Just as humans like sports and winning championships so do Golden Retrievers. There are a variety of events dogs in which dogs can compete and if they excel, they will receive titles or certifications. In some events like Confirmation dogs compete against each other while in other events such as Rally they are expected to perform certain ‘tasks’ and are judged on how well they perform those tasks by the judges.
Anatomy of a Title
Titles consist of:
- Prefix Titles
- Suffix Titles
- Club Titles (Golden Retriever Club of America)
- Show Titles and Certificates
Here is an example of our dog Autumn’s dads official name with titles:
CH BR Gaitway Triple Threat CD RN SH WC VCX BISS
Let’s break it down:
- BR Gaitway Triple Threat – Trips official name
- CH – Champion Title
- CD – Companion Dog Title
- RN – Rally Novice Title
- SH – Senior Hunter Title
- WC – Working Certificate
- VCX – Versatility Certificate Excellent
- BISS – Best in Show Specialty (Only Golden Retrievers competing)
An impressive dog.
How Dogs Receive a Title
It varies per sport but in general dogs earn points by performing well in an event. If they earn enough points, in different events, under different judges they will be awarded a title. In some events, once they hit the highest title awarded and they keep earning points the title will contain a number after it. Titles were that is possible contain a # to signify that it can be won multiple times.
Common Golden Retriever Titles by Sport
There are 100s of titles available for dogs to win. However Golden Retrievers are not going to be competing in the ‘Coon Hound’ events. We’ll list the sports and titles most common for Golden Retrievers.
Conformation
Conformation is the top event for any purebred dog. It is judging how well your dog ‘confirms’ to the Breed Standard. To compete in a Conformation event your Golden Retriever must be AKC registered and cannot bet neutered or spayed. This is because the goal is to award dogs that can advance the breed standard.
Conformation Titles
All Hunting Titles are prefixes except where noted
CH – Champion
GCH – Grand Champion
GCHB – Bronze Grand Champion
GCHS – Silver Grand Champion
GCHG – Gold Grand Champion
GCHP# – Platinum Grand Champion
CM# – Certificate of Merit (Introductory title for puppies) (suffix)
Performance Sports
Golden Retrievers were originally bred as sporting dogs. There are three performance sports applicable to Golden Retrievers:
- Field Tests
- Hunting Tests
- Scent Tests
In the Field events the dogs are competing against each other while in the Hunting events the dogs are scored based on their individual performance.
The Scent events test a dogs ability to find hidden items with different scents.
Field Titles
All Hunting Titles are prefixes except where noted
FC – Field Champion
FCB – Field Champion: Brace
FCGD – Field Champion: Gundog
FCLP – Field Champion: Large Pack
GFC – Grand Field Champion
GAFC – Grand Amateur Field Champion
NFC – National Field Champion
NAFC – National Amateur Field Champion
NGDC – National Gundog Champion
NAGDC – National Amateur Gundog Champion
NBC – National Brace Champion
NGBC – National Gundog Brace Champion
NLPC – National Large Pack Champion
NSPC – National Small Pack Champion
NWGDC – National Walking Gundog Championship
QA2 – Qualified All-Age 2 (suffix)
Hunting Titles
All Hunting Titles are prefixes
JH – Junior Hunter
JHA – Junior Hunter Advanced
JHR – Junior Hunter Retriever
JHU – Junior Hunter Upland
JHUA – Junior Hunter Upland Advanced
MH# – Master Hunter
MHA – Master Hunter Advanced
MHR – Master Hunter Retriever
MHU – Master Hunter Upland
MHUA – Master Hunter Upland Advanced
MNH# – Master National Hunter
SH – Senior Hunter
SHA – Senior Hunter Advanced
SHR – Senior Hunter Retriever
SHU – Senior Hunter Upland
SHUA – Senior Hunter Upland Advanced
Scent Titles
All scent Titles are suffixes
Container
SCN – Scent Work Container Novice
SCNE – Scent Work Container Novice Elite
SCA – Scent Work Container Advanced
SCAE – Scent Work Container Advanced Elite
SCE – Scent Work Container Excellent
SCEE – Scent Work Container Excellent Elite
SCM – Scent Work Container Master
