Crown & Collar Institute™ recognizes dogs, breeding pairs, breeders, and developmental puppy programs that support responsible breeding, health awareness, education, mentorship, and long-term canine well-being. Requirements are reviewed according to the breed, the recognition category, and the documentation submitted.
Crown & Collar uses breed-specific required testing, not a one-size-fits-all testing checklist.
Why Breed-Specific Testing Matters
Responsible health testing is not identical for every breed. Some breeds have several widely recognized health testing recommendations, while other breeds may have fewer required tests. Crown & Collar Institute™ reviews each dog, breeder, and pairing according to breed-specific expectations, registry guidance, veterinary recommendations, and appropriate preservation-breeding standards.
Some breeds may require orthopedic, cardiac, eye, airway, thyroid, patella, spinal, or other health evaluations. Other breeds may only require DNA testing for individual recognition if that is the accepted breed-specific standard. For breeding pair recognition, a pairing review or compatibility assessment may also be required.
Recognition Pathways
Dog Recognition
For individual dog health recognition based on breed-specific required testing.
View Requirements →Breeder & Pairing Recognition
For breeders, breeding pairs, and responsible breeding documentation.
View Requirements →Jr. Dog / Puppy Development
For early puppy development, enrichment, confidence, and guided developmental pathways.
View Requirements →Dog Recognition
Crown Recipient Recognition™ is based on breed-specific required testing. The number and type of tests depend on the breed's recognized health considerations.
For some breeds, recognition may include several health evaluations such as orthopedic, cardiac, eye, airway, thyroid, patella, or spinal screening. For other breeds, DNA testing alone may be the accepted breed-specific standard for individual recognition.
Documentation is reviewed alongside breed-specific guidance, registry expectations, and appropriate veterinary recommendations.
Dog Recognition Levels™
Crown & Collar Dog Recognition™ honors individual dogs whose owners, breeders, or handlers provide appropriate health documentation for the dog's breed. Recognition is based on breed-specific required testing, not a one-size-fits-all checklist.
Some breeds may have multiple recommended health evaluations. Other breeds may have fewer recognized testing expectations. Crown & Collar reviews documentation according to the breed, the purpose of recognition, and the health information submitted.
Bronze Crown Recipient™
A strong start in documented health awareness.
Foundation-level Crown Recipient Recognition™.
Completion of the breed-specific required health documentation for that breed. For some breeds, this may begin with DNA testing. For other breeds, additional breed-relevant testing may be required.
Silver Crown Recipient™
One step further in responsible documentation.
Continued commitment to health documentation and responsible recognition.
Completion of Bronze-level requirements plus additional breed-relevant documentation, testing, or review when appropriate for that breed.
Gold Crown Recipient™
Documented commitment to long-term health and breed responsibility.
Advanced recognition for dogs with stronger breed-relevant health documentation.
Completion of Silver-level requirements plus additional breed-specific health testing, veterinary documentation, or program review when applicable.
Platinum Crown Recipient™
Health, responsibility, and legacy-level commitment.
Highest Crown Recipient Recognition™ level for documented health, responsibility, and breed-appropriate excellence.
Completion of Gold-level requirements plus the highest breed-appropriate documentation required for that dog's recognition category. This may include additional health testing, veterinary review, public education, service, therapy, breed preservation, or community impact documentation when applicable.
Testing requirements vary by breed. Crown & Collar Institute™ does not use one universal testing list for every breed. Each dog is reviewed according to breed-specific expectations, submitted documentation, and appropriate health standards for that breed.
Examples of Breed-Relevant Health Documentation
The items below are examples only. They are not required for every breed.
- DNA testing
- OFA or PennHIP hip evaluation
- Cardiac evaluation or echocardiogram
- Patella evaluation
- CAER eye exam
- Trachea or airway evaluation
- Thyroid testing
- Spinal evaluation
- Elbow evaluation
- Breed-specific veterinary documentation
- Other breed-relevant health testing
These examples do not apply equally to every breed. Crown & Collar Institute™ reviews each dog according to the breed-specific testing expectations and documentation appropriate for that breed.
Breeder & Pairing Recognition
Breeder and pairing recognition reviews responsible breeding practices, mentorship, education, recordkeeping, and breed- specific required testing for both dogs in a pairing.
