Working dog source guide: United States

Separate the authorities

The American Border Collie Association, American Herding Breed Association and American Kennel Club publish resources relevant to different questions. Choose the source according to whether you are researching a Border Collie record, a particular herding programme or an AKC activity. Their names should remain attached to the records they issue.

Choose a specific activity

For an event, establish the organiser, discipline, course and applicable rulebook before comparing results or planning entry. Contact the local organiser about the actual event. A broad national directory is useful for discovery but may not establish current facilities, instruction availability or the suitability of a particular dog.

Research individual dogs

Retain dog identifiers, registered names and call names separately. Check the record holder when matching a trial dog to a pedigree or imported animal. Similar names across organisations are not enough to merge records. Store original title abbreviations with a clear explanation of the issuing system rather than replacing them with guessed Australian equivalents.

Plan travel independently

International transport and import requirements need research through the responsible government authorities and route. Keep that process separate from buying a dog or entering a trial. When building an itinerary, confirm event dates, distances and veterinary access directly. This guide identifies reliable starting points and does not claim a complete directory of every United States working-dog sector.

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• American Border Collie Association (opens in a new tab)
• American Herding Breed Association (opens in a new tab)
• American Kennel Club: Herding (opens in a new tab)

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