SCME – Scent Work Container Master Elite
Interior
SIN – Scent Work Interior Novice
SINE – Scent Work Interior Novice Elite
SIA – Scent Work Interior Advanced
SIAE – Scent Work Interior Advanced Elite
SIE – Scent Work Interior Excellent
SIEE – Scent Work Interior Excellent Elite
SIM – Scent Work Interior Master
SIME – Scent Work Interior Master Elite
Exterior
SEN – Scent Work Exterior Novice
SENE – Scent Work Exterior Novice Elite
SEA – Scent Work Exterior Advanced
SEAE – Scent Work Exterior Advanced Elite
SEE – Scent Work Exterior Excellent
SEEE – Scent Work Exterior Excellent Elite
SEM – Scent Work Exterior Master
SEME – Scent Work Exterior Master Elite
Buried
SBN – Scent Work Buried Novice
SBNE – Scent Work Buried Novice Elite
SBA – Scent Work Buried Advanced
SBAE – Scent Work Buried Advanced Elite
SBE – Scent Work Buried Excellent
SBEE – Scent Work Buried Excellent Elite
SBM – Scent Work Buried Master
SBME – Scent Work Buried Master Elite
Handler Discrimination
SHDN – Scent Work Handler Discrimination Novice
SHDNE – Scent Work Handler Discrimination Novice Elite
SHDA – Scent Work Handler Discrimination Advanced
SHDAE – Scent Work Handler Discrimination Advanced Elite
SHDE – Scent Work Handler Discrimination Excellent
SHDEE – Scent Work Handler Discrimination Excellent Elite
SHDM – Scent Work Handler Discrimination Master
SHDME – Scent Work Handler Discrimination Master Elite
Detective
SWD – Scent Work Detective
Multi-Class
SWN – Scent Work Novice
SWNE – Scent Work Novice Elite
SWA – Scent Work Advanced
SWAE – Scent Work Advanced Elite
SWE – Scent Work Excellent
SWEE – Scent Work Excellent Elite
SWM – Scent Work Master
SWME – Scent Work Master Elite
Agility Regular
In agility dogs are timed running an obstacle course guided by a handler.
Agility Course Test Titles (Entry Level Introductory Test
All agility course test titles are suffixes
ACT1 – Agility Course Test 1
ACT2 – Agility Course Test 2
Agility Standard Titles
All agility standard titles are suffixes
NA – Novice Agility
OA – Open Agility
AX – Agility Excellent-per Regs
MX – Master Agility Excellent
MXB# – Master Bronze Agility
MXS# – Master Silver Agility
MXG# – Master Gold Agility
MXC# – Master Century Agility
PAD – Premier Agility Dog
PDB# – Premier Agility Dog Bronze
PDS# – Premier Agility Dog Silver
PDG# – Premier Agility Dog Gold
PDC# – Premier Agility Dog Century
Agility Jumpers with Weaves (JWW) Titles
All agility JWW titles are suffixes
NAJ – Novice Agility Jumper
OAJ – Open Agility Jumper
AXJ – Excellent Agility Jumper
MXJ – Master Agility Jumper
MJB# – Master Bronze Jumpers
MJS# – Master Silver Jumpers
MJG# – Master Gold Jumpers
MJC# – Master Century Jumpers
PJD – Premier Jumpers Dog
PJB# – Premier Jumpers Dog Bronze
PJS# – Premier Jumpers Dog Silver
PJG# – Premier Jumpers Dog Gold
PJC# – Premier Jumpers Dog Century
Agility Fifteen and Send Time (FAST) Titles
All agility FAST titles are suffixes
NF – FAST
OF – Agility FAST Open
XF – Agility FAST Excellent
MXF – Agility Master FAST Excellent
MFB# – Master Bronze Fast
MFS# – Master Silver Fast
MFG# – Master Gold Fast
MFC# – Master Century Fast
Agility Time 2 Beat (T2B) Titles
T2B# – Time 2 Beat (Suffix)
Agility Multi-Class Titles
TQX – Triple Q Excellent (Suffix)
NAC – National Agility Champion (Prefix)
MACH – Master Agility Champion (Prefix)
AGCH – Agility Grand Champion (Prefix)
Agility Preferred
Agility preferred jumps are one height lower and extra time is given
Agility Standard Preferred Titles
All agility standard titles are suffixes
NAP – Novice Agility Preferred
OAP – Open Agility Preferred
AXP – Agility Excellent-per Regs Preferred
MXP – Master Agility Excellent Preferred
MXBP# – Master Bronze Agility Preferred
MXSP# – Master Silver Agility Preferred
MXGP# – Master Gold Agility Preferred
MXCP# – Master Century Agility Preferred
PADP – Premier Agility Dog Preferred
PDBP# – Premier Agility Dog Bronze Preferred
PDSP# – Premier Agility Dog Silver Preferred
PDGP# – Premier Agility Dog Gold Preferred
PDCP# – Premier Agility Dog Century Preferred
Agility Jumpers with Weaves (JWW) Preferred Titles
All agility JWW titles are suffixes
NAJP – Novice Agility Jumper Preferred
