PEDIGREES EXPLAINED
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Puppy Pedigrees
Explanation of Titles This is an excellent explanation of the AKC titles Show dogs are judged in their breed then in their group and finally as best of show.
| Abbreviation | Title | Explanation |
| DOG SHOWS | ||
| Ch | Conformation championship | This means that the dog conforms to the breed standard and has gained the necessary number of points in competition with other dogs of the same breed to earn the designation of a show Champion. |
| Ch* | Champion with Group placements | This dog has taken placement(s) in competition with other dogs in the same Group for a Chesapeake this would be the (Sporting) group |
| BIS | Best in Show | This Dog won his Group judging, and then he defeated the top winners of the other Groups to take the top award at the dog show |
| OBEDIENCE & TRACKING | ||
| CD | Companion Dog | This is the first level of obedience. A dog must pass novice level at obedience trials three times to receive this award. |
| CDX | Companion Dog Excellent | A dog must pass his Open level three times to get this award. |
| UD | Utility Dog | A dog must pass Utility level three times to get this award. |
| OTCh | Obedience Trial Champion | In Canada this title is awarded to any dog that has passed the three Obedience levels. In the U.S. this is a highly regarded competitive title. |
| TD | Tracking Dog | This is the first level of tracking |
| TDX | Tracking Dog Excellent | This the second level, much more difficulty. |
| UDT,UDTX | Utility Dog Tracking, Utility Dog Tracking Excellent | A dog with this designation has both obedience and tracking titles |
| FIELD - COMPETITIVE | ||
| FC | AKC Field Champion | Dog has gained the required number of points in AKC Licensed Field Trials in the Open stakes. |
| FTCh | CKC Field Champion | The Canadian equivalent of FC, often written CFC. . |
| AFC | AKC Amateur Field Champion | Dog has gained the required points in Amateur stakes or in Open stakes with an amateur handler. |
| AFTCh | CKC Amateur Field Champion | The Canadian title for AFC, often written CAFC. |
| FIELD NON-COMPETITIVE | ||
| JH | AKC or CKC Junior Hunter | The first level of Hunt Test titles. |
| SH | AKC or CKC Junior Hunter | The second level of Hunt Tests. |
| MH | AKC or CKC Master Hunter | The highest level. |
| ST | NAHRA Started Retriever | The first level of North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. titles |
| WR | Working Retriever | The second NAHRA level |
| MHR | NAHRA Master Hunting Retriever | Third level in NAHRA. |
RETRIEVER PEDIGREES
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Pedigrees Breeders
The American Kennel Club requires a Chesapeake Bay Retriever to obtain a total of 15 points with two major wins (a major win is worth three points or higher) to become a champion. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever must also win his majors under different judges and at least one other judge must award some of the remaining points - so a Chesapeake Bay Retriever needs to win under at least three different judges. This can be hard for a breeder to do if he only goes to local shows with his Chesie. Therefore for a breeder of Chesapeake Bay Retrievers to have a good pedigree a breeder must show dogs and purchase excellent dogs with superior pedigrees.
Breeders tend to breed for show dog pedigrees or field trial pedigrees. Show dog breeders are primarily concerned with establishing pedigrees for conformation which establishes that the Chesie is a perfect example of what the breed is supposed to look like. Field trial breeders are primarily concerned with establishing pedigrees that prove the dogs ability as a retriever to work and hunt as a retriever. This has become a problem with dogs such as irish setters and some labs that look great but can't hunt. Pedigrees show how a Chesapeake Bay Retriever's parents and grandparents also performed in the ring. The history of the ancestors is often a much better indicator than how the immediate parents have performed. CH means show dog championship on a pedigree, FC means Field Trial Champion on the Pedigree, AFC means Amateur Field Champion on a pedigree, NAFC means National Amateur Field Champion on a pedigree and NFC means National Field Champion on a breeders pedigree.
Show Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are judged in classes. When the judge awards first place in a class that Chesapeake Bay Retriever advances to the Winners competition of its sex. During the Winners competition, the judge re-examines all the Chesapeake Bay Retrievers that have received first place in the classes and picks an overall winner - Winners Dog for males and Winners Bitch for females. Although you may have beaten several Chesapeake Bay Retrievers in the classes, championship points are only awarded to Winners Dog and Winners Bitch. No points are awarded for class wins or Reserve Winners. The Winners Dog or Winners Bitch can also win points in the Best of Breed competition. Best of Breed consists of Chesapeake Bay Retrievers that have already received their championship. Winners Dog and Winner Bitch also compete with the champions in Best of Breed. There are three possible awards a Chesapeake Bay Retriever can win at this level: Best of Breed - Awarded to the best dog in the Best of Breed competition Best of Opposite Sex - Awarded to the best Chesapeake Bay Retriever of the opposite sex to the Best of Breed winner Best of Winners - Awarded to the best Chesapeake Bay Retriever between Winners Dog and Winners Bitch.