Dog Titles

AKC: American Kennel Club, U.S. dog registry.  Sanctions both Field Trials and Hunt Tests.  Field trials are competitive events while Hunt Tests are judged against a standard. www.akc.org. 

AKC Hunt Test Titles:

          JH - Junior Hunter

          SH - Senior Hunter

          MH - Master Hunter

AKC Field Trial Titles:

           FC - Field Champion

           AFC - Amateur Field Champion (professional dog handlers ineligible to compete)

APLA: American Pointing Labrador Association.  Sanctions non-competitive Hunt Tests to identify, certify, and promote pointing labs.  www.americanpointinglab.com

APLA Hunt Test Titles:

         CPR or CP -  Certified Pointing Retriever

         APR or IPR - Advanced Pointing Retriever

         MPR - Master Pointing Retriever

         GMPR - Grand Master Pointing Retriever

         1x GMPR - One time over Grand Master Pointing Retriever

UKC: United Kennel Club, international dog registry.  Sanctions Hunt Tests through its testing organization, the Hunting Retriever Club (HRC).  www.huntingretrieverclub.com

UKC Hunt Test Titles:

        SH or SHR - Started Hunting Retriever

        HR - Hunting Retriever (Seasoned)

        HRCH - Hunting Retriever Champion (Finished)

Hereditary Diseases

Hip/Elbow Dysplasia: abnormal formation of the hip/elbow socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints (Wikipedia).  X-Rays are sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA; www.offa.org ) for analysis.

     OFA hip dysplasia grades: Excellent, good, and fair are non-dyspastic grades.

     OFA elbow dysplasia grades:  "Normal" is the only grade for non-dyspastic elbows.

Congenital Cardiac Disease:  Heart disease that developed before whelping.  Often assumed to be hereditary, although not necessarily.  A cardiologist vet certifies that the dog has a normal heart and submits to OFA for database entry.

PRA: Progressive Retinal Atrophy, hereditary eye disease.  Two tests currently exists:

      CERF: Canine Eye Registry Foundation.  An annual observational test conducted by an ophthalmologist and submitted    

      to CERF.    www.vmdb.org/cerf.html

      prcd: Progressive rod-cone degeneration form of PRA.  This is the only known hereditary form of PRA in Labradors.  A      

      genetic test is conducted by Cornell University to determine if the dog is affected, a carrier, or clear of the disease. 

      www.Optigen.com

EIC: Exercise Induced Collapse (or Exercise Intolerance and Collapse).  One of the most common severe genetic diseases in Labradors.  Affected dogs collapse under strenuous exercise and extreme excitement, possibly resulting in death.  The University of Minnesota has developed a genetic test that will determine if the dog is affected, a carrier, or clear of the disease.  It is estimated that 30% of all Labradors are EIC carriers, with the prevalence higher in working dogs.  Visit Website

CNM: Centronuclear Myopathy.  A debilitating disease in Labradors that causes permanent muscle failure.  The Alfort School of Veterinary Medicine in France has developed a genetic test to determine if a dog is affected, a carrier, or clear of the disease.  www.labradorcnm.com