For breeding pair or pairing awards, recognition includes breed-specific required testing for each dog plus a pairing review, pairing compatibility assessment, or appropriate pairing documentation when applicable.
Documentation may include health testing results, pedigree and lineage records, raising and placement practices, mentorship and education involvement, and a pairing review when relevant to the breed.
Breeder & Pairing Recognition Levels™
Crown & Collar Breeder & Pairing Recognition™ honors breeders and breeding pairs that demonstrate responsible documentation, breed-specific health awareness, education, mentorship, and long-term commitment to the dogs they produce.
Because responsible testing varies by breed, Crown & Collar does not use one universal health-testing checklist for every breeder or every breed. Each breeder, dog, and pairing is reviewed according to breed-specific expectations, appropriate veterinary guidance, registry or breed-club recommendations when available, and the documentation submitted.
For breeding pair recognition, Crown & Collar may require breed-specific required testing plus a pairing review, compatibility assessment, pedigree review, or other appropriate documentation when applicable.
Bronze Crown Pairing™ / Bronze Breeder Recognition™
A responsible foundation for the future.
Foundation-level recognition for responsible breeding documentation.
Completion of breed-specific required health documentation for the breed or pairing. For some breeds, this may include DNA testing and pairing documentation. For other breeds, additional breed-relevant testing may be required.
At least 1 focus area supporting the breed, breeder education, puppy families, or the public.
Silver Crown Breeder Recognition™
Raising the bar for responsibility and education.
Recognition for breeders who go beyond the minimum required documentation.
Completion of Bronze-level requirements plus additional breed-relevant health documentation, breeder education, mentorship, or public education when appropriate.
At least 2 focus areas or equivalent documented education, mentorship, or service contributions.
Gold Crown Breeder Recognition™
Leadership today. Legacy tomorrow.
Advanced recognition for breeders showing stronger commitment to health, education, and breed support.
Completion of Silver-level requirements plus additional breed-specific health testing, documentation, pairing review, mentorship, or program review when applicable.
At least 3 focus areas or equivalent documented public education, breeder support, mentorship, or community contribution.
Platinum Crown Breeder Recognition™
Platinum commitment. Lifetime impact.
Highest breeder recognition level for documented health commitment, mentorship, education, and long-term breed impact.
Completion of Gold-level requirements plus the highest breed-appropriate documentation required for that breeder's recognition category.
Documented leadership, mentorship, education, public service, breed preservation work, therapy/service advocacy, rescue/community support, or philanthropy when applicable.
Recognized Focus Areas
- Education & Public Outreach
- Mentorship & Breeder Support
- Rescue & Community Service
- Therapy & Service Dog Advocacy
- Breed Health Awareness
- Puppy Family Education
- Responsible Ownership Education
- Preservation Breeding Support
- Community Education or Public Speaking
- Youth Education or Junior Handler Support
Pairing Review May Include
- Breed-specific required testing
- DNA documentation
- Pedigree review when appropriate
- Pairing compatibility assessment
- Coefficient of inbreeding review when applicable
- Temperament and structure considerations
- Health history documentation
- Veterinary documentation
- Purpose of the pairing
- Puppy-placement and family-support plan
Crown & Collar Institute™ does not guarantee breeding outcomes, puppy health outcomes, temperament outcomes, show results, working ability, service-dog suitability, or future breeding success. Recognition means submitted documentation has been reviewed according to Crown & Collar's current breed-specific and program-specific standards.
Jr. Dog / Puppy Development
Jr. Dog and puppy development recognition honors early foundations: confidence, safe exposure, recovery, enrichment, early social skills, and age-appropriate developmental pathways.
Recognition is based on documented developmental milestones, guided enrichment activity, and age-appropriate handling rather than adult health testing, which is reserved for individual dog recognition at the appropriate life stage.
Families, breeders, and youth participants may pursue puppy development recognition as a foundation that leads into later adult dog recognition once the dog reaches the breed-appropriate age for required testing.
Questions About Crown & Collar Recognition?
For questions about dog recognition, breeder recognition, pairing recognition, documentation, or educational resources, please contact:
DogsNU@proton.me