What do all those letters mean?
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You may notice that there are often letters that follow a dog’s name. These letters indicate accomplishments attained by the dog and its owner. Many dog fanciers compete in activitites to earn qualifying scores (or legs) towards earning titles. These titles are abbreviated by the letters found after the dog’s name.
These titles are far more than simply letters, they symbolize a commitment between dog and owner, a partnership and lots of time spent together training and competing.
There are several organizations that sanction events geared towards earning tiltles. There are also many different activities in which titles can be earned. The following is a list of many of the ose organizations and the meaning of the titles they award.
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ORGANIZATIONS:
AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB (AKC)
AMERICAN HERDING BREEDS ASSOCIATION (AHBA)
UNITED KENNEL CLUB (UKC)
NORTH AMERICAN DOG AGILITY COUNCIL (NADAC)
UNITED STATES DOG AGILITY ASSOCIATION (USDAA)
AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD CLUB OF AMERICA (ASCA)
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TITLES and their Meanings:
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HERDING TITLES:
HT: Herding Tested
PT: Pre trial Tested
HS: Herding Started
HI: Herding Intermediate
HX: Herding Advanced
TRACKING TITLES:
TD: Tracking Dog
TDX: Tracking Dog Excellent
VST: Variable Surface Tracking Dog
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OBEDIENCE TITLES:
CD: Companion Dog
CDX: Companion Dog Excellent
UD: Utility Dog
UDX: Utility Dog Excellent
AGIILITY TITLES:
NA: Novice Agility
OA: Open Agility
AX: Excellent Agility
MX: Master Agility
NAJ: Novice Agility Jumper
OAJ: Open Agility Jumper
AXJ: Excellent Agility Jumper
MXJ: Master Agility Jumper
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SOME ADDITIONAL TITLES FOUND BEFORE A DOG’S NAME:
CH: Conformation Champion
OTCH: Obedience Trial Champion
MACH: MAster Agility Champion
HC: Herding Champion
CT: Champion Tracker
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AMERICAN HERDING BREEDS ASSOCIATION
HCT: Herding Capability Tested
JHD: Junior Herding Dog
HTD-I, II, III: Herding Trial Dog
HRD-I, II, III: Herding Ranch Dog
HTCH: Herding Trial Champion (Title Before the name)
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AGILITY TITLES:
U-AGI: United Agility Dog One
U-AGII: United Agility Dog Two
U-ACH; United Agility Champion
U-ACHX: United Agility Champion Excellent
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NORTH AMERICAN DOG AGILITY COUNCIL
NAC: Novice Agility Certificate
OAC: Open Agility Certificate
EAC: Elite Agility Certificate
NJC: Novice Jumpers Certificate
OJC: Open Jumpers Certificate
EJC: Elite Jumpers Certificate
NGC: Novice Gamblers Certificate
OGC: Open Gamblers Certificate
EGC: Elite Gamblers Certificate
NATCH: NADAC Agility Champion
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UNITED STATES DOG AGILITY ASSOCIATION
AD: Agility Dog
MAD: Master Agility Dog
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AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD CLUB OF AMERICA
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AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
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UNITED KENNEL CLUB
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OBEDIENCE TITLES:
U-CD: United Companion Dog
U-CDX: United Companion Dog Excellent
U-UD: United Utility Dog
U-OCH: United Obedience Champion
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HERDING TITLES:
STD: Started Trial Dog
OTD: Open Trial Dog
ATD: Advanced Trial Dog
WTCH: Working Trial Dog Champion
ASCA also sanctions all breed obedience and agility trials. The obedience titles are the same as AKC and the agility trials are held in conjunction with NADAC trials although the titles are a little different.
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