German Shepherd Dog - American Kennel Club & Other Titles & Abbreviations

The American Kennel Club and other organizations grant various titles to German Shepherds. What do they mean?

MACH? SV?? Bahnpolizeidiensthund???

There are many agility training titles, abbreviations and German terms used to describe titles and certification for German Shepherd Dogs. Some are used by the American Kennel Club, and others are used by different German Shepherd Dog Clubs.

If you are trying to figure out what an acronym stands for, below is a list of commonly used initials to describe German Shepherds and their qualifications.

German Shepherd Clubs and Organizations

• AKC - American Kennel Club
• CKC - Canadian Kennel Club or Continental Kennel Club
• DHV - Deutscher Hundesport Verein (German Dog Sport Club)
• DVG - Deutscher Verband der Gebrauchshundsport Vereine e.V. (German member of DHV)
• DVG America - American DVG
• FCI - Fédération Cynologique Internationale (World Dog Club)
• GSDCA - German Shepherd Dog Club of America
• GSDCA-WDA - Working Dog Association of the GSDCA
• GSDCC - German Shepherd Dog Club of Canada
• GSSCC - German Shepherd Schutzhund Club of Canada
• KC - Kennel Club (Great Britain)
• SV - Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (German Shepherd Dog Club)
• UKC - United Kennel Club
• USA - United Schutzhund Clubs of America
• VDH - Verein für Deutsche Hundeswesen (German member of FCI)
• WUSV - World Union of Schäferhunde Vereins (World Union of GSD Clubs)

Conformation Awards

International (FCI)

• CACIB - Certificat d'Aptitude au Championat International de Beauté (European International Champion)

North American

• AOE - Award of Excellence
• AOM - Award of Merit
• BIF - Best in Futurity
• BIM - Best in Maturity
• BIS - Best in Show
• BISS - Best in Sweepstakes or Best in Specialty Show (Canada)
• BOB - Best of Breed
• BOF - Best of Opposite Sex in Futurity
• BOG - Best of Group
• BOM - Best of Opposite Sex in Maturity
• BOS - Best of Opposite Sex (Best of Breed counterpart)
• BOW - Best of Winners
• BP - Best Puppy
• BPIS - Best Puppy in Show
• BOP - Best of Opposite Sex Puppy (Best Puppy counterpart)
• CH - Champion
• FV - Futurity Victor
• FVX - Futurity Victrix
• Group I, II, III, IV - Herding Group ranking
• GV - Grand Victor
• GVX - Grand Victrix
• MV - Maturity Victor
• MVX - Maturity Victrix
• ROM - Register of Merit (GSDCA)
• ROMC - Register of Merit (GSDCC)
• RWB - Reserve Winners Bitch
• RWD - Reserve Winners Dog
• SEL - Select (considered for BOB)
• WB - Winners Bitch
• WD - Winners Dog

SV - Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde

• A - Ausreichend (sufficient rating)
• G - Gut (good rating)
• KKLI - Körklasse 1 (recommended for breeding)
• KKLII - Körklasse 2 (suitable for breeding)
• Körung (breed survey)
• Lbz - Lebenzeit (lifetime breed survey)
• M - Mangelhaft (faulty rating)
• SG - Sehr Gut (very good rating)
• Sieger - GrandVictor at National Sieger show (VA-1)
• Siegerin - Grand Victrix at national Sieger show (VA-1)
• U - Ungenugend (insufficient rating)
• V - Vorzüglich (excellent rating)
• VA - Vorzüglich-Auslese (excellent rating given only at Sieger show)
• VH - (sufficient rating)

Agility Training Titles

Agility Association of Canada

• AADC/SAADC/VAADC - Advanced / Special Advanced / Veteran Advanced Agility Dog of Canada
• ADC/SADC/VADC - Agility / Special Agility / Veteran Agility Dog of Canada
• ATChC/SATChC/VATChC - Agility / Special Agility / Veteran Agility Trial Champion of Canada
• MADC/SMADC/VMADC - Master / Special Master / Veteran Master Agility Dog of Canada
• MGDC/SMGDC/VMGDC - Masters / Special Masters / Veteran Masters Gamblers Dog of Canada
• MJDC/SMJDC/VMJDC - Masters / Special Masters / Veteran Masters Jumpers Dog of Canada
• MSDC/SMSDC/VMSDC - Masters / Special Masters / Veteran Masters Snooker Dog of Canada
• MTRDC/SMTRDC/VMTRDC - Masters / Special Masters / Veteran Masters Team Relay Dog of Canada

American Kennel Club

• AX - Agility Excellent
• AXJ - Excellent jumpers with Weaves
• MACH - Master Agility Champion
• MX - Master Agility Excellent
• MXJ - Master Excellent jumpers with Weaves
• NA - Novice Agility
• NAJ - Novice Jumpers with Weave
• OA - open Agility
• OAJ - Open Jumper with Weaves

United Kennel Club

• U-ACH - Agility Champion
• U-ACHX - Agility Champion Excellent
• U-Ag I-II - Agility Level 1-2

United States Dog Agility Association

• AAD/AVAD - Advanced / Veteran Advanced Agility Dog
• AD/VAD - Agility / Veteran Agility Dog
• ADCH - Agility Dog Champion
• APD - Advanced Performance Dog
• GM/VG - Gambler Master / Veteran Gambler Master
• JM/VJ - Jumpers Master / Veteran Jumpers Master
• MAD/MVAD - Master / Veteran Master Agility Dog
• PD I-III - Performance Dog 1-3
• PG - Performance Gambler
• PJ - Performance Jumper
• PS - Performance Snooker
• RM - Relay Master
• SM/VS - Snooker Master / Veteran Snooker
• VPD - Veteran Performance Dog

