Conformation/Breed

AKC - American Kennel Club.

Angulation - Angles formed where the bones of a dog meet at the joints.

Bait - Some sort of treat or goodie that is used to keep a dog's attention on the person showing him. Most often used are liver, meatroll slices, hot dogs and small dog biscuits.

Baiting - Using liver or some treat to get the dog's attention and have him look alert

Bite - The relative position of the upper and lower teeth as seen when the mouth of the dog is closed.

Breeder - Any person who breeds dogs. Also, as defined by the AKC, the breeder of a dog is the owner of the dam of the dog when the dam was bred.

Exhibitor - The person who brings their dog to a show and enters it in the appropriate class.

Fancier - One who is especially interested and usually active in some phase of the sport of pure-bred dogs.

Gait - The way a dog moves - indicating structure and condition of a dog.

Groom - To brush, comb, trim or otherwise make a dog's coat neat and proper as stated in the written Standard of the breed.

Handler - A person or agent of the owner who takes a dog into the show ring or works the dog at a field trial or other performance event for the owner. There are many professional handlers who show dogs at shows.

Junior Showmanship - Classes where the judge awards placements based upon the ability of the handler of the dog. The handlers are between the ages of ten and eighteen years of age.

Match - A relaxed, informal show at which no championship points are awarded but the dogs get the practice of real ring and show conditions.

Parent Club - the national club for the breed (for Australian Cattle Dog it is ACDCA; Australian Cattle Dog Club of America) that represents it to the AKC. Listing of parent clubs may be found on the AKC web page.

Points - Credits earned towards championship status.

Stacking - The process of posing the dog's legs and body to create a pleasing profile.

Winners - An award given at dog shows to the best dog (Winners Dog) and best bitch (Winners Bitch) competing in the regular classes of each breed.

Titles Dogs Can Receive

 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

 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

 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)

 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.)

 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

 AKC herding titles

HCH  Herding Champion (prefix)

HI  - Herding Intermediate

HS  - Herding Started

HT  - Herding Tested

HX  - Herding Excellent

PT  - Pre-trial Tested

 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.

 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.

 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)

 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.

 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)

 Coursing titles - AKC

JC - Junior Courser (suffix)

SC - Senior Courser (suffix)

F.Ch. - Field Champion (prefix)

Coursing titles - NAOFA (North American Open Field Association)

CC - Coursing Champion

CM - Courser of Merit

 Coursing titles - NACA (North American Coursing Association)

NACC

NACA Coursing Champion

NACM - NACA Courser of Merit

 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.

 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)

 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)

 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

 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