OAJP – Open Agility Jumper Preferred
AXJP – Excellent Agility Jumper Preferred
MXJP – Master Agility Jumper Preferred
MJBP# – Master Bronze Jumpers Preferred
MJSP# – Master Silver Jumpers Preferred
MJGP# – Master Gold Jumpers Preferred
MJCP# – Master Century Jumpers Preferred
PJDP – Premier Jumpers Dog Preferred
PJBP# – Premier Jumpers Dog Bronze Preferred
PJSP# – Premier Jumpers Dog Silver Preferred
PJGP# – Premier Jumpers Dog Gold Preferred
PJCP# – Premier Jumpers Dog Century Preferred
Agility Fifteen and Send Time (FAST) Preferred Titles
All agility FAST titles are suffixes
NFP – FAST Preferred
OFP – Agility FAST Open Preferred
XFP – Agility FAST Excellent Preferred
MXFP – Agility Master FAST Excellent Preferred
MFBP# – Master Bronze Fast Preferred
MFSP# – Master Silver Fast Preferred
MFGP# – Master Gold Fast Preferred
MFCP# – Master Century Fast Preferred
Agility Time 2 Beat (T2B) Preferred Titles
All agility T2B titles are suffixes
T2BP# – Time 2 Beat Preferred
Agility Multi-Class Preferred Titles
TQXP – Triple Q Excellent (Suffix)
PAX – Preferred Agility Excellent (Suffix)
PNAC – Preferred National Agility Champion (Prefix)
PMACH – Preferred Master Agility Champion (Prefix)
Obedience
Obedience titles recognize dogs that have proven their ability to follow specified routines that display proper behavior that applies to home and public places
Obedience Standard Titles
All Obedience titles are suffixes unless noted
BN – Beginner Novice
GN – Graduate Novice
GO – Graduate Open
CD – Companion Dog
CDX – Companion Dog Excellent
UD – Utility Dog
UDX# – Utility Dog Excellent
VER – Versatility
OM# – Obedience Master
OGM – Obedience Grand Master
OTCH – Obedience Trail Champion (Prefix)
NOC – Nation Obedience Champion (Prefix)
Obedience Preferred Titles (Reduced Jump Heights)
All Obedience titles are suffixes unless noted
PCD – Preferred Companion Dog
PCDX – Preferred Companion Dog Excellent
PUD – Preferred Utility Dog
PUDX# – Preferred Utility Dog Excellent
POTCH – Preferred Obedience Trail Champion (Prefix)
Canine Good Citizen Titles
All Good Citizen titles are suffixes
CGC – Canine Good Citizen
CGCA – Canine Good Citizen Advanced / Community Canine
CGCU – Canine Good Citizen Urban
Rally
Rally is a newer sport where the dog and owner navigate a course and perform different exercises
Rally Titles
All Rally titles are suffixes unless noted
RN – Rally Novice
RI – Rally Intermediate
RA – Rally Advanced
RE – Rally Excellent
RM# – Rally Master
RAE# – Rally Advanced Excellent
RNC – Rally National Champion (Prefix)
RACH# – Rally Champion (Prefix)
Search and Rescue
Titles for FEMA certified Urban and Wilderness SAR Dogs
Search and Rescue Titles
All search and rescue titles are suffixes
SAR-W – Search and Rescue – Wilderness
SAR-U1 – Search and Rescue – Urban 1
SAR-U2 – Search and Rescue – Urban 2
SAR-U3 – Search and Rescue – Urban 3
Therapy
Registered therapy dogs can receive titles based on the number of visits
Therapy Dog Titles
All therapy titles are suffixes
THDN – Therapy Dog Novice
THD – Therapy Dog
THDA – Therapy Dog Advanced
THDX – Therapy Dog Excellent
THDD – Distinguished Therapy Dog
Multi-Sport
Recognizes dogs that have won titles in multiple sports.
Derivative (Multi-Sport) Titles
VCD# – Versatile Companion Dog (Suffix)
DC – Duel Champion (Prefix)
TC – Triple Champion (Prefix)
VCCH – Versatile Companion Dog Champion (Prefix)
Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) Titles, Awards and Designations
All are added as suffixes after AKC titles
GRCA Halls of Fame
SDHF – Show Dog Hall of Fame
FDHF – Field Dog Hall of Fame
SDHF – Show Dog Hall of Fame
OBHF – Obedience Dog Hall of Fame
ADHF – Agility Dog Hall of Fame
DDHF – Duel Dog Hall of Fame
HTHF – Hunting Test Hall of Fame
Conformation
CCA – Certificate of Conformation Assessment
Field
WC/WCX Program
WC – Working Certificate
WCX – Working Certificate Excellent
AKC Licensed Field Trials
** – Derby Placement or JAM or 3rd or 4th or JAM in Qualifying
*** – Qualified All Age Dog
Multiple Areas
VC – Versatility Certificate
VCX – Versatility Certificate Excellent
Outstanding Producers
OS – Outstanding Sire OD – Outstanding Dam
Leave a Reply