Working Titles available to Bouviers in the USA

Working Titles Available To Bouviers in the USA

"Pre-req" means that a given title is a pre-requisite to the title under discussion, ie must be earned before the title under discussion can be attempted. The notation "pass/fail" means that the test is judged on a pass or fail basis rather than scored on some scale of points. the notation "scored" means that the test is scored on some scale of points being deducted for various faults, with scores above a certain level (and also above a certain level within each sub-test) being considered to be a "qualifying score" , also called a "leg". The notation "x / y" means that to get that title the dog must earn "x" qualifying scores under "y" different judges. "Scorebook" means that the dog must have been issued a scorebook from the relevant organization; normally that book must be presented to the judge before the test begins and all results will be inscribed into the scorebook. Some of these events are open to any dog, including those of indescribable mixture orf breeds, some are open only to purebred registered dogs , and some only to dogs of certain specified breeds or groups of breeds.
Normally all performance titles go after the dog's name except that working champion titles , those with "Ch" in the title, go in front of the dog's name.

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB (AKC)

• PRACTICAL DEPORTMENT & TEMPERMENT (open to all dogs, including mixed breeds)

C.G.C. (CANINE GOOD CITIZEN) :

semi-formal test of deportment for pet dogs performed entirely on leash testing dog;'s controlability and social deportment in various everyday type of situations ; pass/fail; 1 pass earns title


 


• OBEDIENCE TITLES (open to AKC registered and ILP dogs)

C.D. (COMPANION DOG) :

formal trial of basic obedience ; no pre-requisites; scored;3 passes under 3 different judges earns title

C.D.X. (COMPANION DOG EXCELLENT) :

formal trial of intermediate obedience ; C.D. pre-req ; scored; 3 passes /3 judges

U.D. (UTILITY DOG) :

formal trial of advanced obedience; CDX pre-req; scored; 3 /3

U.D.X. (UTILITY DOG EXCELLENT)

Recently added : after earning the UD, the dog has to qualify in both Open B and Utility B at the same trial on a certain number of occassions, I think it is on 3 occassions.

O.T.Ch. (OBEDIENCE TRIAL CHAMPION) :

UD pre-req; earned by accumulating victories in Open B,Utility B, with points awarded on the basis of the number of dogs defeated; the title goes in front of the dog's name.


 


• TRACKING TITLES (open to AKC registered and ILP dogs)

T.D. (TRACKING DOG) :

tests basic tracking; "certification" pre-req; pass/fail; 1 pass under pair of judges

T.D.X. (TRACKING DOG EXCELLENT) :

very difficult track ; TD pre-req; pass/fail; 1 pass under pair of judges.

V.S.T. (VARIABLE SURFACE TRACKING DOG) :

introduced only a few years ago : a very difficult track accross a variety of surfaces including pavement or building interior ; TD is pre-req; pass/fail; 1 pass under pair of judges.

T. Ch. (TRACKING CHAMPION) (I have to look this one up to be sure of the title)

dog has earned both the TDX and the VST ; the title goes in front of the dog's name.


 


• HERDING TITLES (open to AKC reg and ILP dogs within Herding Group plus certain other named breeds)

  note : titles are now course specific (course A, B , or C) and stock specific (-d (ducks) -s (sheep) -c (cattle)). AKC rules change frequently, so you have to have the latest rulebook.

H.T.(HERDING TESTED) :

pair of instinct tests ; no pre-req; pass/fail; 1 pass each of "Preliminary" and "Principal" test or pass "Principal" twice

P.T.(PRE-TRIAL TESTED) :

tests most elementary stage of training ; no pre-req; pass/fail; 2 passes under 2 different judges

H.S. (HERDING STARTED) :

trial of basic stage of herding; no pre-req; scored; 3 passes /3 judges (title not stock specific nor course specific)

H.I. (HERDING INTERMEDIATE) :

trial of intermediate herding; HS pre-req; scored; 3/3

H.X (HERDING EXCELLENT) :

trial of advanced herding ; HI pre-req; scored; 3/3

H.Ch. (HERDING CHAMPION) :

HX pre-req; earned by competition in Advanced class to accumulate victory points based on numbers of dogs defeated; the Herding equivalent of O.T.Ch. ; the title goes in front of the dog's name.

CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB (CKC)

• OBEDIANCE

C.D., C.D.X., U.D. :

similar to AKC's version

O.T.Ch.

= Can UD. (no further requirement)

• TRACKING

T.D., T.D.X.

similar to AKC's (judged by solo judge) ; the TDX is longer than AKC's.

