Because the U.S. and Canadian Titles and Meanings are so similar, we are showing the U.S. system below.

Ch-Champion of Record-earned by gaining 15 points in conformation wins. Points awarded is determined by the number of other entries the winning dog defeats. A dog must win at least two majors (by winning at two different shows under two different judges where there are enough entries defeated to equal 3-5 points by the AKC point system.

OTCh-Obedience Trial Champion
To earn an obedience title, the dog must have a passing score of 50% of possible points or better, and an overall passing score at three different competitions under three different judges.

CD-Companion Dog (First Level Obedience Competition, basic obedience exercises)
CDX-Companion Dog Excellent (Intermediate Level Obedience Competition, more advanced obedience work)
UD-Utility Dog (Advanced Level Obedience Competition, difficult obedience work, including hand signals)
UDX-The highest obedience degree AKC presently awards

TRACKING
TD-Tracking Dog
TDX-Tracking Dog Excellent
VST-Variable Surface Tracking

HERDING
HT-Herding Tested
PT-PreTrial Tested
HS-Herding Started
HI-Herding Intermediate
HX-Herding Excellent
HCh-Herding Champion

AGILITY
NA-Novice Agility
OA-Open Agility
AX-Agility Excellent
MX-Master Agility Excellent
NAJ-Novice Agility Jumper
OAJ-Open Agility Jumper
EAJ-Excellent Agility Jumper

AKC Unofficial Titles
CGC-Canine Good Citizen
GSDCA (AKC Parent Club for the German Shepherd Dog) Titles"BORDER=0> GV-Grand Victor or Grand Victrix-Best of Breed and Best Opposite Sex at the Annual GSDCA National Specialty Show
OV-Obedience Victor or Victrix
Select-Runner-ups to the Best of Breed/Best Opposite Sex at the Annual National Specialty. How many dogs are chosen to receive the Select award is up to the judge, numbers over the years have varied from 7-14, the number of dogs does not have to equal the number of bitches awarded the Select rating.

ROM-Register of Merit-A dog or bitch must earn a number of points specified by the GSDCA rules, and also meet the numbers of champion and major pointed progeny required by GSDCA. The requirements for bitches are less than the requirements for the dogs because males have the opportunity to produce a far larger number of offspring.
ROMC-Canadian ROM
ROM/C-designates that the dog has earned an American and a Canadian ROM.
TT-Temperament Tested
TC-Temperament Certified
AOE-Award of Excellence-A dog must meet qualifications in conformation, obedience, and also be OFA’d to earn this award.

New competitions are being added and rules for competitions change, for the most up to date rules and regulations, check with the AKC and the GSDCA.

Miscellaneous American titles often seen on pedigrees and in advertising.
BIS-Best in Show at an All-Breed Show in conformation.
BISS-Best in Show Specialty (where only dogs of the same breed are competing in conformation)
BOB-Best of Breed
BOS-Best Opposite Sex
BOW-Best of Winners (best between Winners Dog and Winners Bitch in breed conformation class competition)
WD-Winners Dog-the winning dog overall of the regular classes of his sex.
WB-Winners Bitch-the winning bitch overall of the regular classes of her sex.
RWD/RWB-Runner up to the winners dog and bitch, if the winner becomes ineligible for the award then the runnerup will receive the points awarded from that show.
Special-A dog that is already a Champion that is competing for Best of Breed only. A Champion cannot compete in the classes where points are earned (because a Champion has already earned them!)
RTD-Registered Therapy Dog
TDI-Dog has passed Therapy Dog International’s testing

HEALTH CERTIFICATIONS
OVC-Ontario Veterinary College
OVC Hip Certification-A dog may be preliminary screened at a younger age, but will not receive a certification unless the dog is at least 18 months old. It was told to me by a tech in the radiology dept. of OVC that they consider hips to either be bad, in which case they are rated on a scale from 0 - 4, with 4 being the worse, or they are "good" in which case the animal will receive a certification number (if 18 months or older. Therefore they do not follow the U.S. rating system which includes "FAIR", Good, Excellent". Their exact words were "the hips are either GOOD or they are NOT.
OFA-Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
OFA Hip Certifications-dogs within a specified range of normal hip xrays are certified OFA-Excellent, Good, or Fair
OFA-Elbow Certification-Certified by OFA for normal elbows on xray, only one grade recognized as normal. Check with OFA for proper procedures and positioning for hip and elbow xrays. A dog may be preliminary screened at a younger age, but will not receive a certification unless the dog is at least 24 months old.

OFA is also now doing certifications for other canine health concerns such as normal thyroid levels, check with OFA for accurate data and rules concerning these.

CERF-Canine Eye Registry Foundation-dog is certified to have normal eyes. Recertification must be done annually.

VwD-Von Willebrands Disease free-meaning the dog has been tested and found free of VwD, a bleeding disorder, VwD free ratings also are often given with a percentage listed. For the best information on Von Willebrand’s Disease, contact Dr Jean Dodds, who is the leading research specialist in blood disorders.

Hemophilia free, meaning that a dog has been tested and is free of Hemophilia A if it is a male, or is NOT a carrier if it is a female, is sometimes seen (not nearly as often as it should be) in advertising or on pedigrees, meaning the dog does not have Hemophilia A. This problem is exclusively in the lines descending from daughters of Canto vd Wienerau (although spontaneous mutation is always a possibility-as it was with Canto himself). Great Britain has been much more aggressive in testing and eliminating this problem in the breed than any other country.