Read the abbreviation together with its issuing organization, date and original record. Similar-looking letters can describe very different achievements.
Working tests and assessments
IGP identifies a working-dog sport with levels 1–3. BH-VT is a companion-dog and traffic-related test; WB is a character assessment. AD refers to an endurance test in the referenced breed-survey requirements. These are separate records, not interchangeable grades on one ladder.
An abbreviation in an advertisement is a claim until it can be matched to the dog and an issuing record. Keep the original spelling, including the level, and avoid upgrading historical titles to modern ones by assumption.
Show ratings are a different language
In the USCA conformation framework, V means Excellent, SG means Very Good and VA is an Excellent Select rating. Read these with the show, year and class. A number appended to a rating can identify placement within that rating group; it is not automatically the overall class position.
For example, our original BSZS class lists six VA placements before the V group. The V1 entry is therefore seventh in that recorded class, not first overall. That is a specific reading of this result list, not a universal rule that every class always contains six VA dogs.
Common AKC abbreviations
The AKC title directory lists CH as Champion, CD as Companion Dog, RN as Rally Novice and CGC as Canine Good Citizen. Their activities and requirements differ. Preserve the organization when recording a title rather than treating every “champion” as the same distinction.
AKC also identifies titles awarded by other recognized organizations. When the issuing body matters to entry eligibility, use the original title documentation and ask the event organizer.
Build a title record you can actually use
A useful entry has five parts: the dog’s identity, exact abbreviation, issuing body, date and source. Add the event name and score when available. A cropped badge without those details is harder to verify and easy to misunderstand.
Do not let an impressive list of letters replace the rest of your research. A sport title does not independently certify parentage, current health or suitability for your household.
- Match the registered name and registration reference.
- Open the result or certificate.
- Record the organization and year.
- Keep missing evidence visible rather than filling it from memory.
Sources & scope
Sources checked 24 October 2026. Rules and services can change; the issuing body’s current document controls. These references do not imply endorsement of GSD Index.
- USCA: IGP/USP rulebook, version 4.0Effective January 2025; USCA rules and variances
- USCA: Character Assessment regulationsJanuary 2025 WB regulations
- GSDCA: SV breed-survey requirementsJune 2023 document; confirm current eligibility with organizer
- USCA: Conformation and ratingsUSCA breed-show rating system
- GSD Index: Sources and methodologyOur own ranking and provenance rules
- AKC: Titles and abbreviationsTitle names and issuing-body distinctions
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