Why Title A Dog?
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 the dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in record and in memory for as long as anything in this world can remain. Few humans will do as well or better in that regard.
And though the dog itself doesn’t know or care that its 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 it because it was a good dog, that you believed in it enough to give it yet another chance when it failed, and that, in the end, your faith was justified.
A title proves that your dog inspired you to that special relationship enjoyed by so few; that in a 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 pride in one small set of initials after the name.
A title earned is nothing less than love and respect, given and received, and permanently recorded.
-Sandra Mowery
Below is a list of some of the most common titles you and
your canine companion can work to earn…
Conformation:
BOB – Best of Breed
BIS – Best In Show
BISS – Best In Specialty Show
BOW – Best of Winners
CH – Champion
RWB – Reserve Winners Bitch
RWD – Reserve Winners Dog
WB – Winners Bitch
WD – Winners Dog
Obedience:
CD – Companion Dog
CDX – Companion Dog Excellent
OTCH – Obedience Trial Champion
TD – Tracking Dog
TDX – Tracking Dog Excellent
UD – Utility dog
UDX – Utility Dog Excellent and is earned by obtaining 10 legs. For a UDX, a leg is comprised of qualifying scores in both Open B and Utility B at the same trial. A dog which has its UD *and* tracking titles has them combined as UDT or UDTX (depending upon which tracking title it has).
Herding: (c, d, or s designation after a title = Cattle, Ducks or Sheep)
ATD – Advanced Dog
OFTD – Open Farm Trial Dog
OTD – Open Trial Dog
PATD – Post Advanced Trial Dog
RD – Ranch Dog. Ranch dog who demonstrate an ability to be of great assistance to their owner
RDX – Ranch Dog excellent
STD – Started Trial Dog
WTCH – Working Trial Champion. Dog has earned an ATD in all classes of stock, ducks, sheep and cattle
Agility: (NADAC is similar, but N, O, E go in front of AC and tack on a V for Veteran or JH for Juniors)
E – Elite
GI – Gamblers/International
GJ – Gamblers/Junior
GS – Gamblers/Standard
GV – Gamblers/Veteran
JI – Jumpers/International
JJ – Jumpers/Junior
JS – Jumpers/standard
JV – Jumpers/Veteran
N – Novice
NATCH – NADAC’s Agility Trial Champion
O – Open
RI – Regular/International
RJ – Regular/Junior Handler
RS – Regular/Standard
RV – Regular/Veteran
Special Recognition:
AOM – Award of Merit
PCH – Performance Champion
SPCH – Supreme Performance Champion
SVCH – Supreme Versatility Champion
VCH – Versatility Champion
AKC (American Kennel Club): (website)
AFC – Amateur Field Champion
AX – Agility Excellent
AXJ – Excellent Jumpers With Weaves
CD – Companion Dog
CDX – Companion Dog Excellent
CGC – Canine Good Citizen
CH – Champion (conformation)
CT – Champion Tracker (TD, TDX & VST)
DC – Dual Champion (CH & FC)
FC – Field Champion
HC – Herding Champion
HI – Herding Intermediate
HS – Herding Started
HT – Herding Tested
HX – Herding Excellent
JC – Junior Courser
JE – Junior Earthdog
JH – Junior Hunter
MACH – Master Agility Champion
MC – Master Courser
ME – Master Earthdog
MH – Master Hunter
MX – Master Agility Excellent
MXJ – Master Excellent Jumpers With Weaves
NA – Novice Agility
NAFC – National Amateur Field Champion
NAJ – Novice Jumpers With Weaves
NFC – National Field Champion
NOC – National Obedience Champion
Schutzhund Titles:
BH – Schutzhund Traffic-Sure Companion Dog (obed & temp/traffic test).
SchHA – SchutzhundA, SchH level 1 obed & protection only no tracking
WH – Schutzhund Watchdog (obedience & guarding)