Musher & Working Dog Title Rules & Requirements Purpose To encourage people to work their sled dogs in the pursuits for which they were intended. To provide Working Title Certificates for those sled dogs proven in these pursuits. To thus encourage the breeding of a better sled dogs.   Scope To establish criteria for certification of the Working sled dog as for each category, (a) the Alaskan Malamute, (b) the Greenland Dog, (c) the Samoyeds, and (d) the Siberian Husky. To establish those specialties for which a sled dog may receive working certification. To establish the rules for working certification. To revise the criteria as required to improve the certification program. The criteria may be modified, amended, corrected, or otherwise changed, or the program may be discontinued upon the recommendation of the majority of the Committee upon approval of the Executive Board. The Musher & Working Dog Certification Program shall be self-supporting and thereby not be a burden. Certification charges shall be sufficient to pay for printing and mailing of certificates and any unforeseen costs.   Fields of Certification Working Team Dog Working Lead Dog Working Weight Pull Dog Working Pack Dog National Musher Titles: Junior Caniwalk Junior Canicross Junior Scooter Junior Bikejoring Adult Caniwalk Adult Canicross 1-dog Adult Canicross 2-dog Adult Scooter 1-dog Adult Scooter 2-dog Adult Bikejoring 1-dog Adult Bikejoring 2-dog Veteran Caniwalk Veteran Canicross 1-dog Veteran Canicross 2-dog Veteran Scooter 1-dog Veteran Scooter 2-dog Veteran Bikejoring 1-dog Veteran Bikejoring 2-dog Open Carts up to 4-dogs Open Carts up to 8-dogs   Eligibility The sled dog shall be purebreeds as defined by the F.C.I.   Basic Requirements All time trails or weight pull or back packing events entered shall be sanctioned events and must meet requirements. It is the responsibility of the dog owners to make sure that their dogs are sufficiently trained and conditioned that they pose no hazard to the health or welfare of themselves or other dogs participating in these events. Any team proven a hazard to other teams or mushers shall be disqualified from certification. Any musher/handler who displays poor sportsmanship or abuses his dogs shall be disqualified from certification. It is the responsibility of the dog owner to obtain and mail all the necessary documents, signatures and otherwise complete all requirements to get their dogs registered as working dogs.   Certified Dogs Any dog registered shall be privileged to use the title in any literature.   Protests Any person wish to protest the eligibility of a dog or dog team, the qualification of an event for certification purposes, or protest any violation of race rules or certification requirements, must do so immediately following the conclusion of the event. The protest may be verbal but must be followed by a written statement to the race marshal or chief judge of the event within 10 days with a copy to the certification committee. The committee shall notify the concerned parties of the protest in order that they may file a rebuttal. It shall be the responsibility of the certification committee to decide whether or not the protest is valid by a 2/3 majority vote.   Documents and Processing Any person found guilty of willingly falsifying documents in order to register a dog shall be ineligible for certification and can be banned from all sled dog sports activities for a minimum of 2 years from date of occurance. (Falsifying records may consist of a dog's name, forging documents or otherwise making false claims to register a dog). The Working Dog Awards Committee shall consist of three members, appointed by the  Executive Board. Registration application forms may be obtained by writing to the Secretary. The completed forms shall be returned to the Secretary and presented to the Executive Board for review and acceptance.   Officials Judges, or other necessary officials, may be affiliated members or other person the National Executive recognised and accepts as having necessary qualifications. Application from competitive events must be signed by an event official. Officials for approving a mushing time trails, back packing or weight pulling excursion shall be impartial persons accepted by the National Executive as having the necessary qualifications and integrity. If a club event, the witness may be a club officer or event organizer. Definitions Event Marshall is appointed by and reports to the event giving club, but has complete and full charge and responsibility for the event from the time it starts through to its completion. All other officials report directly to him and are responsible to him in all matters. He has the final word and the power to cancel or stop the race under extenuating circumstances, weather or trail conditions. Can disqualify or refuse teams at the start, at his discretion. He must be experienced, capable and a responsible expert in the sport of dog racing. He will chair the drivers meeting, officials meeting and protest committee. *Chief Judge shall report and be responsible to the race marshal. He shall be in charge of the Judges, the Dog Marker and his assistants. He shall deal directly with all drivers and will receive any protests and or complaints. He shall be in charge of starting and finish line, and remain at this position during all heats of the race. He will examine teams at the start and finish, and has power to disqualify dogs, in his opinion, that are unfit to run. (*This position may be combined with that of the Event Marshal responsibilities). Time Keeper is responsible for the recording of the time made by all participants and/or teams during the event. He may have an assistant known as a recorder. He is responsible to the event marshal. It is his responsibility to use proper and adequate chronographs for this purpose, and be completely familiar with the rules. Trail Boss shall report directly to the race marshal and is responsible for laying out, preparation of, and marking the time trail track. He should be familiar with the requirements of a trail suitable for dog teams, and do his utmost to prepare a trail that will not have dangerous corners, road crossings, etc., that can be hazardous to dogs and driver. He is responsible for patrolling the race trail during the race, and placing the trail stewards at locations as may be required. Protest Committee shall consist of Race Marshall, Chief Judge, Trail Judge, and Time Keeper to settle all disputes, complaints and protests. To levy all penalties and disqualifications. Decisions of this committee are final and irrevocable. Trail Steward is a person located at corner or intersection of trail, responsible for directing teams in corrections and reporting any incorrect occurrence to Trail Boss. Participant is a person registering to enter a event. Trainer is a person who trains sled dogs for events, back packing, or weight pulling.   Mushing Time Trail Rules and Requirements Time Trails shall be held under rules plus any amendments created by the officiating club's event rules, as long as they do not change the basic requirements of the rules. The applicant shall pay the costs of entries plus payment for certification processing.    Working Team Dog Vehicle must be a 3 or 4-wheeled rig/cart. Team have to be of the same purebred breed or the same mixed breed. Dog does not have to run on same team each time. Certification may be achieved by any one of the following three methods.   Method 1 - Mushing Time Trials: a. Dog must qualify in three different events. b. The event may be any class. c. The dog may run in any combination of three races. d. Minimum number of teams competing is three. e. Time Trials must be run under rules or the rules must have been approved by the National executive. f.  Each heat may count as a time trail as long as it fulfills the above requirements. The team must complete the event in an acceptable speed as determined by the committee. Under normal conditions this will be 14,5 KPH for Alaskan Malamutes & Samoyeds; 29 KPH for Siberian Huskies. Under conditions of extreme weather or terrain, the event Giving organisation may accept a slower average time but should be communicated well in advance of the start of the event. OR the team must complete the event in the top 30% of the competition. Required distances will be determined by the class in which the dog is running. Required minimum distances will be 1,6 Kilometers for each dog on the team with a minimum of 7 kilometers required. The freight class shall be a minimum of 8 Kilometers with a minimum of 22,5 Kg per dog added to the weight of the sled.   Working Lead Dog DOG MUST RUN SINGLE LEAD on a team consisting of 3 dogs minimum. Lead dog requirements are identical to those for working team dog. Dog does not have to lead the same team each time to qualify. Dog must run on the LEADING team if 2 or more teams are traveling together.   Weight Pull Dog A dog must qualify in 4 separate events. Dogs must be weighed before each event. On natural surfaces such as dirt the weight pulled must equal or exceed 8 times the dog's weight. On artificial surfaces such as concrete, carpet etc, the weight pulled must equal or exceed 12 times the dog's weight. SAMA rules must be used in qualifying for a weight pull certificate.   Back Pack Dog Dog must carry a daily initial weight equal to a minimum of 30% of the dog's weight. This weight shall not decrease except by normal consumption of items such as food or water. Pack trips must be on natural terrain such as hiking trails or cross country. Dog must pack a minimum of 70 Kilometers. Each trip must be a minimum of 7 kilometers per day. An impartial witness must sign the form to be sent to the National Executive verifying proof of distances and dog competing.