Working Dog Certificate Program

Administered by the American Chesapeake Club through the Regional Directors Program

The primary objective in the establishment of this program is to encourage the development and use of those natural working and retrieving abilities for which the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was originally bred. Additionally, it is hoped that the program will provide another available means to help determine future breeding stock.

Dogs must be at least six months of age and American Kennel Club (AKC) or Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) registered.

THE WORKING DOG STAKE AND CERTIFICATE

The requirements for the Working Dog Certificate are designed primarily to test a dog's natural abilities and therefore, abilities acquired through training are not emphasized. For the most part, the WD Stakes should follow the rules in the AKC "Standard Procedure for Non-Slip Retriever Field Trials" and the "Retriever Advisory Supplement". While this point certainly applies to judgment standards and trial mechanics, it is especially important in terms of serious faults, general manners, and correction of dogs under judgment. Areas in which the stakes differ should be those aspects of line manners and test characteristics described below. These are pass/fail non-competitive.

Description of Tests

Land Singles. This test consists of two consecutive singles. The first mark should be a dead bird thrown into light cover so that it is invisible from the line and should fall about 50 yards out. The throw should be accompanied by a blank shot. This long mark in cover will demonstrate whether or not a dog can mark and, if he does not immediately find the bird, is willing to hunt it out. In order to obtain a dead bird for this first mark, one live bird should be shot in the area of the fall. The second single should be a live bird shot as a flyer but in a different area from the first mark. The guns should be approximately 20 yards from the line and this bird should fall in light cover. The close position of the shotguns will demonstrate whether or not the dog has a tendency to be gun shy.
Water Singles. This test consists of retrieving two ducks as consecutive singles. The first bird shall be a dead duck, thrown in the water, approximately 40 yards from the line, and accompanied by a blank shot. This duck may have a flotation device so that it will float high in the water and be easily seen from the line. The second bird shall be a live mallard shot as a flyer. The line or starting point should be moved so that the duck will in a completely different area from the first fall. The second bird should be approximately 30 yards from the line. The reason for the second single is to prove that the dog is willing to enter the water a second time and will retrieve a freshly shot duck.

Special Points:

Dogs are not required to be steady and may be held on line while birds are thrown or shot. However, a dog should not be sent until his number has been called by one of the judges.
Delivery of a bird within two paces of the handler is acceptable. Hand delivery is not required.
Decoys should not be used.

Field Trial Credit - Hunting Test Credit

Dogs who have successfully completed all series in any stake of an AKC or CKC Licensed Field Trial shall be considered as having fulfilled the requirements for a Working Dog Certificate in lieu of the tests described above.
Dogs who have received a Qualifying score in any Stake of an AKC Licensed or Member Hunting Test shall be considered as having fulfilled the requirements for a Working Dog Certificate in lieu of tests described above.

Privileges and Limitations of the Working Dog Certificate.

The receipt of a Working Dog Certificate entitles the owner to indicate his dog's achievement by including the the letters "WD" after the dog's name in documents other than those considered "official" by the AKC.

The title "Working Dog" and the so designed letters "WD" are recognized by the ACC but not necessarily by any other organization.

THE WORKING DOG EXCELLENT STAKE AND CERTIFICATE

The following are the extensions to the Working Dog Certification Program to form the Working Dog Excellent Certification Program. Except where noted, all conditions for the WD apply to the WDX.

Dogs must be at least six months old.

Description of Tests

Land Single. A dead bird thrown into medium to heavy cover so that it is invisible from the line and should fall about l00 yards out. The long mark in cover is to show that a dog can "mark", has a "good nose" and "perseverance" (willingness to hunt).
Land Doubles. This is to be a true double with no less than 45 degrees between the birds. A dead bird (memory bird) is thrown into light to medium cover, not visible from the line, and should fall about 75 yards out. The second bird should be a live bird shot as a flyer. The guns should be approximately 50 yards from the line, and this bird should fall in light to medium cover.
Water Single. A dead duck thrown into light cover so that it is invisible from the line and falls about 75 yards out. This long mark is to show that dog can "mark", has "perseverance" and is confident in the water. Decoys are to be used.
Water Double. This is to be a true double with no less than 45 degrees between the ducks. A dead duck (memory bird) should fall about 60 yards out. The second duck, shot as a flyer, should fall about 40 yards out. The birds should be in swimming water.

Special Points

Dogs are required to be steady. Dogs must show a "reasonable degree of steadiness and general obedience". Dogs should not be touched or verbally reprimanded on line.
Dogs are required to deliver to hand but not necessarily at the heel position.
All throws should be accompanied by a shotgun shot or blank shot. Water tests should not encourage bank running or breaking.
No handling will be allowed.

