THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG LEAGUE OF GREAT BRITAIN
WORKING DOG BRANCH

Members of the World Union of German Shepherd Dogs

The Constitution of the Working Dog Branch

1       NAME OF THE ORGANISATION
1.1    Organisation shall be called the German Shepherd Dog League of Great Britain Working Dog Branch.

2       OBJECTS OF THE ORGANISATION
         The objects of the Organisation shall be:-
2.1    To abide by the current GSDL rules and constitution.
2.2    To promote Schutzhund Sport for German Shepherd Dogs and other Breeds under the rules as laid down by the
         SV, WUSV, VDH and FCI.
2.3    To promote and encourage activities that will enable those participating in Schutzhund Sport to be trained and to
         compete in an appropriate, correct and controlled manner
2.4    To organise and operate a scheme for training, assessing and registering Schutzhund Sport judges, trainers and
         helpers. Also to publish a list of those qualified.
2.5    To promote correct temperament and trainability of the German Shepherd and other Breeds.
2.6    To support the objectives of the agreement between the GSA and the GSDL.

3       OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
         The GSDL Working Dog Branch will consist of an Executive Committee made up of:-
3.1    A non-voting President nominated and voted for at the Annual General Meeting every three years.
3.2    A Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and five delegate each nominated and
         voted for at the Annual General Meeting.
3.3    Each Club must have a Committee consisting of at least three Officers namely a Chairperson, Secretary and
         Treasurer nominated and voted upon by its Club membership every year. Subject to the approval of the
         Executive Committee, a Club may also have as officers; a President, Vice Chairperson and/or a Club Trainer.
3.4    The Club Trainer must be a person who can satisfy the Executive Committee, that they are competent to train
         German Shepherd Dogs in at least two of the three Schutzhund Sport disciplines namely Obedience, Tracking
         and/or Protection.
3.5    Agenda items for the Executive Committee Meetings must be submitted by a Club Officer or National Officer to
         the Honorary Secretary, in writing, twenty one days before the meeting date and Minutes shall be issued
         within 21 days of the Executive Committee meeting.
3.6    Agenda items for the Annual General Meeting must be submitted to the Honorary Secretary, in writing,
         twenty-one days before the meeting dates and be duly proposed and seconded. Minutes shall be issued within
         21 days of the Annual General Meeting.
3.7    Anyone seeking election to the position(s) becoming vacant within the Executive Committee must have been a
         member of the GSDL Working Branch for an uninterrupted period of two years before being nominated in writing
         by two fully paid up members.

4       MANAGEMENT
4.1    Executive Committee meetings will be held three times a year at approximately four month intervals and the
         Agenda for these meetings must be with the Clubs for discussion at least 14 days before the date of the
         respective meeting.
4.2    The Chairperson of any Committee formed under the GSDL Working Dog Branch will have a casting vote at all
         meetings where he/she has no other right to vote.

5       DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
         Shall be to manage the Organisation's affairs at National and Club level properly and diligently. Without prejudice
         to these duties, they should be mindful of the following:-
5.1    The property of the Organisation shall be vested in the Executive Committee and property at Club level shall be
         vested in the Club Committee.
5.2    The Executive Committee may elect such of it's members as it from time to time thinks fit to constitute a
         Sub-Committee(s) or Working Party(s) to exercise such of the powers of the Executive Committee may decide.
5.3    The Executive Committee in respect of National events and the Club Committee in respect of Club events shall
         decide upon the value and nature of prizes to be offered at competitions or club events and may make
         regulations for their conduct according to any applicable SV, WUSV,VDH and FCI regulation.
5.4    The Executive Committee shall prepare and/or review at regular intervals of not more than twelve months, a list
         of persons who are official representatives of the Executive Committee, Club Committees, Sub-Committees
         and also approved Judges, Helpers and Tracklayers.
5.5    The Executive Committee will allocate an agreed sum of money to the organising Clubs of the National,
         International, and Inter-Regional events. Any shortfall/profit made by the organising club shall be borne by
         that Club.

6       ELECTIONS
6.1    The election of the Executive Committee will be made at the Annual General Meeting.
6.2    The election of the Club Committee will be a matter for the Club members to decide.

7       MEMBERSHIP
7.1    Membership will normally be approved by the Club Committee on application by the person seeking to join the
         Club by means of an appropriate form but will not be fully effective until that form is received by the Treasurer
         of the Executive Committee.
7.2    If an applicant for membership or an existing member does not reside in the UK or have ready access to a Branch
         approved by the GSDL Working Dog Branch Executive Committee, membership may still be approved by three of
         the Executive Committee.