Herding Titles

Many clubs, including the American Kennel Club, recognize the following title:

• HIC - Herding Instinct Certified

Other Certifications are as follows:

Australian Shepherd Club of America

*These titles are specific to types of stock (c-cattle, d-ducks, s-sheep)

• ATD* - Advanced Trial Dog
• OTD* - Open Trial Dog
• PATD* - Post Advanced Trial Dog
• RTD* - Ranch Trial Dog
• RD - Ranch Dog
• STD* - Started Trial Dog
• WTCh - Working Trial Championship

American Herding Breed Association

• HCT - Herding Capability Tested
• HTD I-III* - Herding Trial Dog 1-3
• HRD I-III* - Herding Rach Dog
• HTCh - Herding Trial Champion
• JHD - Junior Herding Dog

American Kennel Club

**These titles are course specific (A, B or C)

• HC/HCH - Herding Champion
• HI* ** - Herding Intermediate
• HIT - High in Trial
• HS* ** - Herding Started
• HT* - Herding Tested
• HX* ** - Herding Excellent
• PT* - Pre Trial Tested
• RHIT - Reserve High in Trial

Canadian Kennel Club

• HA - Herding Advanced
• HI - Herding Intermediate
• HS - Herding Started
• HT - Herding Tested

SV - Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde

• HGH - Herdengebrauchshund (Herding Utility Dog)
• Hutesieger - Champion Herding Dog

Obedience Titles

American Kennel Club

• CD - Companion Dog
• CDX - Companion Dog Excellent
• HC - High Combined (Open B and utility B)
• HIT - High in Trial
• NOC - National Obedience Champion
• OTCh - Obedience Trial Champion
• RHIT - Reserve High in Trial
• UD - Utility DOg
• UDX - Utility Dog Excellent
• UDT/UDTD - Utility Dog Tracker (TD UD)
• UDTX/UDTDX - Utility Dog Tracker Excellent (TDX UD)
• UDXTD - Utility Dog Excellent Tracking Dog ((TD UDX)
• UDXTDX - Utility Dog Excellent Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX UDX)
• UDVST - Utility Dog Variable SUrface Tracking (UD VST)
• UDXVST - Utility Dog Excellent Variable SUrface Tracking (UDX VST)

United Kennel Club

• U-CD Companion Dog
• U-CDX - Companion Dog Excellence
• U-UD - Utility Dog
• U-OCH - Obediene Champion

SV - Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde

• AD - Ausdauerpruefung (Endurance)
• BIH - Blindenhund (Seeing Eye Dog)
• BPA - Bundessiegerprüfung (German National Working Show)
• BpDH I-II - Bahnpolizeidiensthund (Railroad Police Service Dog)
• Bundesleistungssieger (German National Working Dog Champion)
• Bundeszuchtsiefer (German National All Breed Show Confirmation Winner)
• DH - Diensthund (Service Dog)
• DPH - Dienstpolizeihund (Service Police Dog)
• GrH - Grenzenhund (Border Patrol Dog)
• IPO I-III Internationale Prüfungs-Ordnung Levels 1-3 (International Schutzhund Titles)
• Junghundsieger (Sieger Show Young Class Winner)
• KNPV - Ring work
• Landessieger (Regional SchH III Winner)
• LawH - Lawinen Hund (Avalanche Rescue Dog)
• PFP I-II - Polizeifahrtenhund (Police Tracking Dog)
• PH - Polizeihund (Police Dog)
• PSP I-II Polizeischutzhundprüfung (Police Protection Dog)
• SchHA - Schutzhundprüfung A (Novice Schutzhund - Obedience & Protection)
• Sch I-III - Schutzhundprüfung 1-3 (Novice to Master)
• WH - (Schutzhund Title - Protection)
• ZH I-II - Zollhund (Customs Dog)

Temperament Certifications

• CGC - Canine Good Citizen (AKC)
• TDI - Therapy Dog International Certificaton
• BH - German Companion Dog (SV)
• TC - Temperament Certificate (GSDCA)
• TT - Temperament Tested (American Temperament Test Society)

Tracking Titles

American Kennel Club

• CT - Champion Tracker (TD TDX VST)
• TD - Tracking Dog
• TDX - Tracking Dog Excellent
• UDT/UDTD - Utility Dog Tracker (TD UD)
• UDTX/UDTDX - Utility Dog Tracker Excelent (TDX UD)
• UDXTD - Utility Dog Excellent Tracking Dog (UDX TD)
• UDXTDX - Utility Dog Excellent Tracking Dog Excellent (UDX TDX)
• UDVST - Utility Dog Variable Surface Tracking (UD VST)
• UDXVST - Utility Dog Excellent Variable Surface Tracking (UDX VST)

Canadian Kennel Club

• CT - Champion Tracker (TD TDX VST)
• TD - Tracking Dog
• TDX - Tracking Dog Excellent
• UDT - Utility Dog Tracker (TD UD)
• UDTX - Utility Dog Tracker Excelent (TDX UD)

SV - Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde

• FH I - Fahrtenhund Level 1
• FH II - Fahrtenhund Level 2
• FH III - Fahrtenhund Level 3

Versatile Companion Dog

American Kennel Club

• VCD1 - Versatile Companion Dog 1 (CD NA NAJ TD)
• VCD2 - (CDX OA OAJ TDX)
• VCD3 - (AX AJX TDX UD)
• VCD4 - (MX MXJ UDX VST)
• VCCH - Versatile Companion Champion (CT OTCH MACH)

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