What is a Title?
by Sandy Mowery,writer for Front & Finish (The Dog Trainer's News)
"Not just a brag, Not just a stepping-stone to a higher title, Not just an adjunct to competitive scores".
"A Title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor that dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in the record and in the memory for about as long as anything in this world can remain. Few humans will do as well or better in that regard, and though the dog himself doesn't know or care that his achievements have been noted, a Title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count".
"A Title says your dog was intelligent, and adaptable, and good natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed".
"And a Title says that you loved your dog, that you loved to spend time with him because he was a good dog, and that you believed in him enough to give him yet another chance when he failed, and that in the end your faith was justified".
"A Title proves that your dog inspired you to have the special relationship enjoyed by so few, that in the world of disposable creatures, this dog with a Title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return. And when that dear short life is over, the Title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend, volumes of praise in one small set of initials before or after the name".
A Title is nothing less than love and respect, given and received permanently".
Have you ever wondered what the letters following a dog's name represented? This page will help make sense of all that "alphabet soup" and will become a valuable aid in understanding the success the dog (and handler) have achieved.
- All titles are suffixes to a dog's registered name if not otherwise noted.
- Acronyms listed alphabetically, except herding titles, which are in order of difficulty.
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Organizations
AAC -
Agility Association of Canada
AKC -
American Kennel Club
CKC -
Canadian Kennel Club
NADAC -
North American Dog Agility Council
UKC -
United Kennel Club (USA)
USDAA -
United States Dog Agility Association
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PEDIGREE ACRONYMS
BIS
-
Best In Show. This indicates that the dog has won the top ribbon in an AKC sponsored all-breed or multi-breed show.
BISS -
Best In Specialty Show. The dog has won the top ribbon in a specialty (single breed) show; in this case, a Rhodesian ridgeback specialty show.
CH -
AKC Champion of record. This generally means a championship in conformation showing. To earn a championship a dog must win 15 points in an AKC sponsored show. At least 6 of those points must be won in 2 shows (majors) under separate judges. The purpose of conformation showing is to determine the best breeding stock for each breed.
DC -
Dual Champion. The dog has won championships in two separate areas, usually conformation and a field event.
SA CH -
South African Champion
ROM -
Register of Merit. This is awarded to a bitch who produces at least 5 champion offspring, or to a male who produces at least 10 champion offspring.
JC -
Junior Courser. The first coursing title, indicating that the dog has successfully run the lure 2 times. A dog must have a JC before running competitively against other dogs in lure coursing.
SC -
Senior Courser
BIF -
Best In Field. The top award in lure coursing. After the winner is determined for each breed, these winners run against one another for Best In Field.
FCH -
AKC Field Champion. Like the conformation champions, the field champions must earn 15 points in competition against their own breed.
AM/CAN CH -
American/Canadian Champion. The dog has won two championships.
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Flyball Titles
FD -
Flyball Dog
FDX -
Flyball Dog Excellent
FDCh -
Flyball Dog Champion
FM -
Flyball Master
FMX -
Flyball Master Excellent
FMCh -
Flyball Master Champion
ONYX -
Award (named after first recipient) based on points
earned
FGDCh -
Flyball Grand Champion
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Agility Titles
AX -
Agility Excellent (AKC)
MX -
Master Agility Excellent (AKC)
NA -
Novice Agility (AKC)
OA -
Open Agility (AKC)
NAJ -
Novice Jumper With Weaves (AKC)
OAJ -
Open Jumper With Weaves (AKC)
AXJ -
Excellent Jumper With Weaves (AKC)
MXJ -
Master Jumper With Weaves (AKC)
U-AGI -
Agility I (UKC)
U-AGII -
Agility II (UKC)
U-ACH -
