Excellent Working
Dog Rules
Working Dog Excellent Certification Requirements
THE application for Excellent Titles is the SAME application as for “basic” titles. Please visit HERE for those applications!
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1.Purpose
1.1. The purpose of the Working Dog Excellent (WDX) program shall be to test the Alaskan
Malamutes’ working ability in as natural a situation as possible in order to ascertain his
willingness to work in difficult situations over a period of time. These accomplishments
should reflect endurance, attitude and training above and beyond that of the average
working dog.
1.2. The certification committee has the right to reject any applications that do not reflect the
spirit of the program.
1.3. Any Alaskan Malamute holding a basic title in the field for which is being applied. A dog
need not have earned a WDA certificate in order to apply for a WDX certificate.
1.4. To provide certificates for those Alaskan Malamutes proven in these pursuits.
1.5. To thus encourage the breeding of a better Alaskan Malamute.
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2.Administration
2.1. The Working Dog Excellent program (WDX) shall be a continuation of the Alaskan
Malamute Club of America’s Working Dog Certification rules and unless otherwise stated
those rules and definitions apply.
2.2. The WDX committee shall be made up of three AMCA members from three different
geographical areas. Recommendation for the chairperson of the WDX committee will be
made to the Board of Directors by the Chairperson(s) of the Working Dog Committee. The
WDX chairperson shall then appoint two committee members of his or her choice from
different geographical areas. It is recommended that all committee members have worked a
dog to the WDX level and that the committee represents all aspects of the program.
2.3. Rule changes. The WDX rules may be modified, amended, corrected, changed or
discontinued upon recommendation of the majority of the WDX committee and upon approval
of the Board. If the Board deems it necessary the change may go to the membership for a vote.
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3.Eligibility
3.1. The Alaskan Malamute shall be registered or registerable with a recognized kennel club
(AKC, CKC, etc.). An IPL or PAL registration number is also permitted.
3.2. Deceased Alaskan Malamutes meeting registration requirements and having fulfilled all
legs of certification after January 1, 1980 are eligible for Working Dog Certification. All
necessary paperwork must be completed and submitted for review to the Working Dog
Committee.
3.3. Any Alaskan Malamute holding a basic title in the field for which is being applied.
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4. Fields of Certification
4.1. Dogs may earn certification in the following fields:
1.1. Working Weight Pull Dog Excellent (WWPDX)
1.2. Working Pack Dog Excellent (WPDX)
1.3. Working Team Dog Excellent (WTDX)
1.4. Working Lead Dog Excellent (WLDX)
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Certification Requirements
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5. General Rules
5.1. Competitive events must be open events. Open events are those that are not restricted to
certain breeds or clubs and are sufficiently advertised so that the public has the opportunity
to participate. Exceptions to this will be events sponsored in conjunction with an AMCA or
AKC event and therefore limited to a given breed(s) or dog(s).
5.2. Witnesses
5.2.1. Witnesses for competitive events or club-organized excursions shall be an event official
or organizer.
5.2.2. Witnesses for non-competitive sledding and pack excursions shall be impartial, which
excludes family members, residents of the same household such as the applicant, the
dogs’ breeder and the like.
5.3. Documentation – Documentation for back country packing and sledding trips may be
difficult to obtain in some situations, but the applicant must provide sufficient evidence that
the trip has taken place as stated.
5.3.1. Maps such as USGS topographic maps or Forest Service maps with the route
designated on it must be included with the application.
5.3.2. Other documentation must include the signature(s) of an impartial witness(es)
encountered on the trail and a statement verifying that the applicant was at the stated
location on a given date. A GPS printout may be submitted as documentation if an
impartial witness is not available.
5.3.3. Verifiable photographs of the applicants’ team or pack dog at a specified location (for
example at a trail sign) and a detailed narrative about the trip must be included.
5.4. Variations – Anyone planning a trip or race that they are not sure will qualify under the
WDX rules should check with the committee at least four weeks prior to the event.
Checking with the committee in advance of a leg/title does not constitute pre-approval nor a
guarantee the committee will approve the application.
5.5. Sportsmanship – Common courtesy and good sportsmanship shall prevail during all
events and trips. Any applicant who is abusive to his dogs or other people shall not be
eligible for a WDX award for his dogs. Dogs must present a good example of the breed,
being manageable non-aggressive workers and not posing a threat to other dogs or people.
5.6. Application – Mileage/pulls used toward one title may not be applied toward another.
5.7. Lapping – During the course of a day, a trail or a section of a trail is not to be passed over
more than 3 times in that day, unless the applicant does not wish to include those miles in
the total.
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6. Working Weight Pull Dog Excellent
6.1. All dogs pulling must have attained one full year of age.
6.2. All dogs must be weighed at each event. A dog must be pulling in the weight class
appropriate to for the individual dog. All weights are rounded down to the nearest whole
number. They may not move down or up a weight class. In the case of a multiple day event,
dogs need not be re-weighed each day unless they are within 2 lbs. of the class limit.