8       VOTING
8.1    Subject to the provisions of 8.2 below, all members of the Organisation will be entitled to vote on any matter
         presented to the GSDL Working Dog Branch Annual General Meeting and all Branch Annual general Meetings, only
         after having paid their current subscription prior to the 31st January preceding that meeting.
8.2    Although the membership fee can extend the conditions of membership to nominated family members, it will only
         provide an entitlement to ONE vote on any issue being considered at National or Club Level. Therefore,
         the payment of each membership fee only provides one vote and does not extend any additional voting rights
         to other family members, whether nominated or not.
8.3    If a matter under consideration directly concerns an individual member of any Club, it must be voted upon by the
         Executive Committee by means of a secret ballot.

9       CLUBS
9.1    If six or more fully paid up members of the GSDL Working Dog Branch wish to form a Club, they must seek
         approval of the Executive Committee by applying in writing to the Honorary Secretary in order that it may be
         included on the Executive Committee Agenda for consideration. The application MUST include:

  1. Club voting will follow the Constitution or at the discretion of the Club Chairperson.
  2. The proposed name of the Club.
  3. The details of the Officers (see 3.3).
  4. The location and description of the training ground and any equipment.
  5. Give an undertaking to abide by the Constitution and Rules of the GSDL Working Dog Branch
  6. Upon approval by the Executive Committee the new Club will be subject to a six month probationary period but the Affiliation Fee must be paid immediately.

9.2    It is strongly recommended that each Club should hold at least one event / trial per annum.
9.3    On completion of the Trial, the Trial Secretary shall forward the results to the Executive Committee Secretary and
         shall also forward the results and a brief report to the National Co-ordinator or Magazine Editor.
9.4    Clubs will be free to organise training and other fund raising events whenever it so chooses, however trials must
         be approved by the National Event Coordinator and a licence to hold such events purchased.
9.5    All trials whether at Club or National level MUST be notified to the Executive Committee Secretary AND the
         National Events Coordinator. They will endeavor to prevent a clash of date / venue and also arrange for any
         formal requests from the relevant authority and an official invitation on behalf of the GSDL to the
         Judge and/ or Official Guest(s).
9.6    Each Club MUST pay an Annual Affiliation Fee to the GSDL Working Dog Branch Executive Committee Treasurer at
         the beginning of each financial year. The amount to be decided at either the Annual General Meeting or
         Executive Committee meeting. If the Affiliation Fee is not paid on time a fine shall be imposed (amount to be
         agreed by the Executive Committee).

10       REVENUE
10.1    The GSDL Working Dog Branch Membership Fee should be reviewed annually. The membership fee will become
          the property and funds of the GSDL Working Dog Branch.

11       WINDING UP
11.1    Procedure for winding up the GSDL Working Dog Branch or a Club shall be by way of a properly convened
          Special General Meeting with notice being given as per Rule 15.4.
11.2    If the Organisation or any of it's clubs cease to exist any property or profits of the Organisation or Club
          concerned shall be dealt with or disposed of as the members attending the Special General Meeting convened
          specifically for that purpose think fit.

12       ACCOUNTING
12.1    An account shall be opened in the name of the GSDL Working Dog Branch at such a bank as the Executive
          Committee Treasurer may decide and only the signatures of any two of its National or Club officers shall operate
          such accounts.
          Accounts and records shall be kept by each Treasurer and shall be made available for inspection annually or at
          every official meeting.
12.2    The Honorary Treasurer of the Executive Committee will be responsible for producing an Annual profit & Loss
          and Balance Sheet in respect of the GSDL Working Dog Branch at the Annual General Meeting.

13       DISCIPLINE
13.1    Any member who shall be suspended by the GSDL, KC, SV, WUSV, VDH, and / or FCI shall ipso facto cease to
          be a member of the Organisation.
13.2    Disciplinary measures will be as per the GSDL Disciplinary Code of Conduct.

14       JUDGES, HELPERS AND TRACKLAYERS
14.1    The GSDL Working Dog Branch will run schemes to train and approve Judges, Helpers and Tracklayers.

15       GENERAL BUSINESS
           General business shall be as follows:
15.1    The financial year of the Organisation shall be from 1st February until the following 31st January.
15.2    An Annual General Meeting will be held during the first three months of each year at such time and place as the
          Honorary Secretary and Treasurer may decide for receiving the Balance Sheets and Accounts for the preceding
          financial year and to discuss any proposed and seconded resolution or matter duly placed on the Agenda of
          which fourteen days prior notice has been given to the Honorary Secretary.
15.3    A Special General Meeting / Extraordinary General Meeting at National or Club level shall be called by the relevant
          Secretary upon receipt of a requisition signed by at least 50% of the members which sets out the purpose of
          the meeting but no business other than the matters set out in such a requisition shall be discussed at that
          meeting.
15.4    All members shall individually receive at least 28 days notice of every General Meeting unless notice of a
          General Meeting has been published in advance of that meeting in the Official Magazine.

16       INSURANCE
16.1    It will be the responsibility of the Executive Committee to ensure that the GSDL Working Dog Branch is fully and
          adequately insured for third party liability at all times.

November 2007