Agility Champion (UKC)
U-ACHX -
Agility Champion Excellent (UKC)
AD -
Agility Dog (USDAA)
VAD -
Veteran Agility Dog (USDAA)
VAAD -
Veteran Advanced Agility Dog (USDAA)
VMAD -
Veteran Master Agility Dog (USDAA)
VS -
Veterans Snooker
VJ -
Veterans Jumper
VG -
Veterans Gambler
VPD -
Veteran Performance Dog
AAD -
Advanced Agility Dog (USDAA)
MAD -
Master Agility Dog (USDAA)
SM -
Snooker Master (USDAA)
GM -
Gambler Master (USDAA)
PM -
Pairs Master (USDAA)
JM -
Jumpers Master (USDAA)
ADCH -
Agility Dog Champion (USDAA)
ADC -
Agility Dog of Canada (AAC)
AADC -
Advanced Agility Dog of Canada (AAC)
MADC -
Master Agility Dog of Canada (AAC)
O-, S- -
Outstanding, Superior Peformance, prefixed to any NADAC
title
NAC, NAC-V, NAC-JH -
Novice Standard, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
OAC, OAC-V, OAC-JH -
Open Standard, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
EAC, EAC-V, EAC-JH -
Elite Standard, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
NGC, NGC-V, NCG-JH -
Novice Gamblers, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
OGC, OGC-V, OCG-JH -
Open Gamblers, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
EGC, EGC-V, ECG-JH -
Elite Gamblers, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
NJC, NJC-V, NJC-JH -
Novice Jumpers, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
OJC, OJC-V, OJC-JH -
Open Jumpers, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
EJC, EJC-V, EJC-JH -
Elite Jumpers, Veterans, Junior Handler (NADAC)
NATCh -
Agility Trial Champion (NADAC)
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Obedience Titles
CD -
Companion Dog (AKC, CKC)
CDX -
Companion Dog Excellent (AKC, CKC)
CT -
Champion Tracker (a dog with a TD, TDX and VST) (AKC)
OTCh -
Obedience Trial Champion (prefix) (AKC, CKC)
TD -
Tracking Dog (AKC, CKC)
TDX -
Tracking Dog Excellent (AKC, CKC)
U-CD -
Companion Dog (prefix) (UKC)
U-CDX -
Companion Dog Excellent (prefix) (UKC)
U-UD -
Utility Dog (prefix) (UKC)
UD -
Utility Dog (AKC, CKC)
UDT -
Utility Dog title with a Tracking Dog title (AKC)
UDTX -
Utility Dog title with a Tracking Dog Excellent title
(AKC)
UDX -
Utility Dog Excellent (AKC)
UDVST -
Utility Dog title with a Variable Surface Tracking title
(AKC)
VST -
Variable Surface Tracking (AKC)
NOTE 1: The AKC OTCh is much different and more difficult to
achieve than the Canadian (CKC) OTCh. The CKC OTCh is
equivalent to getting a Canadian UD. In other words the CKC UD
= CKC OTCh.
NOTE 2: There are no combined titles for dogs with UDX and
other tracking titles.
NOTE 3: The Champion Tracker title is not a competitively
earned title and does not figure into Dual or Triple Champion
titles. (The OTCH can be the third CH in a Triple, though.)
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Schutzhund
AD -
12 1/2 mile endurance run (can move from the other
category)
B -
German equiv. of a CD and CGC test in one
SchH I, SchH II, SchH III -
comprising three phases -tracking,obedience and
protection. dog must pass all three phases to earn title
FH -
advanced tracking title (comparable to TDX)
WH -
watchdog title
KKL -
Koer'd means the dog is certified as eligible for
breeding under the German breed survey system
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AKC herding titles
HCH -
Herding Champion (prefix)
HI -
Herding Intermediate
HS -
Herding Started
HT -
Herding Tested
HX -
Herding Excellent
PT -
Pre-trial Tested
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Herding titles - AHBA (American Herding Breeds Association)
HCT -
Herding Capable Tested
* HTD1 -
Herding Trial Dog, first level
* HTD2 -
Herding Trial Dog, second level
* HTD3 -
Herding Trial Dog, third level
JHD -
Junior Herd Dog
* The official AHBA HTD title can have up to 4 suffixes: -d for
ducks; -s for sheep; -g for goats; or -c for cattle. The title
will always have at least one of these suffixes.
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Herding titles - ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America)
* ATD -
Advanced Trial Dog
* OTD -
Open Trial Dog
RD -
Ranch Dog (dog has been evaluated by a judge while doing
its routine farm tasks & certified to be a useful working
dog)
* STD -
Started Trial Dog
WTCH -
Working Trial Champion (prefix)
(dog has earned ATD on all 3 types of stock)
* Always with suffix -s, -d, -c to indicate title earned on
sheep, ducks or cattle. Titles earned separately on each type
of stock.
