The easygoing Great Dane, the mighty “Apollo of Dogs,” is a total joy to live with—but owning a dog of such imposing size, weight, and strength is a commitment not to be entered into lightly. This breed is indeed great, but not a Dane.

“Lean on Me” by Mara Bovsun, AKC Family Dog Jan/Feb 2019 digital version Lean-on-Me-printable-article Directions:  Read and Annotate. Then answer the questions below.  Next to your answer, provide the paragraph number that supports each answer. 1. Define osteogenesis imperfecta. a) Imperfect bones b) Brittle bone disease c) Disease of older dogs d) Bone cancer 2. Why was [...]

German Pinscher Learn about German Pinschers [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] German Pinscher Club of America [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] German Shepherd Dog Learn about German Shepherd Dogs [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] German Shepherd Dog Club of America German Shepherd Resource and Rescue Center P.O. Box 57 Hathorne, MA 01937 Contact: Stephanie, Info@germanshepherdcenter [...]

The following breeders have met the requirements for the Breed and Levels recorded at the time of the application. The American Kennel Club is pleased to recognize these breeders for their contribution to the sport and maintaining the tenets of the Breeder of Merit program. (current as of  7/16/26, last updated 7/17/26) [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Platinum [...]

This lesson is intended to be used as a review of word order for sentences and questions, not as an introductory lesson. Skills practiced Use of “do” Word order in statements vs. questions Word order of adjectives and nouns Using question marks and periods ELL Level Advanced/Bridging Materials Needed Sample sentences printed and cut [...]

AKE 20.3 1889-1908 1.75 linear ft (in 2 flat boxes.) Processed by Brynn White, 2016   Click here for a printable PDF of the collection finding aid   The collection includes clippings of the 204 pen drawings by promiment dog painter and show judge Gustav Muss-Arnolt published between 1889 and 1908 in the American Kennel Club Gazette. The breeds most prominently depicted [...]

Learning Objectives Students will tell basic facts gleaned from listening to conversations and stories about dogs. ELL Levels Emerging Materials Needed Two native English speakers (Canine Ambassador can assist) Lesson Introduction Students will listen to a conversation between two native English speakers about one person’s new dog. The Canine Ambassador can come in to [...]

Nominees in Conformation Michael Canalizo Michael Canalizo has spent many years in the Dog Show World as a Breeder/Owner, Professional Handler, turned Judge. His first exposure to his primary breed: the Afghan Hound came in 1961 as a member of “the typical Hobby Breeder family” with their purchase of “Babu Bamn of Grandeur”. He showed [...]

Learning Objectives Students will learn how to break apart new words into syllables using dog breed names and will write sentences about the dog breeds.   Grade Levels K-2   English Language Arts Common Core Standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.3.D Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables [...]

Learning Objectives With support from the teacher, students will organize, represent, and interpret data. Students will ask and answer questions about the total number of data points and how many are in each category.   Grade Levels K-2   Common Core Standard CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.MD.C.4 Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to [...]

The following are the group designations that AKC breeds have been assigned. There are currently 205 breeds and 9 breeds with 21 varieties.  The varieties are by size, color or group.   The varieties are marked by **(Revised 3/10/26) [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Sporting Group – 33 breeds"] Sporting Group Naturally active and alert, Sporting dogs make likeable, well-rounded companions. First developed [...]

While the benefits of pet ownership far outweigh the costs, every responsible dog owner knows that along with love and companionship comes financial responsibility. An online survey of more than 1,000 visitors to www.akc.org determined what responsible owners can expect to pony-up for their pooch:  One-time costs such as a crate, spaying/neutering or [...]

Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 Beagles 4 Bulldogs 5 Yorkshire Terriers 6 Boxers 7 Poodles 8 Rottweilers 9 Dachshunds 10 French Bulldogs  11 Doberman Pinschers 12 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 13 Siberian Huskies 14 Shih Tzu 15 Great Danes 16 Miniature Schnauzers 17 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 18 Pomeranians 19 Australian Shepherds 20 Shetland Sheepdogs 21 Chihuahuas 22 Boston Terriers 23 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 24 Havanese 25 Mastiffs 26 Maltese 27 Spaniels (English Springer) 28 Spaniels (Cocker [...]

Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 French Bulldogs 4 Bulldogs 5 Beagles 6 Poodles 7 Rottweilers 8 Yorkshire Terriers 9 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 10 Boxers 11 Siberian Huskies 12 Dachshunds 13 Great Danes 14 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 15 Doberman Pinschers 16 Australian Shepherds 17 Miniature Schnauzers 18 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 19 Shih Tzu 20 Boston Terriers 21 Pomeranians 22 Havanese 23 Shetland Sheepdogs 24 Bernese Mountain Dogs 25 Brittanys 26 Spaniels (English Springer) 27 Mastiffs [...]

[caption id="attachment_209990" align="alignnone" width="481"] Photo by Great Dane Photos[/caption] The 16th AKC Junior Agility Competition sponsored by Eukanuba and held in conjunction with the 2026 AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin   Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL Friday, December 11, 2026   News and Updates: 7/17/2026 - The AKC 2026 Junior Agility Competition premium list [...]

3rd AKC International Sweepstakes Championship In The Net Palmyra PA October 10 & 11, 2026   News and Updates: 7/17/2026 - ENTRIES OPEN/CLOSE: Random draw entries will open on Monday, August 3, 2026 at Noon EST and close on Monday, August 17, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST. If necessary, a list of computer-generated, randomly drawn numbers will be assigned to each entry using [...]

What is your name? Autumn Maine How old are you? 13 years old. What state do you live in? Virginia What breed(s) do you compete with? Boston Terrier. Labrador Retriever. I have also worked with many breeds as a volunteer. What sport(s) do you compete in with your dog(s)? Conformation, CAT, Fast CAT [...]

21st AKC Agility Invitational   Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL December 11-13, 2026   [caption id="attachment_211873" align="aligncenter" width="556"] AKC Agility Invitational Winners - Photo by Great Dane Photos[/caption] News and Updates: 7/17/2026 - AKC's 2026 Agility Invitational Round 1 invitations will be emailed out on/about 7/27/2026. The AKC 2026 Agility Invitational premium list has been published [...]

AKC Meet the Breeds events are a fun and educational way to spend a day with the whole family, and maybe even figure out which dog breed is right for you! If you are attending an AKC Meet the Breeds event, or are thinking about attending an event in the future, you can find out [...]

Harry of SharonDale VCD1 PCDX GN RE OAP OJP has become the fifth mixed-breed dog to earn the AKC’s prestigious Versatile Companion Dog (VCD) title. The program honors dogs who earn titles in three of the AKC Companion Events: Obedience, Agility and Tracking. From being found wandering down a country road in fall [...]

“We both enjoy doing this because we like seeing how the residents light up when Max enters the facility,” Burn said.  “It provides joy to all involved in the encounters.” Steve rescued Max from the Arlington (TX) Animal Services Center in December 2009. He is a mixed breed and, according to a DNA test, he is [...]

Medendorps HooDoo By Barribeau CD RAE2 NA OAJ NF CAA FMX owned by Billie Medendorp of Decatur, AL Daisy was an emaciated stray found wandering in a busy street before she was rescued and then adopted by the Medendorp family.   “Daisy only weighed 13 pounds, had mange and was full of parasites [...]

They’re certainly great, but did you know they’re not Danish? Dogs resembling Great Danes appear as far back as ancient Egyptian carvings, but the modern Great Dane was actually bred in Germany in the 1800s.

Big, brave, and beautiful, Great Danes hold a special place in our hearts. But despite their larger-than-life persona, this giant breed has a relatively short life span. Why Are Great Dane Life Spans So Short? For such big dogs, Great Danes sure get the short end of the stick when it comes to longevity. Great [...]

Diving Dog Millie is a 4-year-old brindle Great Dane who has jumped 24.5 feet in Diving Dogs, and is competing at the Diving Dogs Challenge airing on April 9, 2023, on ESPN2.

If you're looking for a perfect mix of guard dog and companion, consider the Great Dane, one of the largest dog breeds.

The Great Dane's history is rich in defining a breed that is both regal and gentle in temperament for a sunshine-like dog fit for a god.

Seven-year-old Tobi is more than a diving dog; he has nine lives! Surviving bloat and three colonic torsions, he's competing at the AKC Diving Premier Cup.

These Great Danes, Calla and Wrigley, waited six months for their owner to return from military service in Afghanistan. Spending many days at a dog daycare, they were used to people coming and going. But one day, someone walked through the door that had them bounding with joy— literally.  The feels are so [...]

Training a new puppy does not come with a one-size-fits-all approach — especially when dealing with a very large breed like the Great Dane. “Great Danes are considered working dogs and are intelligent dogs," says Russell Hartstein, CDBC, CPDT-KA, Fear-Free Certified trainer and Founder of Fun Paw Cares. “Still, all [dogs] are individuals." Hartstein points out [...]