Dog Writers Association of America
by Lynn P. Goswick

The Dog Writers Association of America was created on February 13, 1935, at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. A group of editors and publishers were invited to the Westminster Kennel Club’s meeting room of the old Madison Square Garden on Eighth Avenue and Fiftieth Street. All that survives the first meeting is a crumbling, yellow sheet of note paper, “DUES PAID AT FIRST MEETING,” listing the names of eight people. These early meeting minutes set dues and decided that an annual meeting would be held in New York City every year immediately before the Westminster Kennel Club show. DWAA has grown to a thriving membership of over 500 from those eight founding members. From its beginning, the DWAA’s objective has been to se cure courtesies and amenities at dog shows so that dog writers can do their jobs properly. Press facilities with laptop computers, tables, show results, catalogs, and judging programs are now the established rule for dog shows nationwide. The best-known feature of the DWAA is the annual writing contest, which encourages excellence in writing about dogs in all aspects of communication. The competition is open to all writers, photographers, editors, and publishers —with no distinction between amateurs and professionals. DWAA’s premier award for excellence is the Maxwell Medallion. It is known as the Maxwell in honor of Maxwell Riddle, a distinguished past president of DWAA and founding chair of the DWAA Writing Competition. A feature writer and reporter at the Cleveland Press for 35 years, Maxwell Riddle was considered by his contemporaries to be one of the world’s foremost authorities on dogs. His Cleveland Press dog column was nationally syndicated and ran for 30 years. His column in Dog World ran for 50 years. He also served as Dog World’s Associate Editor during his tenure with the publication. The annual awards program has traditionally been held the day before the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show to present the awards to the writing competition winners. The results are published around the world.

I submitted entries in the 2024 contest and was notified that we were finalists in several categories: • Web Site of the Year • AKC Publication Excellence • Writing/Poetry – Shepherd Sunset • Graphics/Photo Series – Calling All Juniors

Winners are announced at the awards banquet, so in 2024, I decided to travel to New York to the Awards ceremony at the New Yorker, hoping we would be a winner! I am very proud to have won the Maxwell Medallion for Writing/ Poetry, Shepherd Sunset. In addition, I had the fabulous experience of attending and covering the Westminster dog show as Review Editor and photographer, Breed Ring and then Herding Group at Madison Square Garden. I was literally on the floor shooting photos and covering the event with the pros!!! A Once in a lifetime experience!

I submitted entries in the 2025 contest and once again was notified that we were finalist in the Club Publication category (Special topic) our Rom issue of the GSD Review!

How exciting to receive the email that we were finalists two years running!

I was notified that our GSD Review ROM issue had WON the Maxwell Medallion for the Written Word, Club Publication Special Topic Category! What a great thing to announce to our Board & members! I attribute our great success and honor as finalists to our Fabulous GSDCA Team! Having our website, magazine, and articles acknowledged by the top industry professionals is quite an honor and a lifetime experience as a Journalist.

I thank all of our GSDCA members for your encouragement, ideas, and support!

Let’s get another Maxwell Medallion in 2026!