Titles and Their Meanings

Title-Awarding Organizations

Every attempt has been made to include all titles from officially-recognized sources. AKC titles do not show a prefix, but appear "as-is" (Ch, CD, etc.). Non-AKC registries with identical titles will have a prefix assigned to the title to distinguish from the AKC title of the same name (e.g., Can. Ch. for a Canadian Champion, U-CD for a CD awarded from UKC, and so forth). Titles from non-primary registries may be added to the database when the owner sends or e-mails a copy of the official title certificate. As many of these organizations do not maintain a central registry, this is the only way I have to verify title claims for these organizations at this time.

ACC - American Chesapeake Club. Offers two titling programs, Working Certificate, and Register of Merit.

AKC - American Kennel Club. The primary registering body in the United States, and the largest registry for Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Oldest all-breed registry in the US.

CKC - Canadian Kennel Club. The primary registering body in Canada. Canadian titles are indicated by the letters Can.

HRC - Hunting Retriever Club, an affiliate of UKC. The HRC awards hunting titles to dogs who achieve qualifying scores at HRC Hunts. Titles go before a dog's name.

NAFA - North American Flyball Association. Awards titles to dogs who compete successfully in flyball tournemants throught North America.

UKC - United Kennel Club. Second oldest all-breed registry in the US. Holds all-breed conformation, obedience, agility, and dock dog trials. All UKC titles appear before the dog's name.

Title Abbreviations

**** - Part of the "star system" created by Eve Keeler in the 1970s. Four stars appear before the dog's name, and indicate the dog is a field trial producer. Dogs who produce five or more and bitches who produce four or more offspring with field trial accomplishments are given the **** designation. This is not an official title.

*** - Indicates a dog that has achieved Qualified All-Age status at licensed or member field trials. When preceded by a letter, indicates it was earned in a country other than the US. When followed by a letter, indicates the dog earned that level of accomplishment in both the US and the country listed.

** - A dog with a minor stakes field trial ribbon, but not QAA. Letter designations are as above.

AFC - Amateur Field Champion. Field trial title earned by winning an all-breed first place and a total of 15 points in Amateur or Owner-Handled Amateur stakes, or an all-breed first place and 10 points in an Open, Limited, Special, or Restricted stake, when handled by an amateur. Abbreviated AFTCh in Canada.

BIS - Dog has won Best in Show at an all-breed show.

BISS - Dog has earned Best of Breed at an ACC National Specialty Show.

Br* - Dog has at least one Sporting Group placement, but has not earned a Championship.

Br** - Dog has won a Sporting Group, but has not completed its Championship.

CD - Companion Dog. An obedience trial title awarded to dogs who pass minimum requirements for good behavior. Typical exercises include walking at heel, coming when called, allowing a stranger to examine, and remaining in a "stay" position in a lineup of strange dogs. Depending on registry and coountry, may appear before or after the name. A star after an obedience title indicates the dog has achieved at least one all-breed High in Trial award.

CDX - Companion Dog Excellent. The second level of obedience, which includes retrieving and jumping exercises, as well as sit and down stays while the handler is out of the dog's sight. Depending on registry, it may appear before or after the dog's name. A star after an obedience title indicates the dog has achieved at least one all-breed High in Trial award.

Ch - Champion of record. A competitive conformation title earned by defeating other dogs of the same breed, based on comparison to the Standard of Perfection for that breed. Appears in front of the name.

Ch* - A Champion who has also achieved one or more placements in the Sporting Group.

Ch** - A Champion who has also won at least one Sporting Group first place award.

DC - Dual Champion. Dog has earned the Fiald Champion and conformation Champion titles.

FC - Field Champion. Earned by winning an all-breed first place and a total of ten points in Open, Limited, Special, or Restricted stakes at licensed or member field trials.

FD - Flyball Dog. Title earned by dogs participating in flyball competition. Points are earned for successful runs; faster times earn more points. FD requires a total of 20 points.

FDX - Flyball Dog Excellent. Requires 100 points.

FDCh - Flyball Dog Champion. Earned when a dog has accumulated 500 points.

FDCh-S - Flyball Dog Champion-Silver, earned when a dog reaches 1,000 points.

FDCh-G - Flyball Dog Champion-Gold. Earned when a dog accumulates 2,500 points.

FM - Flyball Master. Dog reaches 5,000 points.

FMX - Flyball Master Excellent. Dog must reach 10,000 points.

FMCh - Flyball Master Champion, earned at 15,000 points.

FMCh-Onyx - Awarded after dog has reached 20, 000 points.

FDGCh - Flyball Grand Champion. Awarded after dog has reached 30,000 total points.

GrHRCh - Grand Hunting Retriever Champion - Dog must earn HRCh title, and successfully compete at Grand Hunts held periodically by HRC.

HR - Mid-Level HRC title. Dog must be steady when shot over, do doubles and simple blinds.

HRCh - Upper-Level HRC title. Dog must be able to do multiple marks and blinds in complex simulated hunting conditions.

JH - Junior Hunter. Dog has earned qualifying scores at the introductory level of hunt tests in AKC or CKC. Singles and basic line manners.

NA - Novice agility. Introductory level of AKC agility trials.

OTCh - Obedience Trial Champion - AKC -Dog has earned the Utility Dog title, and has accumulated 100 points & 3 first places in Open and Utility classes. Points are awarded by placing in the class, and are awarded on a sliding scale based on number of dogs competing. CKC - Dog has earned the Utility Dog title.

RN - Rally Novice. Introductore level of Rally Obedience trials. All exercises performed on leash at handler & Dog's own pace. Handler may talk to, praise, and encourage dog while in the ring.

RA -Rally Advanced. Second level of Rally Obedience. Dog must perform routine off lead. Handler may encourage and talk to dog.

RAE - Rally Advanced Excellent. Earned after dog has acquired the Rally Excellent title. Dog must qualify in both Advanced B and Excellent B at the same trial ten times. Additional RAE titles may be earned, and a number will be appended to the title to indicate what level the dog has achieved (For instance, RAE2 is a dog that has earned 20 double qualifying scores in Advanved B and Excellent B at the same trial).

RE - Rally Excellent. Dog has earned three qualifying scores in Rally Excellent classes. This is the highest level of Rally competition.

SH - Senior Hunter. Dog can do doubles and simple blinds (AKC), and must honor. In Canada, dog must also do a simple upland test.

ShCh - Show Champion. Designation in the UK for dogs that have not met the field requirements for their full Championship.

SHR - Started Hunting Retriever. Introductory level of HRC titles. Simple singles and basic line manners are required.

MH - Master Hunter. Dog can do multiple marks and multiple blinds in complex test settings, and must honor another dog's work. In Canada, the dog must also complete an upland hunting scenario.

UD - Utility Dog. Dog has earned this title at the highest level of obedience classes currently offered by AKC.

UDX - Dog has earned the UD title, and has qualified in both Open and Utility at the same trial ten times. Additional UDX titles may be won when the dog's toital for double qualifications reaches 20, 30, etc. The title will show as a number appended to the UDX title (UDX2, for example, has earned 20 double qualifications in Open and Utility).

VER - Dog has earned the Versatile obedience title by competing in the Versatility classes at obedience trials.

WD - Working Dog. Offered by the ACC, a basic working test of a dog's hunting instincts.

WDX - Working Dog Excellent. Dog must show both natural and trained skills, steady, deliver to hand, doubles.

WDQ - Requires more training than WDX. Dog must be able to do triples and blinds. No honor in the WDQ test.