Field Trial Credit - Hunting Test Credit

Dogs who have successfully completed all series in any regular stake of an AKC or CKC Licensed Field Trial shall be considered as having fulfilled the requirements for a Working Dog Excellent Certificate in lieu of the tests described above.
Dogs who have received a Qualifying score in a Senior Hunter Stake or above in an AKC Licensed or Member Hunting Test shall be considered as having fulfilled the requirements for a Working Dog Excellent Certificate in lieu of the test described above.

Privileges and Limitations of the Working Dog Excellent Certificate.

The receipt of a Working Dog Excellent Certificate entitles the owners to indicate his dog's achievement by including the letters "WDX" after the dog's name in documents other than those considered "official" by the AKC.

The title "Working Dog Excellent" and the designated letters "WDX" are recognized by the ACC, but not necessarily by any other organization.

THE WORKING DOG QUALIFIED STAKE AND CERTIFICATE

The Working Dog Qualified Certification Program is designed to be an extension of the previously established Working Dog and Working Dog Excellent Programs. In addition, to testing a dog's natural abilities, additional training attributes are required. A WDQ Stake should be a fairly demanding test of those abilities expected in a competent, working retriever. Emphasis should be on testing straight forward abilities without resorting to tests containing "trick elements".

The following describes extensions to the WD/WDX Programs that form the basis of the WDQ Program. Except where noted, all previously described conditions of the WD/WDX Program apply to the WDQ Program. This description should be read and followed in conjunction with the "Working Dog Certification Program", the "Working Dog Excellent Certification Program", and the "Guidelines to Judges and Handlers."

Dogs must be at least six months old.

Description of Tests

Land Double. A dead bird (memory bird) should be thrown into medium cover and fall l00 to l30 yard out. A second bird should be a live bird, shot as a flyer, landing approximately 90 yards out in medium cover. There should be no less than 30 degrees between birds. This should not be designed as a switching test.
Land Blind. A dead bird should be placed in light to medium cover about 80 yards from the line. A minor obstacle should be incorporated into the test to encourage handling. This could be a small ditch in front of the line, a sharp single entry into cover, changes in cover, etc. This should be a down wind bird.
Combination Triple. This test is to be a triple mark consisting of two birds in water and a third one on land. The area for this test should be chosen carefully to provide reasonably open swimming water with enough adjacent land to fun a medium length land mark. The first bird down should be dead and fall on land in medium cover about 80 yards out. A second bird, a dead duck, should be thrown in partial cover in swimming water about 40 yards out. The third bird, a dead duck, should be thrown in open, swimming, or running water about 20 yards out. There should be approximately 90 degrees between the land bird and the first duck (second bird thrown). The birds may be retrieved in any order.
Water Blind. This test must contain at least some swimming water. A dead bird should be placed about 50 yards out so that it is not visible from the line. It can be in light cover. If there is not enough deep water, some running water is acceptable. In this case, the blind should be lengthened, but should never be longer than 70 yards. The line should be 5 to l0 feet back from the shoreline. While a slight angle entry into the water may be necessary, a straight entry is preferred. Sharp single entries should be avoided.

Special Points

Dogs are required to be steady. Dogs must show a "reasonable degree of steadiness and general obedience". Dogs should not be touched or verbally reprimanded on line.
Dogs are required to deliver to hand but not necessarily at the heel position.
All throws should be accompanied by a shotgun shot or blank shot. Water tests should not encourage bank running or breaking.
The blinds are expected to be handling tests, and the dogs should exhibit a reasonable willingness to stop and take casts when so commanded. An "out of control dog" who happens to stumble on the bird should not be considered to have passed he test.
While marking is of prime importance, handling on marks is permissible. However, if a handler decides to give assistance, the dog should respond readily and handle to the bird in a controlled manner.
Dogs are required to deliver to hand but not necessarily at heel position.

Field Trial Credit - Hunt Test Credit

Dogs who have successfully completed all series in either a Qualifying, Amateur, Open, or Limited All-Age Stake in the AKC or CKC Licensed Field Trial shall be considered to have fulfilled the requirements for a WDQ certificate. Application must be made to the ACC WD Program Chairman.
Dogs who have received a Qualifying Score in an AKC Licensed or Member Hunting Test in the Master Stake, shall be considered to have fulfilled the requirements for a WDQ Certificate. Application must be made to the ACC WD Program Chairman.

Privileges and Limitations of the Working Dog Qualified Certificate.

The receipt of a Working Dog Qualified Certificate entitles the owners to indicate his dog's achievement by including the letters "WDQ" after the dog's name in documents other than those considered "official" by the AKC.

The title "Working Dog Qualified" and the designated letters "WDQ" are recognized by the ACC, but not necessarily by any other organization.