• other

Schutzhund :

CKC has its own Schutzhund program; I don't know if or how it differs from the DVG and USA versions

Herding

CKC has its own herding program but I don't know anything about it

D.V.G and U.S.A. (SCHUTZHUND CLUBS)

• GENERAL (open to all dogs w/in age limits; scorebook)

A.D. (ENDURANCE TEST) :

20 km @7-8mph with two rest periods; no pre-req; pass/fail; 1 pass earns title

V.B. (older name = B.H.) (TRAFFIC SURE COMPANION) :

tests obedience with traffic distractions ; no pre-req; pass/fail; 1 pass earns title

W.H. (WATCHDOG) :

tests obediance and aggression; no pre-req ; pass/fail ; 1 pass earns title

F.H. (ADVANCED TRACKING )

trials difficult track ; Sch I or B.H. pre-req ; scored ; 1 pass earns title

F.H. II (ADVANCED TRACKING 2)

added to the program a few years ago : a somewhat more difficult FH track ; scored; 1 pass earns title.


 


• SCHUTZHUND (open to all dogs; age minimums; scorebook)

Sch I (SCHUTZHUND 1) :

three part trial of basic tracking, obedience, & protection ; no pre-req ; scored; 1 pass

Sch II (SCHUTZHUND 2) :

trial of intermediate tracking, obedience, protection ; no pre-req ; scored 1 pass

Sch III (SCHUTZHUND 3) :

trial of advanced tracking, obedience, protection; no pre-req; scored; 1 pass

AMERICAN HERDING BREEDS ASSOCIATION (A.H.B.A.)

• HERDING (HIC open to herding breeds; HTD & HRD are open to all dogs)

H.I.C. or H.C. (HERDING INSTINCT CERTIFIED) :

tests instinct to gather or drive livestock no pre-req ; pass/fail ; 2 passes / 2 judges

J.H.D. (JUNIOR HERDING DOG) :

similar to AKC's P.T. but a better course ;pass/fail; 2 passes/2 judges

H.T.D. I (HERDING TRIAL DOG 1) -d (ducks) -s (sheep) -c (cattle)

tests basic herding on a defined trial course similar to a small version of a Border Collie trial course ; no pre-req ; scored ; 2 passes/2 judges

H.T.D. II (HERDING TRIAL DOG 2) -d (ducks) -s (sheep) -c (cattle)

tests intermediate herding on a specified trial course ; HTD I pre-req; scored ; 2/2

H.T.D. III (HERDING TRIAL DOG 3) -d (ducks) -s (sheep) -c (cattle)

tests advanced herding on a specified trial course; HTD II pre-req; scored; 2/2

H.R.D. I (HERDING RANCH DOG 1) ) -s (sheep) -c (cattle) :

tests basic herding on a ranch type of course , which can vary from one setting to another but must contain certain elements or which must conform to a recognized genre such as French type of course ; no pre-req ; scored ; 2/2

H.R.D. II (HERDING RANCH DOG 2) -s (sheep) -c (cattle) :

intermediate level of a ranch course; HRD I is pre-req; scored; 2/2

H.R.D. III (HERDING RANCH DOG 3) -s (sheep) -c (cattle)

advanced level of a ranch course; HRD II is pre-req; scored; 2/2

H.T.Ch. (HERDING TRIAL CHAMPION) :

after earning either the HD III or the HRD III, the dog must earn 10 level III scores of 80% or higher, only three of these scores can be on ducks, and at least 3 different judges must be represented. The title goes in front of the dog's name.

AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD CLUB OF AMERICA (A.S.C.A.)

• HERDING (used to be open to all dogs, but now I think only to dogs with at least one parent that is of a herding breed.)

S.T.D. (STARTED TRIAL DOG) -d -s -c :

titles are stock-specific: STD-d (ducks) -s (sheep) -c (cattle) ; trials basic herding in an arena setting ; no pre-req; scored; 2 passes under 2 different judges

O.T.D. (OPEN TRIAL DOG) -d -s -c :

trials intermediate herding in an arean setting; STD on same stock is pre-req; scored ; 2 /2

A.T.D. (ADVANCED TRIAL DOG) -d -s -c :

trials advanced herding in an arena setting ; OTD on same stock pre-req; scored;2/2

W.T.Ch. (WORKING TRIAL CHAMPION)

signifies dog who has earned ATD on all 3 stocks ; the title goes in front of the dog's name.

