Wouldn't it be great to be able to say your dog has a title?  It's an admirable accomplishment and dog lovers have been coveting and working towards companion dog titles for decades.  The American Kennel Club, the United Kennel Club, the Continental Kennel Club and the National Kennel Club all offer obedience trials for their dogs.  Don't want to register your dog with a club, but still want the thrill of performing and competing?  No problem.  Fun shows are held all over the country.

In order to earn an obedience title, a dog and its handler must get three qualified scores in three separate competition under three different judges.  A “qualified score” just means that a dog and handler perform well in the ring.  Each of these qualifying scores is called a “leg” and three legs equal a title.

But earning a leg is no simple feat.  In an obedience competition, your dog will be asked to heel off lead (walking on your left side with its ear in line with the seam of your pant leg) while you change directions, halt and start again, alter your speed, and perform about turns.  The dog will also be asked to stand for examination.  It will also be asked to weave around people without acknowledging they are there (by sniffing or growling or shying away).  Your dog will also be asked to stay in a sit while you walk away and then to stay in a down while you walk away.  It will also have to perform a recall.  An obedience trial asks a lot of you and your dog and that's why a title is such an honor!  It takes hours and hours of practice to be able to perform all of these tasks.

Each club's version of obedience features multiple levels of competition and therefore multiple titles.  So, once you earn a companion dog title (called a CD), you and your dog can advance to the next level.  This setup allows a handler and his or her dog to learn and grow together for the dog's entire life. 

Each club and each level of obedience competition has many specific rules which are strictly adhered to, so make sure you do your research before entering your dog in any competition.  Good luck!