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Field trials - AKC, CKC
AFC -
Amateur Field Champion, (prefix)
(must be owner handled)
CFC -
Canadian Field Champion, (prefix)
CAFC -
Canadian Amateur Field Champion, (prefix)
FC -
Field champion, (prefix)
(can be professional handler, open class)
FD -
Field Dog (pointing, CKC)
FDJ -
Field Dog Junior (pointing, CKC)
FDX -
Field Dog Excellent (pointing, CKC)
NFC -
National Field Champion, (prefix)
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Go To Ground/Terrier Trials/Tests
JE -
Junior Earthdog (AKC)
ME -
Master Earthdog (AKC)
SE -
Senior Earthdog (AKC)
NOTE 1: AWTA Titles and other Terrier titles missing.
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Coursing titles - ASFA (American Sighthound Field Association)
F.Ch. -
Field Champion
LCM -
Lure Courser of Merit
LCM2 -
Lure Courser of Merit 2
(has met the requirements for LCM twice over. LCM3, LCM4,
etc. are also available)
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Coursing titles - AKC
JC -
Junior Courser (suffix)
SC -
Senior Courser (suffix)
F.Ch. -
Field Champion (prefix)
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Coursing titles - NAOFA (North American Open Field Association)
CC -
Coursing Champion
CM -
Courser of Merit
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Coursing titles - NACA (North American Coursing Association)
NACC -
NACA Coursing Champion
NACM -
NACA Courser of Merit
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Hunt Test Titles
GMHR -
Grand Master Hunting Retriever (NAHRA)
JH -
Junior Hunter (AKC)
SH -
Senior Hunter (AKC)
SR -
Started Retriever (NAHRA)
MH -
Master Hunter (AKC)
MHR -
Master Hunting Retriever (NAHRA)
WR -
Working Retriever (NAHRA)
NAHRA titles incomplete, need UKC/HRC titles too.
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Working certificates (breed clubs)
WAC -
Working Aptitude Certificate (Doberman Pincher Club of
America)
WC -
Working Certificate (various breed clubs, differs)
WCI -
Working Certificate Intermediate (various breed clubs,
differs)
WCX -
Working Certificate Excellent (various breed clubs,
differs)
WD -
Working dog (American Chesapeake Club, ACC)
WDX -
Working dog excellent (ACC)
WDQ -
working dog qualified (ACC)
WD -
Water dog (Newfoundland Club of America, NCA)
WRD -
Water rescue dog (NCA)
DD -
Draft dog (NCA)
TDD -
Team draft dog (NCA)
VN -
Versatile Newfoundland (NCA)
American Water Spaniels
SD -
Started Dog (American Water Spaniel Club -- AWSC)
WD -
Working Dog (AWSC)
WDX -
Working Dog Excellent (AWSC)
WDS -
-
Working Dog Superior
JWD -
Junior Working Dog (American Water Spaniel Field Assoc.
-- AWSFA)
SWD -
Senior Working Dog (AWSFA)
MWD -
Master Working Dog (AWSFA)
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Miscellaneous titles
CG -
Certificate of Gameness (American Working Terrier Assn)
CGC -
Canine Good Citizen Certificate
CH -
Champion (prefix)
HIC -
Herding Instinct Certified
TD -
Therapy Dog
TDI -
Therapy Dog International
TT -
Temperment Tested by ATTS (or other official
organizations)
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Breed acronyms
BC -
Border Collie
CBR -
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
CCR -
Curly-coated Retriever
FCR -
Flat-coated Retriever
GD -
Great Dane
GR -
Golden Retriever
GSD -
German Shepherd Dog
GSP -
German Shorthaired Pointer
GWP -
German Wirehaired Pointer
LR -
Labrador Retriever
OES -
Old English Sheepdog
PBGV -
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
PWC -
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
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Other Dog-Related Acronyms
ACVO -
American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
BJ -
Broad Jump or Bar Jump (context)
CERF -
Canine Eye Registry Foundation
DJ -
Directed Jumping
DOR -
Drop on Recall
F8 -
Figure Eight
HD -
Hip Displasia (sometimes CHD)
ILP -
AKC Indefinite Listing Privilege for unpapered purebreds
LP -
UKC's Listing Privilege for unpapered purebreds/mixed
breeds
OFA -
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
ROF -
Retrieve on the Flat
ROH -
Retrieve over the High Jump
ROM -
Register of Merit