PAM -- PERFORMANCE AWARD OF MERIT. AWARDED BY GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG CLUB OF AMERICA. DOG IS REQUIRED TO BE TITLED IN 3 DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE SPORTS, AND MUST HOLD THE MOST ADVANCED TITLE IN ONE OF THESE SPORTS.
------------------------
VCD1 -- VERSATILE COMPANION DOG 1. AWARDED BY AKC. DOG IS REQUIRED TO HAVE MINIMUM OF A CD, , TD, , NA (NOVICE AGILITY), AND NAJ (NOVICE JUMPERS).
---------------------------
CD -- COMPANION DOG. AWARDED BY AKC. THIS IS THE FIRST LEVEL OF OBEDIENCE IN THE AKC.
--------------------------------
TD -- TRACKING DOG. AWARDED BY THE AKC. THIS IS THE FIRST LEVEL OF TRACKING IN THE AKC. A TD TRACK IS 30 MINUTES TO 2 HOURS OLD, AND 440 TO 500 YARDS LONG WITH 3-5 TURNS.
---------------------------------
MX -- MASTER AGILITY EXCELLENT. AWARDED BY AKC. MASTERS IS ABOVE THE EXCELLENT (ADVANCED) LEVEL. AFTER THE DOG HAS EARNED ITS STANDARD EXCELLENT AGILITY TITLE (AX), THEY MAY CONTINUE TO COMPETE AND EARN THEIR MX BY QUALIFYING 10 TIMES WITH PERFECT SCORES. STANDARD AGILITY HAS THE CONTACT OBSTACLES, TABLE, ETC
-------------------------------------
AJX -- EXCELLENT JUMPERS WITH WEAVES. AWARDED BY AKC. EXCELLENT IS THE ADVANCED TITLE IN AGILITY. THE FIRST LEVEL IS NOVICE, THE SECOND LEVEL IS OPEN, AND THE THIRD LEVEL IS EXCELLENT. IN JWW (JUMPERS WITH WEAVES), THE DOG MUST BE MUCH FASTER THAN IN STANDARD AND VERY ACCURATE. TORI ACTUALLY EARNED 5 OF THE REQUIRED 10 LEGS FOR HER MXJ (THE NEXT TITLE IN AGILITY), BUT UNFORTUNATELY SHE HAD TO BE RETIRED BEFORE SHE COULD COMPLETE HER MXJ.
---------------------------------------
CGC -- CANINE GOOD CITIZEN. THIS IS NOT A "TITLE", BUT IS A "CERTIFICATE" AWARDED BY THE AKC. THE DOG MUST SHOW BASIC GOOD MANNERS, SOME OBEDIENCE TRAINING, AND GOOD TEMPERAMENT.
---------------------------------
TC -- TEMPERAMENT CERTIFICATION. THIS IS NOT A "TITLE", BUT IS A CERTIFICATE AWARDED BY THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG CLUB OF AMERICA. THE DOG MUST SHOW GUN SURENESS AND GOOD TEMPERAMENT.
---------------------------------
BH-A --BEGLEITENHUND - AGILITY. THIS IS A TITLE AWARDED BY THE GERMAN DOG CLUB. (VdH).
IT IS JUST LIKE THE SCHUTZHUND BH, BUT THERE IS NO GUN TEST. TORI EARNED THIS TITLE WHILE WE WERE LIVING IN GERMANY. TORI HAS NO PROBLEM WITH GUNS, THE ONLY REASON WE CHOSE TO DO THE BH-A INSTEAD OF THE BH IS THAT WE WERE DOING THE TEST SO SHE COULD COMPETE IN GERMAN AGILITY TRIALS, AND THE CLUB THAT WE WERE AT ONLY OFFERED THE BH-A. THE BH IS A COMBINATION OF AN OBEDIENCE TEST, TEMPERAMENT TEST AND CGC. DURING THE OBEDIENCE THE DOG MUST HEEL ON AND OFF LEASH AND DO A FIGURE 8 THROUGH A CROWD (4) OF PEOPLE. THEY ALSO MUST DO A RECALL AND FINISH, AND A LONG DOWN-STAY WHILE ANOTHER DOG IS WORKING. THE "TEMPERAMENT/CGC" PORTION OF THE TEST VARIES FROM CLUB TO CLUB. DURING THE TEST THAT TORI (AND MY GOLDEN RETRIEVER, DELI) PARTICIPATED IN, THE DOG WAS TIED AND LEFT ALONE WHILE THE HANDLER WENT OUT OF SIGHT. THE SOLITARY DOG HAD TO SHOW CONFIDENCE, TRAFFIC SURENESS, AND NO AGGRESSION TO A CAR, JOGGER, BICYCLIST, AND ANOTHER DOG PASSING BY... THEN A CROWD OF PEOPLE CLOSED IN OVER THE TOP OF THE DOG AND THE DOG HAD TO RESPOND TO A SIT AND DOWN WHILE 8- 10 PEOPLE HOVERED OVER THE DOG.
-----------------------------------
OAC -- OPEN AGILITY. AWARDED BY NADAC (NORTH AMERICAN DOG AGILITY CLUB). THIS IS THE SECOND LEVEL OF AGILITY AWARDED BY NADAC. WE DIDN'T COMPETE VERY MUCH IN NADAC (LITTLE OPPORTUNITY), BUT WE ENJOYED WHAT WE DID.
--------------------------------
OJC -- OPEN JUMPERS AGILITY. AWARDED BY NADAC. NADAC JUMPERS HAS ONLY JUMPS AND TUNNELS AND IS VERY FAST.
----------------------------------
NGC -- NOVICE GAMBLERS. AWARDED BY NADAC. GAMBLERS IS A GAME WHICH IS DIVIDED INTO 2 PARTS. IN THE FIRST PART THE DOG ACCUMULATES POINTS BY GOING OVER THE OBSTACLES IN NO SET ORDER. AT A SIGNAL, THE 2ND PART BEGINS IN WHICH THE DOG MUST PERFORM THE "GAMBLE" DOING A SHORT COURSE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHILE THE HANDLER STAYS BEHND A LINE. GAMBLERS TESTS THE DOG'S ABILITY TO WORK AWAY FROM ITS HANDLER.
----------------------------------
OFA HIPS AND ELBOWS -- ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A TITLE, I ALWAYS INCLUDE THIS AS I FEEL THAT HIPS AND ELBOWS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, AND WITHOUT GOOD HIPS AND ELBOWS TORI WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY LIMITED ON HER OTHER ACTIVITIES.
