Affix: The process of attaching a registered kennel name to a registered dog's name when it is being registered. If a kennel has registered their affix with the registries that they are registering the dog under, the adoption family must honor the kennel name request being added to the dog's name. The breeder will sign off on the registration papers showing that they approve of their kennel name being used in the dog's registered name. The affix is usually placed at the beginning of the dog's registered name. If the breeder has not registered their affix with the registry, but have included their kennel name then normally it is proper ettiquette to allow the kennel name to remain, but the adoptive family does have the right to remove any kennel name that is not properly registered. (Cruisin' Cavaliers is a registered kennel name with both AKC and CKCSC dog registries so "Cruisin" will appear at the beginning of all registered names bred by Cruisin' Cavaliers.) Family names are no longer recognized by AKC and CKCSC for affix registration. When I first began breeding I was using "Rackler Cavaliers", which of course was my personal last name and later I discovered I could not register the Rackler name with the dog registries. It is possible to find personal name affix's, but those affix's will be breeders who were grandfathered in and had their affix before the personal name was omitted from recognition. When I adopted my first Cavalier, AKC Ch Crystalridge's Cruisin Rackler I added Rackler in the name as well as the affix from Crystalridge still appearing at the beginning of Cruiser's registered name. Adding an additional affix after the breeder's affix is permitable. Affix's in a pedigree are very important and if several dog's in a pedigree share the same affix that can also be a good kennel name to research and see what accomplishments that breeder has made within their breeding program and for their breed as a whole. Pedigree's that show many different affix's or no affix's at all I would be very leary of adopting a puppy from without research.

AI: Artificial Insemination: There are 3 ways to inseminate a female artificially and progesterone testing is highly recommended with all AI procedures. (1) If both the male and female are at the same location the male can be collected and then immediately deposit the collection into the female using a syringe. When using this method it is best to do it at least twice, but 3 times can help to ensure a pregnancy. (2) A trans-cervical implantation uses an endoscope to deposit the collection directly into the uterus without the need for anesthetic. (3) A female is given a general anesthetic for a surgical implantation. A surgical implantation requires progesterone testing in order to determine the precise time for the implantation. Once it is time a small incision is made in the female's abdomen and the collection is administered into the uterus via a small needle. Antibiotics are then administered for 10 days to help ward off any possible infection.

AKC: American Kennel Club: AKC is probably the most well-known dog registry in the United States. For more information about AKC please visit their website at www.akc.org

AKC CH: American Kennel Club Champion: When a dog enters AKC sanctioned shows in conformation and obtains 2 majors from 2 different judges along with some random points reaching 15 points they are then given the title as Champion under the AKC registry. A dog can obtain several champion titles under different registries as well. Conformation championship titles always appear at the beginning of a dog's registered name.

Balanced: A dog is correctly proportional.

BB or BOB: Best of Breed

BIS: Best in Show

BOS or OS: Best of Opposite (Gender)

Bodied Up: A dog is well developed and mature with a good spring of ribs.

Brisk - Keenly alive, alert, energetic.

Butterfly Nose: White flesh marks on nose and this is a fault. Very young puppies sometimes will not have a full black nose until they reach 8 or 10 weeks of age. Butterfly noses can fade with age.

BW: Best of Winners

CAN CH: Canadian Champion: When a dog enters Canadian sanction shows in conformation and obtains 10 points they are then given the title as Champion under the Canadian registry. A dog can obtain several champion titles under different registries as well. Conformation championship titles always appear at the beginning of a dog's registered name.

CD: Companion Dog: The letters CD may be added after a dog's registered name when it has been certified by three different judges as receiving qualifying scores in Novice classes at three licensed or member obedience trials.

CDX: Companion Dog Excellent: The letters CDX may be added after a dog's registered name after it has been certified by three different judges as receiving qualifying scores in Open classes at three licensed or member obedience trials.

CERF: Canine Eye Registry Foundation. This registry is used by all breed clubs and all eye certifications are sent to CERF not OFA. CERF then forwards the certifications on to OFA once a dog reaches 12 months of age and has obtained another OFA certification. For more information please visit www.vmdb.org/cerf.html.

CGC: Canine Good Citizen Title

CH: Champion

CHIC: Canine Health Information Center. To help encourage more breeders to health certify their breeding stock a CHIC number is given to dogs once they have passed all the required testing for their specific breed. For more information please visit www.caninehealthinfo.org.

CKCSC: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, USA. This is the first Cavalier breed club that was established in the United States before AKC recognized the Cavalier as a breed. For more information please visit www.ckcsc.org

Coarse: A dog has too much bone, is too heavy, or seems over built.

Cobby: A dog is short bodied and very compact.

Course Design - A set of signs, previously arranged by the judge, that the dog and handler team will navigate for rally competition. Each class will have a different course design.

Cow-Hocked: Hocks turn inward towards each other.

Crabbing: The dog's rear will seem to be off to the side rather than directly behind the front of the dog at an angle when the dog is moving forward.

Crossing Over: The rear legs will cross in front of the front legs when moving forward. Watch the placement of your dog's rear feet compared to where their front feet were from a side angle when they are in movement.

