If you've ever watched a dog show and wondered at the letters and initials attached to the dogs' names, this guide will help you understand their meaning.
Dog shows are a great way of sharing a dog’s beauty and talents with other dog lovers. The thrill of friendly competition is covered in many different types of events such as conformation, obedience, agility, field trials, ground trials, lure coursing, flyball, herding, tracking, and schutzhund. Titled dogs have accomplished certain skills to earn those initials next to their name. Working dogs as well as competitive dogs hold titles.
Dogs do not have to be purebred or registered with organizations such as AKC or breed registries to earn titles. Many competitions and titles are granted to mixed breed dogs as well, through organizations such as Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America (MBDCA) or North American Mixed Breed Registry (NAMBR).
If you’ve ever watched a dog show or read a show program and wondered at all those letters and acronyms attached to the dogs’ names, this guide will help you understand. The guide below is not complete but a part of commonly seen titles a dog can earn through various organizations.
Conformation
BOB – Best of Breed
BIS – Best in Show
Ch - Champion
Obedience
CGC – Canine Good Citizen
CD – Companion Dog
CDX – Companion Dog Excellent
OTCh – Obedience Trial Champion
Herding
PT – Pre-trial Tested
HT – Herding Tested
HS – Herding Started
HI – Herding Intermediate
HX – Herding Excellent
HCH – Herding Champion
Agility
AD – Agility Dog
VAD – Veteran Agility Dog
VAAD – Veteran Advanced Agility Dog
VMAD – Veteran Master Agility Dog
AAD – Advance Agility Dog
MAD – Master Agility Dog
ADCH – Agility Dog Champion
SM – Snooker Master
GM – Gambler Master
PM – Pairs Master
JM – Jumpers Master
NA - Novice Agility
OA – Open Agility
AX – Agility Excellent
MX – Master Agility Excellent
Field Trials
AFC – Amateur Field Champion
FC – Field Champion
CAFC – Canadian Amateur Field Champion
CFC – Canadian Field Champion
FD – Field Dog
FDJ – Field Dog Junior
FDX – Field Dog Excellent
NFC – National Field Champion
Ground Trials
JE – Junior Earthdog
ME – Master Earthdog
SE – Senior Earthdog
Coursing
JC – Junior Courser
SC – Senior Courser
FCH – Field Champion
CC – Coursing Champion
CM – Courser of Merit
NACM – National Courser of Merit
LCM – Lure Courser of Merit
LCM2 – Lure Courser of Merit Twice
Hunting
JH – Junior Hunter
SH – Senior Hunter
RD – Retrieving Dog
GSDC – Gun Dog Stake Champion
NGDC – National Gun Dog Champion
Flyball
FD – Flyball Dog
FDX – Flyball Dog Excellent
FDCH – Flyball Champion
FDM – Flyball Dog Master
FMX – Flyball Master Excellent
FMCH – Flyball Master Champion
FDGCH – Flyball Grand Champion
ONYX – Points based award named after first recipient
Schutzhund
BH – German Companion Dog
SchHI, II, and III – German levels for 3-part title obedience, tracking and protection
Working Titles
BIH – Blindenhund, Guide Dog
GRH – Grenzenhund, Border Patrol Dog
DH – Diensthund, Service Dog
DD – Draft Dog
TDD – Team Draft Dog
WC – Working Certificate
WCI – Working Certificate Intermediate
WCX – Working Dog Excellent
WRD – Water Rescue Dog
TD – Therapy Dog
TDI – Therapy Dog International
TT – Temperament Tested
Titles are a testament to the bond between that dog and owner who loved each other enough to train and persevere together in a job, sport, or activity. Titles honor the dog who earned them and remain in his record forever.
