Titles, Qualifications, and Procedures

(Fall 2000 Version)

The purpose of the BTCA working/hunting certificate program is to identify Border Terriers that demonstrate instinctive working–terrier abilities and behavior (in traditional or non–traditional settings) in order to protect and preserve such qualities.

WORKING CERTIFICATE

The purpose of the Working Certificate (WC) is to demonstrate that the Border Terrier has the conformation, instincts, and courage to successfully work dangerous quarry in a traditional, natural setting underground.

• To earn a WC, a Border Terrier must enter the natural burrow of a formidable underground quarry (e.g. adult fox, otter, badger, raccoon, woodchuck or a specially approved species) without encouragement.
• It is acceptable to remove stones, roots or debris from the entrance only so the dog can gain access. The dog must then disappear far enough down the burrow to be out of sight.
• To qualify, the terrier must bolt or draw the quarry or bay steadily for three minutes. There must be no doubt that the terrier is right up to his quarry during marking.
• After qualifying, he may be assisted by another dog. The hunters do not need to kill the quarry, but it should be exposed and positively identified.
• Only one dog may be written up for each individual quarry animal–earth combination, and only one dog should be entered into an earth at a time.
  If two dogs are in the tunnel, neither can earn a WC.
• One witnessed example of acceptable work will be considered adequate to issue the WC.

Application Process

Qualifications & Procedures

Application – PDF Format
Application – Word Format

FIELD GAME CERTIFICATE

The purpose of the Field Game Certificate (FGC) is to demonstrate that the Border Terrier has the instincts and courage to confront and attack dangerous earth–dwelling quarry in a nontraditional situation. This certificate includes dogs who may not be small enough to work underground, who do not have the opportunity to work underground, or who perform the function which is often called “draw dog” or “seizer dog”.

• A Border Terrier which faces formidable quarry with courage and success is eligible for a FGC. To earn a FGC, the Border Terrier must hunt alone or in a pack (with earth-working dogs or hounds and face adult raccoon, fox, otter, badger, or woodchuck (or other specially approved species) in a situation other than that which would qualify for a WC. For example (but not limited to), quarry in a tree trunk, quarry in an artificial situation–under a barn floor, among hay bales, or quarry after having been dug to in a natural den.
• The dog must fearlessly face the quarry in a confined space, hold it steady for capture or dispatch, bolt it (away from, not past, the dog), or take hold and draw it or hold it for diggers. The dog should never give ground to the quarry.
• Once this dog has proven that he has controlled the situation, then another dog may be used for assistance during the final draw or dispatch. If two dogs are used, there must be no accidental or intentional biting of the partner by the applicant dog. He must not nip or bite a person.
• Only one dog may be written up for each individual quarry animal which is worked. The applicant dog must prove his value prior to another dog assisting, and the applicant must perform the qualifying behavior on at least four different (witnessed) occasions.

FIELD SPORTING CERTIFICATE

The purpose of the FSC is to demonstrate that the Border Terrier has the versatility and instinct to successfully adapt to locating, catching, retrieving, or, if appropriate, dispatching, nontraditional quarry for food, fur, vermin control, or scientific study in an above ground setting

• Border Terriers are remarkably versatile sporting and hunting terriers. A Border Terrier may qualify for the FSC if he is used regularly for hunting above ground game or vermin.
• The quarry must be purposefully sought and the object should be to take the game for food or fur, to kill or capture vermin, or to collect for scientific study. Examples are flushing and retrieving upland birds, retrieving waterfowl, locating and capturing armadillos, treeing/spotting squirrels for shooting, and locating and killing rats, but many other kinds of hunting might qualify.
• The dog must demonstrate that it can locate the game/quarry for the hunter and make it possible for the hunter to successfully take the game. The dog should be able to kill the quarry itself when appropriate (rats, for example).
• On lead activities will not qualify.
• This hunting should be pursued regularly over at least one year or one full hunting season for controlled game animals.
• Unstructured or random chasing of wildlife without purpose will not be considered qualifying.

SELECTION OF THE BTCA REVIEW COMMITTEE:

The BTCA committee members shall have extensive experience hunting and working with Border Terriers. This experience will be used to evaluate the narratives for credibility and actual productiveness of the applicant dog. The members shall have earned more than two certificates on their own dogs. At the outset of the program, AWTA Hunting and Working Certificates will be meet this requirement, but after the first year, only BTCA Certificates shall qualify. Any qualified BTCA member is eligible for consideration, but appointments will be at the discretion of the BTCA Board of Directors. A secretary for the Review Committee will be appointed by the Committee and may not be a member of the Committee while serving as secretary.
Changes to the Working Certificate program/policies shall be proposed by both the Committee and Committee Secretary and submitted to the BTCA Board of Directors for approval.

GRANDFATHERING OF PAST WORKERS

If a complete application for a certificate can be produced for a Border Terrier (active, retired, or dead) then the committee will review it as a current application. However, all criteria remain the same for all applications.

BTCA Membership: The owner and handler of dogs receiving these certificates are required to be BTCA members. Witnesses are not required to be BTCA members, and may be related to the owner or handler. At most, one certificate of each kind can be awarded for a single dog.