awareness to the value and services that are provided by our working breeds. Trained working dogs are in high demand all over the world and are serving mankind with great honor and success in many lands. At home we recently witnessed our SAR dogs at work as rescuers and generally there is a much greater demand for personal protectors and guard dogs as tighter security demands come into effect. In an often unpredictable world, today more than ever, there is a need for a trained, effective utility dog. There is little to debate regarding our service dogs' ability to meet these demands—whether in the military, police departments, search and rescue, guide and personal service
dogs, drug detection dogs and other fields of endeavor. What is needed, however, is a cohensive organization to provide a unified front to represent their best interests to the public at large.

If the AWDF of the future is going to meet the challenges as a parent organization, it's ability to do so will depend on the dedication, hands-on support, and active involvement of its member clubs. Zealous sponsors of AWDF goals are urgently needed to preserve as well as promote the interest of all
working dogs. To achieve a common goal, several questions must be addressed.

First, as a parent organization, policies important to AWDF must be outlined. How will AWDF continue to increase public awareness, attract new working breed members and sustain momentum toward reaching our goals? What future plans and what strategies are there available to us, to achieve these
future plans? Second; Do our priorities lie primarily as a sporting dog club (Schutzhund, IPO, Mondioring, etc.), or as a pure breed organization? Third; How do we secure the protection of our dogs' "working heritage" when we look around us and see the very right to own a working breed is being challenged? With enormous changes and upheavals occurring throughout the canine world, there is no place for complacency. We could continue but I'm sure you understand the needs.

This past year we had productive discussions with the AKC regarding our relationship with FCI. Improving our relationship with FCI, supported by the AKC, will create the opportunity for breeders to formally evaluate working stock through performance events regulated by FCI. As we know, the AKC provides no such evaluation. Thus the need for an agreeable working relationship.

In the near future, I will be explaining to the AKC the relevance of bite work and why it is an important tool for breeders' ability to preserve the working heritage of their dogs. We all know some things just can't be evaluated in the conformation ring; but it takes a cohesive and resolute organization to authoritatively articulate this fact to the AKC, as well as the general public. Providing proper education, functional testing venues and evaluation platforms, AWDF will be effective internally in preserving our dogs' utility and thus their service potential to man into the future.

In the past, working dog people would go out and train, believing someone else was taking care of the business that supports their hobby. Consequently, there has never been enough support given to educational programs. The true value of the various activities available has seldom been understood or fully
appreciated, nor effectively communicated—either to the working fraternity themselves or to an extended audience in general. AWDF seeks to rectify these omissions by incorporating and nurturing ALL aspects of our dogs' ability to reach their potential; whether it be Schutzhund, IPO, ringsport, agility,
conformation, obedience, search and rescue, flyball, etc. AWDF member clubs are busy developing programs that represent a broad section of dog events suitable to their individual needs as well as their working heritage. We should all support these valuable events if we expect respect of others.

If we decide we are only interested in narrow aspects of our breeds' history, such as limiting participation to Schutzhund or IPO, we also limit our breeds' ability to reach their full potential and will compromise our own ability to advance ourselves as canine contenders to be taken seriously internationally. A functional dog is also a well structured dog. "Good" dogs
not only work well, but should look like the superior athletes they are. Form must match function if we are to achieve a superior working animal—sound in both mind and body.

Educational activities need zealous sponsors that are dedicated and have a genuine interest. If you have a special interest and want to see that it continues to develop, then each and everyone of you must vigorously pursue the advancement of that goal by all ways and means.

Most of our working dog activities do not attract the number of dedicated, serious breeders and competitors required to preserve and protect the heritage of our breeds. Members need to solicit and welcome novices into their local groups and develop their resources to assure the future of the breed. Trainers and training directors must understand the need to bring along the newbies and spend the time it requires to build solid foundations that will last. The absence of a cohesive effort to develop new talent to its potential is a major problem around the country. Extremely high training fees and club dues drive away many of the new or uncommitted people. AWDF strongly
suggests that all member clubs pay serious attention to this problem and deal with it accordingly to the benefit of the greater perspective of things.

Educating our breeders and trainers is also very important for the future. This coming year we have several educational events planned throughout the country that will offer great learning experiences at reasonable costs for its members. Public demonstrations and events of our working dogs' abilities
at a community or county level, should be enthusiastically encouraged. The public needs to see our dogs in a variety of roles that demonstrate their service in the best interest of mankind. This type of display will lead to public support of working dogs by influencing the opinions of politicians through the education of the general public. Taking an interest in lobbying political opinions is not someone elses problem or responsibility—it's everyone's problem and responsibility! We must all work together to combat the hysteria that surrounds anti-dog laws and to deflect the situation that now exists in Europe where the right to even own certain breeds is forbidden.

AWDF is currently in the process of developing an interactive relationship with the US Military and several law enforcement agencies. It is our intention to present AWDF as a reliable souce of quality, healthy, trained dogs to these organizations, and focus on the ways and means of furthering the education of the trainers in our member clubs through seminars and workshops. It is in all members' best interest to be educated and pro-active
in their support of AWDF's efforts to promote and preserve a future for our working breeds. Don't wait to be asked! Ask what you can do to help AWDF protect our dogs! A few cannot do it all alone. We welcome and appreciate the time and help each and every member invests in the achievement of AWDF's goals. Working together, we have strength in numbers; striving in unison to build a strong and secure future for our working breeds and sport clubs.

Respectfully,

Ray Carlisle
AWDF President

By Janet Wolff

Search and Rescue

Canine Search and Rescue (SAR) in the United States is largely performed by trained volunteers. These dedicated teams contribute countless hours to mastering navigation, communications, scent theory, crime scene preservation, hazardous materials awareness, search techniques, rescue operations, and incident command before ever beginning work with a dog.

SAR encompasses four main disciplines, with a few regional specialties such as avalanche and live water rescue.

1. Live Find Area Search

Often what people picture when they hear “search and rescue,” live find dogs locate lost individuals such as children, hikers, and hunters.

• Work off lead and independently.

• Cover terrains from small fields to hundreds of acres.

• May be scent-specific (tracking one person) or non-specific (searching for anyone).

• Use air currents and terrain features to detect human scent.

2. Human Remains Detection (HRD)

HRD dogs locate anything from recent to historical remains.

• Land: Search large, often empty areas to eliminate zones during investigations. Must show endurance, focus, and passive alerts to preserve crime scenes.

• Water: Work from shore or boats, often in pairs to triangulate where scent breaches the surface.

• Must be comfortable with crowds, equipment, noise, and varied terrain or vessels.

3. Tracking / Trailing

SAR tracking differs from sport or law enforcement tracking.

• Combines ground scent and human scent, often called “tracking/trailing.”

• Dogs are scent-specific and must stay close to the actual path.

• Valuable for locating dropped items or establishing direction of travel.

• Certification tracks are typically 4–6 hours old to reflect real-world delay before deployment.

4. Disaster Search

Covers natural and manmade disasters such as floods or building collapses.

• May be trained for live find or HRD.

• Require agility, confidence on unstable surfaces, and independence with or without handler guidance.

The Impact
SAR dogs and their volunteer handlers play a vital role in communities—locating the missing, bringing closure to families, and standing ready in times of crisis.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.