Breeder Partnership
A breeder may partner with a qualified Brain First™ behaviorist or other approved Brain First™ professional who supports the breeder’s dogs, puppies, families, and developmental program.
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.
FOUNDATION
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.
BRAIN FIRST™ QUALIFICATION
Brain First™ Qualification
Brain First™ is a professional philosophy and designation system — not an award or honorary title. Learn what Brain First™ is.
Crown & Collar Institute™ recognizes that lifelong canine success depends on more than genetics, health testing, or responsible breeding. A dog’s development, environment, behavior, and family education must also be considered.
For Silver Recognition and higher, the Brain First™ qualification may be fulfilled in any of the following ways:
Individual Dog Qualification
A person applying for recognition for an individual dog or a proposed Crown Pairing™ may work directly with a qualified Brain First™ behaviorist or approved Brain First™ professional, even when the breeder is not participating in the Brain First™ program.
Qualified Applicant
A breeder, dog owner, handler, trainer, or behaviorist who personally holds the required Brain First™ qualification may fulfill the requirement directly, without forming a separate partnership.
The qualification belongs to the recognition pathway being evaluated. It does not require every breeder connected to a dog’s pedigree to participate.
This allows Crown & Collar recognition to work fairly for:
- recognized breeders and breeding programs
- individual dogs
- proposed breeding pairs
- dog owners and handlers
- dogs from breeders who are not Crown & Collar or Brain First participants
CATEGORIES
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 →CATEGORY · 01
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.
LEVELS
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
Bronze Crown Recipient™
A strong start in documented health awareness.
PURPOSE
Foundation-level Crown Recipient Recognition™.
REQUIREMENT
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
Silver Crown Recipient™
One step further in responsible documentation.
PURPOSE
Continued commitment to health documentation and responsible recognition.
REQUIREMENT
Completion of Bronze-level requirements plus additional breed-relevant documentation, testing, or review when appropriate for that breed.
GOLD
Gold Crown Recipient™
Documented commitment to long-term health and breed responsibility.
PURPOSE
Advanced recognition for dogs with stronger breed-relevant health documentation.
REQUIREMENT
Completion of Silver-level requirements plus additional breed-specific health testing, veterinary documentation, or program review when applicable.
PLATINUM
Platinum Crown Recipient™
Health, responsibility, and legacy-level commitment.
PURPOSE
Highest Crown Recipient Recognition™ level for documented health, responsibility, and breed-appropriate excellence.
REQUIREMENT
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.
REFERENCE
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.
CATEGORY · 02
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.
LEVELS
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
Bronze Crown Pairing™ / Bronze Breeder Recognition™
A responsible foundation for the future.
PURPOSE
Foundation-level recognition for responsible breeding documentation.
REQUIREMENT
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.
ADDITIONAL EXPECTATION
At least 1 focus area supporting the breed, breeder education, puppy families, or the public.
SILVER
Silver Crown Breeder Recognition™
Raising the bar for responsibility and education.
PURPOSE
Recognition for breeders who go beyond the minimum required documentation.
REQUIREMENT
Completion of Bronze-level requirements plus additional breed-relevant health documentation, breeder education, mentorship, or public education when appropriate.
ADDITIONAL EXPECTATION
At least 2 focus areas or equivalent documented education, mentorship, or service contributions.
GOLD
Gold Crown Breeder Recognition™
Leadership today. Legacy tomorrow.
PURPOSE
Advanced recognition for breeders showing stronger commitment to health, education, and breed support.
REQUIREMENT
Completion of Silver-level requirements plus additional breed-specific health testing, documentation, pairing review, mentorship, or program review when applicable.
ADDITIONAL EXPECTATION
At least 3 focus areas or equivalent documented public education, breeder support, mentorship, or community contribution.
PLATINUM
Platinum Crown Breeder Recognition™
Platinum commitment. Lifetime impact.
PURPOSE
Highest breeder recognition level for documented health commitment, mentorship, education, and long-term breed impact.
REQUIREMENT
Completion of Gold-level requirements plus the highest breed-appropriate documentation required for that breeder's recognition category.
ADDITIONAL EXPECTATION
Documented leadership, mentorship, education, public service, breed preservation work, therapy/service advocacy, rescue/community support, or philanthropy when applicable.
FOCUS AREAS
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
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.
CATEGORY · 03
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.
CONTACT
Questions About Crown & Collar Recognition?
For questions about dog recognition, breeder recognition, pairing recognition, documentation, or educational resources, please contact:
Hello@DogsNU.org