American Working Dog Federation

Promoting the Heritage of All the Working Breeds

The American Working Dog Federation was formed in St. Louis, MO on June 17, 1989. The AWDF was organized to develop awareness in the United States of America about the crucial need to provide a broader base to represent the working dog throughout the world and to preserve and protect the heritage of our respective breeds in America.

The common goals of the AWDF member clubs are as follows:

  1. To preserve and protect the working heritage of the individual working breeds. The fact that working character has been diluted by American breeders is seldom argued. In fact, in several of the breeds, the "type" of dogs bred in their homelands differs greatly from those that are bred in America, both physically and mentally.
     

  2. To have our working titles recorded and recognized around the world and to preserve our pedigree system. All of the member clubs either have developed or are in the process of developing a registry system that meets the international standard of acceptance.
     

  3. To become affiliated with the FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale). FCI is the world recognized organization that only acknowledges one registry per country. AWDF is an applicant member of FCI. At this time, we are participants as guest members at FCI meetings and invitational events.

AWDF Constitution and Bylaws

1. Organization.

A. Name.

  1. This federation shall be known as "The American Working Dog Federation."
     

  2. The official abbreviation of this name shall be "AWDF."

B. Location and profit status.

  1. The federation shall operate in the United States of America.
     

  2. The federation shall not be conducted or operated for the purpose of profit.

II. Ojbectives

A. The AWDF shall promote the preservation of our working dog breeds and implement working sport systems in furtherance of our objectives as put forth herein.

B. The AWDF shall provide uniform national regulation and promotion of the conduct of working sports suitable for the advancement of our purposes.

C. It shall promote and coordinate activities that assist breeders and users of working dogs such as formal sport competition, police service, search and rescue, assistance to the blind or hearing impaired, and other handicapped persons.

D. It shall implement programs for the education of its membership, the canine community, and the public at large.

E. It shall facilitate communication and cooperative action on programs of mutual interest among its members.

F. It shall act as the national advocate of our breeds by providing information to the media, the public in general, and other canine organizations.

G. It shall provide a focus for coordinated action to represent and advocate our interests to all levels of national, state, and local government.

Information provided courtesy of the American Working Dog Federation; Copyright 1999 AWDF.

For a current listing of AWDF Clubs and Officers please see there web site at: http://www.awdf.net/clubs.html