09/30/2026
Congratulations to the Collie Club of America for this well-deserved award!
The Collie Club of America is honored to announce that we have been selected as a recipient of the 2026 AKC Eddy Award, a national recognition program established by the American Kennel Club in 2023. This award celebrates Parent Clubs that demonstrate exceptional commitment to breed education—through workshops, mentoring, digital resources, and innovative programs that exceed traditional expectations.
The AKC Eddy Award recognizes excellence in breeder education based on:
• Clarity and depth of educational content
• Accessibility for both novice and experienced breeders
• Ease of saving, revisiting, and sharing materials
• Uniqueness and innovation of the program
• Outreach that effectively serves both members and the general public
The Collie Club of America’s submission reflected the culmination of a multi year, organization wide effort to modernize, unify, and elevate breed education for the Collie community and the public. Beginning in 2025, CCA launched a transformative branding and educational initiative centered on a single, resonant message:
“The Collie as the Best Family Dog.”
Guided by the principle one brand, one look, one voice, this initiative has shaped every aspect of our educational mission. It has allowed us to present the Collie with clarity, consistency, and professionalism across all platforms—from our redesigned website to our public outreach materials, national seminars, and specialty club programs.
We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Joan Johnson for redesign of the CCA website and for initiating the unified branding of “The Collie as the Best Family Dog” The website now serves as a comprehensive educational hub featuring articles, videos, and resources that support breeders and Collie enthusiasts worldwide and Jackie Caruso for writing the essay for the submission of the award.
The Collie Club of America is proud to be recognized for our commitment to meaningful, accessible, and forward thinking breed education, judges education and companion education. This award reflects not only the strength of our programs, but the dedication of our members, our volunteers and our committee chairs, who continue to advance the Collie as the best family dog and uphold the highest standards of our breed.
