Titles? What are titles? Thanks Joy!

My friend Joy passed this along and it seemed blog worthy.....


" What Is A Title Really?"

Not just a brag, not just a stepping stone to a higher Title, not just an adjunct to competitive scores.

A Title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor the dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in the record and in the memory for about as long as anything in this world can remain. Few humans will do as well or better in that regard. And though the dog himself doesn't know or care that his achievements have been noted, a Title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count.
A Title says your dog was intelligent, and adaptable, and good-natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed. And a Title says that you loved your dog, that you loved to spend time with him because he was a good dog, and that you believed in him enough to give him yet another chance when he failed, and that in the end your faith was justified.
A Title proves that your dog inspired you to have the special relationship enjoyed by so few; that in a world of disposable creatures, this dog with a Title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return. And when that dear short life is over, the Title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend, volumes of praise in one small set of initials before or after the name.

A Title is nothing less than love and respect, given and received permanently.

The author is Sandy Mowery,a columnist for Front and Finish Obedience periodical.

My dog's titles? I'll list the highest ones only -

MACH Colby CD, RA, AAD (one pairs leg from her MAD)
APD Roscoe CD, RE, FA, MX, MXJ, PX, PXJ (do you put APD at the front of their name?)
Spur NA, NJ, AD

**I don't even know their titles in CPE and I think that Roscoe has a title in APDT Rally because he is in level 2. I'm not so good at keeping track of some of the titles, I guess. Does that mean I don't care about titles? NO!! I care, I am HUGELY proud of Colby's MACH and Roscoe's APD and Spur's three little titles. HUGELY PROUD! But, I am more proud of things like Roscoe managing to handle an Ex. Rally course without me walking it and without any warm up of any kind. Hugely proud! And SO proud of The Spur Man that I think I have watched his videos from the weekend like 12 times each? Maybe 20 times each. And I have a few minutes this morning before my first walks, so I will watch them again right now. I am SO proud of his NQ (not qualifying) runs and will watch those a gazillion times, too. HUGELY PROUD! Titles are great and I am proud and they show accomplishment, but my dog's attitude in the ring makes me even more proud. That The Spur Man can handle a course and not freak out about the teeter and not worry when the course builders are tossing jump bars over the fence and not worry when some stupid person let's their stupid little dog lunge and snark at him as we walk to the ring. HUGELY PROUD! That Roscoe can walk into an obedience ring and remember his work even though we haven't practiced in nearly two months and look sharp and well trained and happy, makes me HUGELY PROUD!
I love my dogs and their titles show it, but I also love my dogs......just cuz.