Dogs' Titles

What do the letters before and/or after a dog's name mean?

If you see a reference to the results of canine competitions, or write-ups on individual dogs, you may have seen a series of letters before or after a dog's name, and wondered what they signify.

You may also have noticed that some dogs' names are written up differently: the usual practice is to put inverted commas around a pet-name, but not a kennel or pedigree name.

There is a bewildering array of titles on offer to dogs in dog sport competitions in different classes of Obedience, Flyball, Agility, Jumping, Tracking, Herding, Conformation (the show-ring) Rally Obedience, Retrieving, Earthdog, Dancing With Dogs, and others. 

Letters before the name indicate a championship achieved, most frequently in the show-ring, which will appear as Ch. or Aust. Ch. (you may also see N.Z.Ch.or Am.Ch.or similar, indicating titles gained overseas). There are Obedience Champions too, O.C. We also have in this Club a T.Ch. (Tracking) and at least one dog with a Dual Ch. (Championships gained in two different  disciplines, Conformation and one other) and even a Triple Champion who has gained her titles in the show-ring as well as in Obedience and Tracking.

However, the initials you will see most  often, and may already be aspiring towards yourself, are: