Educational Information
Dog Glossary for New Dog Owners
Agility Trials: a competition where dogs negotiate obstacles and jumps.
Alpha Dog: the leader of a dog pack.
American Coton Club (ACC): a breed club for fanciers of the Coton de Tulear. (www.cotondogs.com)
American Rare Breed Association (ARBA): an association of fanciers of rare breed dogs.(www.arba.org)
Backyard Breeder: a breeder who has little or no concern for a breed standard, temperament, socialization, health, or genetic defects. The backyard breeder’s primary motive is profit.
Best of Breed: the dog judged to be the closest to meeting the breed standard for its breed in a dog show.
Best in Show: the dog with the most points and wins earned in the dog show.
Bitch: a female dog.
Bloodline: a dog’s direct line of descent; pedigree.
Breed Club: an organization of dog fanciers dedicated to the promotion and improvement of a specific breed of dog.
Breeder: the person who breeds a dog.
Breed Standard: a written description of the ideal representation of a breed.
Campbell Test: a puppy personality test that is used to find the best match between a puppy and a new dog owner.
Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF): an organization that performs eye checks and eye clearances by a qualified veterinary opthamologist. (www.vmdb.org/cerf.html)
Come: a command for your dog to stop everything and come to you.
Conformation: evaluating a dog (form and structure, make and shape, etc.) in conformance with breed standards.
Crate: cage or kennel that serves as a doggie bedroom or den. The crate is also used to transport or ship dogs.
Crate Training: use of a crate to facilitate the housetraining of a dog.
Coton de Tulear Club of America (CTCA): a breed club for fanciers of the Coton de Tulear. (www.cotonclub.com)
Dam: the female parent.
Date of Whelping: date of birth.
DHLPP: vaccine to immunize a dog against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza and parvovirus.
DNA: a unique genetic makeup.
DNA Test: a test to determine the identity or parentage of a dog.
Dog Fancy: term describing the group of people interested in and active in the promotion of purebred dogs.
Dog Show: a show in which dogs are judged on how closely they adhere to the breed’s standard.
Dominance: level of hierarchy within the dog pack.
Fancier: a person who has a strong interest in purebred dogs.
Federation Cynologique International (FCI): the largest international purebred dog association. (www.fci.be/english/)
Foundation Stock Service- the American Kennel Club’s registry for rare breed dog’s.
Genotype: the specific genetic makeup of an organism.
Genealogy: Direct line of descent. Family Tree. Pedigree.
Handler: dog trainer or exhibitor.
Heel: the position where a dog walks by your left side with its neck and shoulder even with your left leg.
Hip Dysplasia: Abnormal formation of the hip joint.
Identification: use of a microchip, DNA or tattoo to identify a dog.
Inbreeding: the mating of two closely related dogs of the same breed.
Luxating Patella: A genetically transmitted problem that causes the kneecap to slip when the joint is moved.
Mat: a knot or tangle of hair.
Microchip: a tiny chip or transponder, that a vet injects under the skin of a dog, near it’s shoulder, that provides a permanent means of identification..
Neuter: the removal of a male dog’s testicles.
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA): Organization that developed and maintains a database and registry of dogs that have been X-rayed for hip and elbow dysphasia, and other health concerns. (www.offa.org)
Pedigree: The written record of a dog's direct line of descent of three generations or more. The pedigree will list the names as well as championships won by dog’s ancestors.
Penn HIP: a method of evaluating the degree of hip dysplasia in dogs where hip laxity is calculated by veterinarians and given a rating. (by breed). The name comes from the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program. (www.pennhip.org)
Pet Quality Pup- a puppy who in the best estimate of the breeder is not show quality, and should therefore not be bred.
Phenotype: the observable physical characteristics or traits of an organism such as size, eye color, or behavior.
Puppy: a dog under 12 months of age.
Puppy Mills: a facility that breeds dogs for profits with little or no concern for a breed’s standard, temperament, socialization, health, or genetic defects.
Purebred: a dog whose ancestors for several generations back were all of the same breed.
Registered Name: the official name of a dog when it is registered. The name often includes the name of the breeder.
Registration Application: paperwork provided to you by the breeder that you need to send in to properly register your puppy.
Registries: organizations that keep official records in areas such as lineage, and health, etc. The CERF and OFA maintain databases and registries of dogs cleared of eye and/or hip dysplasia.
Show Quality Pup: a puppy who in the best estimate of the breeder appears to be of show quality, in close conformity to the breed standard.
Sit: the position where a dog has its front end up and hips down.
Socialization: process of introducing pups to humans as well as the sights, sounds, and smells of the world.
Spay: the removal of a female dogs ovaries and uterus to prevent breeding.
Stay: a command for a dog to hold its position and not move.
Temperament: a dog’s personality and character.
UCARE: a rescue organization for the Coton de Tulear.
United States of America Coton de Tulear Club (USACTC): a breed club for fanciers of the Coton de Tulear (www.usactc.org/)
Vaccination: injections to protect a dog from disease.
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