P.A.T.D. (POST ADVANCED TRIAL DOG) -s -c :

trials an advanced course in a large field setting; ATD is pre-req; scored; 2/2

R.T.D. (RANCH TRIAL DOG) -s (sheep), -c (cattle) :

an advanced ranch course , including open field and pen work, including some stock sorting excercise; scored; 1 qualifying score earns the title.

R.D (RANCH DOG CERTIFICATION) :

dogs who actually work on a stock ranch are evaluated at work on the ranch by an accredited judge; the work must be considered to be substantial and useful to the stock opperation; one certification earns the title.

SOCIETE CENTRALE CANIN (S.C.C.) = FRENCH KENNEL CLUB

• RINGSPORT (open to registered dogs of protection breeds; scorebook)

  Note: for Ring 1, 2 , and 3, if after obtaining the 2 qulifying scores, the dog then twice in a row fails to make a qualifying score, he is demoted back to the previous level.

BREVET DE DEFENSE (=PROTECTION DIPLOMA) :

trials basic obedience and protection; no pre-req; scored; 1 pass earns

RING 1 :

trials intermediate obediance, jumping, protection ; Br.Df. pre-req ; scored; 2 passes under 2 different judges

RING 2 :

trials advanced obed, jump, protect; Ring I pre-req; scored; 2 passes/2 judges

RING 3 :

trials extremely advanced obedience, jumping, protection ; Ring II pre-req ; scored; 2/2

C.A.C.T. (CERTIFICATE OF APTITUDE TO CHAMPION- SHIP OF WORK) :

by 1st place with high score in Ring 3 trials

R.C.A.C.T. (RESERVE TO C.A.C.T.) :

by 2nd place with high score in Ring 3 trial

CHAMPION OF FRANCE IN RING :

by annual competition; entrants must qualify by high scores in Selection Trials; Championship is based on sum of Selection Trial scores plus score in the Finals.


 


• CAMPAGNE (open to registered dogs of protection breeds; scorebook)

  This is the "country" version of Ring, with all excercises performed in a natural setting with great variation on each theme and great inventiveness in that variation. I think there are the same levels of test, and there certainly is an Annual CHAMPIONSHIP competition that is hotly contested.


 


• TRACKING (no trials yet in N.A., but same scorebook as Ring):

  There are a variety of different types and difficulties of track, some of which include the dog having to identify the tracklayer amid several other persons.

BREVET DE PISTAGE (TRACKING DIPLOMA) :

a simple off-leash track.; handler remains at starting post

C.A.C.T. :

by high score on an advanced track [details unknown to me]

CHAMPION OF FRANCE IN TRACKING

annual competition


 


• HERDING (occasional trials in U.S.A.; uses same scorebook as Ring):

  Note : in France the trials have traditionally been exclusively for professional shepherds and their dogs; however recently the program has cautiously begun to admit amateur handlers as part of the effort to preserve herding ability in the native French breeds. Trials are held on sheep or on cattle.

T.A.N. TROUPEAU (TEST OF NATURAL APTITUDE ON THE FLOCK)

intended to test herding insterest plus controlability around stock in dogs of native French herding breeds owned by conformation show ("expo") people in France as part of the effort to preserve ability in those breeds; rather different from the H.I.C. practiced in the USA. (Note : a different TAN which tests aptitude for defense /protection work, testing the dog's ability to respond aggressively to a threatening person, is now included in conformation "expo" events and must be passed for a dog to get the highest rating in those breeds such as the Bouvier for which defense is considered part of the breeds purpose.)

Level 1 :

a fairly basic level with a large flock, added within the past decade, intended to encourage less experienced shepherds or those with less experienced dogs, ie for handlers and dogs not ready for the Brevet

Level 2 = BREVET DE TRAVAIL SUR TROUPEAUX (DIPLOMA OF WORK ON THE FLOCKS) :

tests a very substantial and practical level of performance over cross-country course with large flock, including passage through several obstacles, a grazing excercise, and a gathering of the flock from a distance excercise, holding the flock so the herdsman can catch a sheep .

Level 3 :

a still more difficult test with a large flock on a cross-country course including many difficult obstacles through which the flock must be manuvered, a grazing excercise and a gathering the flock from a distance excercise, holding the flock so the herdsman can catch a sheep (and sometimes also milk the sheep).

CHAMPION OF FRANCE ON FLOCKS :

annual competition on an especially difficult course ; entrants qualify based on earning scores above a given amount at the "Selective" trials, which are harder than usual Level 3 trials.