When is a Samoyed not a Samoyed, even though he looks like one? Many Sammy owners would say its when he is not able to do any of the myriad tasks for which he was bred. Our Sams, being of ancient lineage, were originally required to be all-around, versatile helpers and companions. They pulled sleds, herded reindeer, carried their packs as they followed the migrations of the reindeer and their nomadic human partners, and hunted polar bears and seals. Their tasks shaped the breed. Their ability to do this work is a major definer of the true Sam.

Many years ago, a group of SCA members became concerned about a couple of trends. They were worried that many of the Samoyed working abilities were becoming lost in the quest for the perfect show dog. In addition, the patriarch of the breed club, Bob Ward, pointed out that while the SCA had, at the time, about 1000 members, many times that number of people had purchased his and Dolly Ward’s book about the Samoyed. Why weren’t all these other people, who loved Samoyeds enough to spend the money necessary for a hardback book, becoming part of the SCA community? The answer seemed to be that the club at the time was primarily caught up in conformation showing. We needed to provide some avenues of participation for those Samoyed owners who had other interests. That was the year that the SCA Board of Governors voted to create the Working Samoyed Certification Program.

Working Samoyed Program:

• Glossary
• Working Titles
• Rules and Forms