Dog Showing Terminology

For us that get confused (Like me)

Championship Show	Challenge Certificates are on offer for most breeds. These are normally large shows lasting a few days. Your dog does not have to have done any previous winning to attend these shows.
Open Show Limit Show	Generally smaller than Championship Shows and open to all. Champions can be entered. Quite often dogs and bitches of one breed are judged together. Limited to that centre club but you can join to enter Ch are not allow to enter. This is usually where beginners start in the show world.
SHOW CATEGORIES
The following abbreviations can be appended with either D(dog) or B(bitch)
MP	Minor Puppy - For dogs of six and not exceeding nine calendar months of age on the first day of the show
P	Puppy - For dogs of six and not exceeding twelve calendar months of age on the first day of the show.
J	Junior - For dogs of six and not exceeding eighteen calendar months of age on the first day of the show.
Y	Yearling - For dogs of twelve and not exceeding twenty-four calendar months of age on the first day of the Show.
B	Beginner - For owner, handler or exhibit not having won a first prize at a Championship or Open Show.
M	Maiden - For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or a First Prize at an Open or Championship Show (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted, whether restricted or not).
N	Novice - For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or three or more First Prizes at Open or Championship Shows (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy Classes excepted, whether restricted or not).
UG	Under Graduate - For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or three or more First Prizes at Championship Shows where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed (Minor Puppy, Special Minor Puppy, Puppy and Special Puppy classes excepted, whether restricted or not).
G	Graduate - For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or four or more First Prizes at Championship Shows in Graduate, Post Graduate, Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open classes, whether restricted or not where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed.
PG	Post Graduate - For dogs which have not won a Challenge Certificate or five or more First Prizes at Championship Shows in Post Graduate, Minor Limit, Mid Limit, Limit and Open classes, whether restricted or not where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed.
L	Limit - For dogs which have not become show Champions under the Kennel Club Regulations or under the rules of any governing body recognised by the Kennel Club or won 7 or more First Prizes in all at Championship Shows in Limit or Open Classes confined to the Breed, whether restricted or not at Shows where Challenge Certificates were offered for the breed.
O	Open - For all dogs of the breeds for which the class is provided and eligible for entry at the show
V	Veteran - For dogs of not less than seven years of age on the first day of the show.
AV	Any Variety
AVNSC	Any Variety Not Separately Classified
IR	Import Register
JH YKC	Junior Handler Young Kennel Club
NFC	Not For Competition
AWARDS
BIS	Best In Show
RBIS	Reserve Best In Show
BIG	Best In Group
BOB	Best Of Breed
RBOB	Reserve Best Of Breed
BPIB	Best Buppy In Breed
BOS	Best Opposite Sex
BB	Best Bitch
BD	Best Dog
BP	Best Puppy
G1,G2,G3,G4	Group 1, 2, 3 & 4 - placings in the group judging
CC	Challenge Certificate - This is a certificate which the judge signs stating that in his or her opinion the dog is worthy of becoming a Show Champion. These certificates are awarded by The Kennel Club. Your dog will need three of these awards, given by different judges, before he/she becomes a Champion. This status is also awarded by The Kennel Club. The judge has the right to withhold the CC (and RCC) if he does not think any dog entered in any class is worthy of being a Champion.
RCC	Reserve Challenge Certificate - All unbeaten winning dogs then challenge for this award. This certificate states that the dog given this award is worthy of being awarded the CC should the certificate winner be disqualified. This doesn’t happen very often! It is at the judge’s discretion to call into the ring the dog place second to the CC winner.
JW	Junior Warrant
CH	Champion
Ag CH	Agility Champion
FT CH	Field Trial Champion
Ob CH	Obedience Champion
Sh CH	Show Champion
Sh CM	Show Certificate of Merit
MISCELLANEOUS
Placing	Physically placing your dogs legs when standing them for the judge
Stacking	Placing the dogs feet and often holding the head and tail the latter is for smaller breeds only
Baiting	Using food (bait) to get your dog to stand itself for the judge
Gait	Name given to describe the most efficient movement (speed) of a particular breed
Crabbing	A type of movement when a dog moves its body at an angle and not in a straightline in the direction of travel
Pacing	When both the front and back legs on one side of the dog move in unison

 COURTSEY GIVEN TO DOG SHOW CENTRAL