6.3. Dogs must qualify in 5 competitions by:
6.3.1. Pulling 14 times his body weight on snow with a sled.
6.3.2. Pulling 16 times his weight on any other natural surface with a wheeled cart.
6.3.3. Pulling the following weights by weight class, on a man-made surface:
6.3.1. 60# and Under Class – 23 times the dog’s weight
6.3.2. 61-80# Class – 23 times the dog’s weight
6.3.3. 81-100# Class – 21 times the dog’s weight
6.3.4. 101-120# Class – 19 times the dog’s weight
6.3.5. 121# and Over Class – 19 times the dog’s weight
6.4. ISDRA, AMCA, IWPA or other previously approved rules shall be used.
6.5. In addition to requirements 1, 2 or 3, the dog must place in the top 1/3 percentile of his
weight class in each event. In the event the top 1/3 comes out as a fraction, that dog will
qualify.
6.6. If, at a competition, over 75% of the total number of dogs entered in the entire competition
(encompassing all classes except Novice) pull the required weight, that pull will be
disallowed.
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7. Working Pack Dog Excellent
7.1. The dog’s weight and the weight of his pack must be verified before by an impartial
witness or trip official prior to the start of the trip. The dog shall carry an initial load of at
least 30% of his body weight. The weight carried shall not decrease except by normal
consumption of items such as food or water. At no time should the pack weight be less than
10% of the dog’s weight.
7.2. Pack trips shall be back country trips on wilderness or primitive trails with the dogs
carrying equipment necessary for the trip. Back country is a remote area, inaccessible and
unsuited to vehicular traffic at the time of the trip, where support and aid is not generally
available.
7.3. Camp outs will be necessary due to the distance requirements. Camp-outs will take place in
the back country in undeveloped areas, not at trail heads, roadside campgrounds and the
like. Suitable locations for pack trips are National Forests, Parks, hiking and undeveloped
natural terrain.
7.4. A total of 120 miles shall be completed in 1 to 3 trips.
7.4.1. Each trip shall be a minimum of 40 miles with an average of 10 miles per day on
traveling days. Day trips from a base camp must adhere to the 30% starting weight
requirements unless the applicant does not wish to include those miles in the trip total.
7.4.2. Applicants must include evidence of pack weight or day trips from a base camp be it
via a photo of the pack weighed with a hand scale or a log of what was replaced in the
pack.
7.4.3. The 30% starting pack weight requirement does not apply to the last day when camp is
broken and there is a return to the trail head.
7.5. Because some trips will take place in mountainous terrain, each 1,000 feet of elevation gain
may be substituted for a mile of the total mileage requirement. Elevation gain will be
figured as the difference between the highest and lowest points of the trip each day.
7.6. Photographic evidence and the signature of an impartial witness on the form must be sent
to the Committee verifying proof of distances and dog competing or a GPS printout with
sufficient photographic evidence.
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8. Working Team Dog Excellent
8.1. Race rules shall be ISDRA, other nationally recognized rules, or rules previously approved
or agreed upon by the WD title committees.
8.2. Dogs may run on any size team and need not run on the same team for each event. The
team does not have to be an all Malamute team.
8.3. Sledding may be Alaskan style or Nordic style (single file team pulling a pulk). The vehicle
may be snow sled or 3- or 4-wheeled vehicle, e.g., a traditional training rig, ATVs without
motor assistance
8.4. Because some trips will take place in mountainous terrain, each 1,000 feet of elevation gain
may be substituted for a mile of the total mileage requirement. Elevation gain will be
figured as the difference between the highest and lowest points of the trip each day.
8.5. Total mileage for all applicants shall be 180 miles.
8.5.1. Races must be a minimum of 60 continuous miles. Races need not be completed so
long as the minimum 60 miles per race are met.
8.5.2. Alternatively, races may consist of two or more heats of at least 40 miles each where
the applicant has completed at least two consecutive heats.
8.5.3. Back country excursion trips shall be a minimum of 60 miles. They shall take place in
remote areas inaccessible at that time of year to motor vehicles except snow machines.
The team must travel as a self-sufficient unit hauling supplies necessary for the trip.
Examples of suitable places are National Forests, Parks or other areas where trails and
roads are not maintained for winter use by vehicles except snow machines.
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9. Working Lead Dog Excellent
9.1. THE DOG MUST RUN SINGLE LEAD on a team consisting of 3 dogs minimum.
9.2. The Lead Dog Excellent requirements are identical to those for the Working Team Dog
Excellent with the dog running lead for at least half of those requirements.
9.3. The Dog does not have to lead the same team each time to qualify.
9.4. The Dog must run on the LEADING team for approximately 50% of the time, if several
teams are traveling together.
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