Commonly Seen Titles on UK Flatcoated Retriever Pedigrees.
SDC - Shooting Dog Certificate. This is a working dog qualification which is awarded to a dog or bitch which has proved itself in the shooting field. This is a Flatcoated Retriever Society award, but not a UK Kennel Club award. Up until 2010 this award was graded into A and B certificates.
FT.CH. - Field Trial Champion. An award given to a dog or bitch which has competed in and won a number of field trails, this is again is a shooting award and therefore a working award. This is a recognised Kennel Club Working Dog Title. This is the top working award that can be competed for in the UK.
FTW - Field Trial Winner. This is a field trial winner which has not yet won enough first prizes to qualify for the title FT.CH. This is used for winners of an open stake only. Some novice breeders will mistakenly put it on a pedigree when their dog wins a novice field trial. This is used by breeders to indicate the dogs working prowess, but it is not an official award.
FTA (sometimes seen as FTAW) - Field Trial Award Winner. This is another indicator for breeders and potential buyers about a dogs working ability, and means the dog or bitch has been placed in a field trial or won a trial which was not an open stake trial It is not an official award.
WT - Working Test winner.This is an indicator which I have seen on some pedigrees again it is not an official award, but shows that the dog or bitch has won a working test, which uses canvas dummies as retrieve items. Based on field trials but should never be mistaken for a Field Trial. Sometimes ‘cold game’ (previously shot game) is used if the test is a ‘cold game’ working test.
KC WGDC - Kennel Club Working Gun Dog Certificate. This is an award introduced by the Kennel Club and is based on the SDC awards introduced by the Flatcoated Retriever Society. It is an official award, given to a dog who works on shoots. It is sometimes shortened to WGDC.
CH - Champion. This is an official award given to a dog or bitch which has won 3 challenge certificates in the show ring and has successfully completed a show dog qualifier field trial or a field trial.
FT.CH. - Field Trial Champion. An award given to a dog or bitch which has competed in and won a number of field trails, this is again is a shooting award and therefore a working award. This is a recognised Kennel Club Working Dog Title. This is the top working award that can be competed for in the UK.
FTW - Field Trial Winner. This is a field trial winner which has not yet won enough first prizes to qualify for the title FT.CH. This is used for winners of an open stake only. Some novice breeders will mistakenly put it on a pedigree when their dog wins a novice field trial. This is used by breeders to indicate the dogs working prowess, but it is not an official award.
FTA (sometimes seen as FTAW) - Field Trial Award Winner. This is another indicator for breeders and potential buyers about a dogs working ability, and means the dog or bitch has been placed in a field trial or won a trial which was not an open stake trial It is not an official award.
WT - Working Test winner.This is an indicator which I have seen on some pedigrees again it is not an official award, but shows that the dog or bitch has won a working test, which uses canvas dummies as retrieve items. Based on field trials but should never be mistaken for a Field Trial. Sometimes ‘cold game’ (previously shot game) is used if the test is a ‘cold game’ working test.
KC WGDC - Kennel Club Working Gun Dog Certificate. This is an award introduced by the Kennel Club and is based on the SDC awards introduced by the Flatcoated Retriever Society. It is an official award, given to a dog who works on shoots. It is sometimes shortened to WGDC.
CH - Champion. This is an official award given to a dog or bitch which has won 3 challenge certificates in the show ring and has successfully completed a show dog qualifier field trial or a field trial.