Crowding - A dog that is so close to the handler as to interfere with the handler's freedom of motion.

Dog: Male Dog

Dudley Nose: Nose is off-color from the standard black color. Usually a gray or brownish color and this is a fault.

Elbowing In: The elbows are so close to the body that the dog has no reach in their movement.

Elbowing Out: The elbows are rotating outward instead of being held tightly to the body during movement.

ENG CH: English Champion

Furnishings: Fringe on the ears, legs, tail, undercarriage, and pants of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Gay Tail: Tail curls over the back when dog is in movement. Correct tail position can be trained.

Gently - With kindness, without harshness or roughness.

High in the Hock: Too much distance from the tip of the hocks to the ground.

Hyper-extended Hocks: The hock joint buckles forward causing the hock to bow during movement.

JR: Junior Handler

JW: Junior Warrant. Any Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that finishes their championship title before they reach 18 months of age will qualify for this additional title placed at the back of their registered name in the CKCSC, USA registry.

IR CH: Ireland Champion

Leg - A term that is used frequently for a qualifying score in obedience, rally and agility.

Long Cast: Long in the loin and not cobby.

Natural - Not artificial; free of affectation; what is customarily expected in the home or public places.

NOC: National Obedience Champion: The AKC awards this prestigious title annually to the dog that wins the AKC National Obedience Invitational. The letters NOC are placed before the dog's AKC-registered name and become part of the dog's permanent title.

OFA: Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. OFA is the top health registry used by breeders and scientists to help improve the quality of breeding through health certifications. This registry is open to the public. For more information please visit www.offa.org.

OH: Owner Handled

OTCH: Obedience Trial Champion: Dogs with UD titles must win 100 points and a first-place in Utility B and Open B, plus a third first-place win in either class, under three different judges.

Pace: The front and rear legs on the same side of the dog move forward concurrently.

Paddling: The front legs of a dog move in a circular motion when the dog moves forward.

Parti-colors: In the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed a Blenheim (chestnut red and white) and a Tri-color (black and white with tan points) are known as the parti-colors or broken colors can also be used.

Pigeon-Toed: Front feet face each other.

Pigment: Color of the nose, eyerims, and lips on a dog.

Proud Tail: High tail carraige. The tail carraige can be corrected with training.

Qualifying Score - In obedience and rally there is a minimum score that must be obtained in order to qualify for a passing score overall.

R: Reserve Winner

RA: Rally Advanced: The dogs must earn three qualifying scores under two different judges in order to receive a rally title.

RAE: Rally Advanced Excellent.

RE: Rally Excellent: The dogs must earn three qualifying scores under two different judges in order to receive a rally title.

RN: Rally Novice: The dogs must earn three qualifying scores under two different judges in order to receive a rally title.

RWD: Reserve Winners Dog

RWB: Reserve Winners (Female)

Rangy: A dog is long in the loin.

Roach: A dog will arch their back. Some standards call for a roached back. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel standard does not call for a roached back. The way a handler places a dog on the examining table can cause a Cavalier to look like they have a roached back even if they do not so be careful not to train this in accidently.

ROM: Reward of Merit: This title is given to a dam once she has had 5 offspring obtain their championship title. This title is given to a sire once he has had 10 offspring obtain their championship title. The dam and the sire do not have to be champions themselves to be awarded this title. This is one of the top titles that any Cavalier can obtain.

Sickle Hocks: Hocks without much flexibility.

Snipey: A dog with a pointed muzzle without fill or padding.

Sound: A dog showing correct structure, temperament, and healthy.

Square: The dog's height at the withers matches the length of the body.

Stacking: Setting up a dog in a free standing position.

Station - Location of a sign providing instructions regarding the exercise that is to be performed in rally.

Straight Stifle: The stifle is not properly bent and is lacking angulation.

Substance: A dog with good bone and muscle development.

Timing -All dogs will be timed. Times will be used only in the event of ties for a placement.

Topline: Line or angle of the back of the dog. The topline can be made correct in a standing position and not hold up during movement.

UD: Utility Dog: The letters UD may be added after a dog's registered name after it has been certified by three different judges as receiving qualify-ing scores in Utility classes at three licensed or member obedience trials.

UDX: Utility Dog Excellent: Dogs with UD titles must earn qualifying scores in both Open B and Utility B at 10 trials in order to add the UDX title after their registered names.

UK CH: United Kingdom Champion

W: Best of Winners

Walk-through - Handlers are permitted to walk the course, without a dog, prior to the start of the class to plan their strategy. The walk-through gives handlers an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the signs and the course.

WB: Winners (Female)

WD: Winners Dog

Weedy: A dog that is lacking bone structure and body.

Well Broken Color: Parti-colors should have color well interspersed with white.

Well-let-down Hocks: Short hocks are correct hocks.

Well Sprung Ribs: Ribs are not flat or too rounded and feel more like a barrel. This structural feature can develpe with maturity.

Whole Colors: In the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed a whole color is either a Black & tan or a Ruby color.