AKC Titles and Abbreviations

The American Kennel Club has many events in which titles are offered. Dogs who achieve these titles are entitled to have them listed on their pedigrees and certificates, and in event catalogues. These titles become an official part of a dog’s record with the AKC. The following list shows the abbreviations used for earned titles. Some titles are appended to the beginning of a dog's name, and others are appended after the dog's name. Note that titles earned in a foreign country, or under non-AKC rules and regulations, are not shown on an AKC pedigree. Click here to read more about the AKC and the Titles!

 Prefix:

  • Conformation
    • CH - Champion of the Breed
    • BIS - Best In Show
    • BISS - Best In Specialty Show
    • MBIS - Multiple Best In Show
  • Obedience
    • NOC - National Obedience Champion
    • OTCH - Obedience Trial Champion
    • VCCH - Versatile Companion Champion
  • Tracking
    • CT - Champion Tracker (TD,TDX and VST)
  • Agility
    • MACH - Master Agility Champion
    • MACH2, MACH3, MACH4, etc. MACH may be followed by a number designation to indicate the quantity of times the dog has met the requirements of the MACH title.
  • Field Trials
    • FC - Field Champion
    • AFC - Amateur Field Champion
    • NFC - National Field Champion
    • NAFC - National Amateur Field Champion
    • NOGDC - National Open Gun Dog Champion
    • AKC GDSC - AKC Gun Dog Stake Champion
    • AKC RGDSC - AKC Retrieving Gun Dog Stake Champion
  • Dual
    • DC - Dual Champion (CH and FC)
  • Triple
    • TC - Triple Champion ( CH, FC and OTCH)

Suffix:

  • Obedience
    • CD - Companion Dog
    • CDX - Companion Dog Excellent
    • UD - Utility Dog
    • UDX - Utility Dog Excellent
    • VCD1 - Versatile Companion Dog 1
    • VCD2 - Versatile Companion Dog 2
    • VCD3 - Versatile Companion Dog 3
    • VCD4 - Versatile Companion Dog 4
  • Tracking
    • TD - Tracking Dog
    • TDX - Tracking Dog Excellent
    • VST - Variable Surface Tracker
  • Agility
    • NA - Novice Agility
    • OA - Open Agility
    • AX - Agility Excellent
    • MX - Master Agility Excellent
    • NAJ - Novice Jumpers with Weaves
    • OAJ - Open Jumpers with Weaves
    • AXJ - Excellent Jumpers with Weaves
    • MXJ - Master Excellent Jumpers with Weaves
  • Hunting Test
    • JH - Junior Hunter
    • SH - Senior Hunter
    • MH - Master Hunter

American Chesapeake Club Titles after the Name
WD - Working Dog
WDX - Working Dog Excellent
WDQ - Working Dog Qualified

Canadian Kennel Club Titles after the Name
 WC - Working Certificate
WCI - Working Certificate Intermediate
WCX - Working Certificate Excellent

The CKC also offers the same basic obedience, hunting and show titles as AKC plus a few additional new ones.

Two New Canadian Obedience Titles (effective January 1, 2002)
Obedience Trial Champion Excellent (OTCHX). It may be earned after the dog has received its Canadian OTCH (or UD). The dog and handler must qualify in both the Open and Utility class in the same trial on 5 different occasions (think of it as one-half of a UDX in the AKC).

Master Obedience Trial Champion (MOTCH) A total of 40 points is required with a minimum of 15 points in each of Open and Utility classes and the remaining 10 points from either class. A minimum score of 190 in Open or 185 in Utility is required to earn points. The number of points is graduated from 1 for a dog receiving the minimum to 6 for a dog receiving a 200. One High in Class (the CKC's designation for first place) in either Open or Utility, but no minimum score is required. Points may be earned simultaneously with credits towards the OTCHX as soon as the dog has it OTCH, but the MOTCH will not be awarded until completion of the OTCHX title.