The American Kennel Club’s Government Relations team has just been made aware that the Broward County Commission will discuss amendments to the county’s existing breeder permit including requiring permit holders to submit to warrantless inspections of their private homes. The AKC strongly encourages dog owners and breeders to attend tomorrow&rsquo [...]

Tennessee committees will vote on Monday and Tuesday on two bills of grave concern to dog owners. Senate Bill 2175 and House Bill 2303 would require regulation, inspection, and potentially high registration fees for dog breeders.  Exemptions in the bill for exhibitors, hunters, and fanciers are essentially meaningless. These bills would also authorize warrantless searches of [...]

The AKC is extremely concerned about provisions in Oklahoma House Bill 1332, as written, and urges all Oklahoma dog fanciers, owners and breeders to contact their representatives to express their concerns. The AKC promotes responsible dog ownership, responsible breeding practices,  enforcement of cruelty laws, reasonable inspection programs and nuisance regulations.  However, HB 1332 does not [...]

House Bill 2303, which would require regulation, inspection, and potentially high registration fees for dog breeders, has been rescheduled for a vote in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, February 16. Its companion bill, Senate Bill 2175, has been rescheduled for a vote on Monday, February 22, in the Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee [...]

Oklahoma Senate Bill 1340 and Senate Bill 1712, which seek to provide state oversight over certain dog breeders, will be considered by the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee on Wednesday, March 24.  We strongly urge all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Oklahoma to consider the provisions of the bills (described below), and to [...]

The American Kennel Club Government Relations Department reports the following developments regarding the breeder oversight bills currently under consideration by the Minnesota Legislature.  Minnesota’s concerned responsible dog breeders and owners are strongly encouraged to take action today! SF 7 On March 24, the Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee voted not to take Senate File 7 "off [...]

Companion bills in Tennessee that seek to license and regulate commercial breeders are scheduled for consideration by legislative committees on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) is concerned that House Bill 2938 and Senate Bill 2513 attempt to regulate people who simply possess dogs (rather than those who engage in true commercial activity (i.e., selling [...]

The City of Long Beach voted this week to repeal its long-standing ban on breeding in favor of a more moderate breeder permit program. The change comes as a result of nearly two years of collaborate work by local fanciers, kennel clubs, and city officials. The American Kennel Club opposes unreasonable breeding restrictions, and we [...]

The AKC urges all responsible dog owners and breeders to call or email your state legislators TODAY regarding two important pieces of legislation that are scheduled for consideration on Tuesday, March 11 and Wednesday, March 12, 2009. It is crucial that constituents communicate their opposition to these measures immediately. Although we are awaiting amendments for both bills, the [...]

The Neptune Beach City Council will discuss but not vote on a proposed ordinance which will define hobby breeders and will prohibit those who own a certain number of pets from selling ANY animals. The AKC urges responsible dog owners and breeders to attend the meeting and oppose this burdensome and ineffective ordinance before a [...]

House Bill 570 seeks to establish licensing, inspections, regulations, fees, and penalties for dog and cat breeders.

A bill to regulate pet breeders is scheduled to be voted on by the House Business and Labor Committee on March 24. House Bill 608 seeks to establish licensing, inspections, regulations, fees, and penalties for dog and cat breeders.  It would define a “commercial breeder” as: A person or entity who owns, keeps, or [...]

UPDATE: The proposed mandatory spay/neuter ordinance has been removed from today’s agenda and tentatively rescheduled for March 10th. AKC will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates. If you have not yet written a letter or email, please do so. On Tuesday, March 3rd, the Long Beach City Council will hear [...]

MACH Amarillo MXB MJB MXF T2B owned by Belinda Rodriquez of Pearland, TX Photo by Jozef Lewandowski/Ted's Photo Reflex Belinda was in search of a rescue Golden Retriever to compete with in agility as she had owned a Golden many years before and competed with that dog in agility. “I kept checking the [...]

When their perky, 18-pound Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, J.B. (James Bond), enters the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show breed ring at 12:30 p.m. Monday, owners Lynnette and Randy Bragg’s focus will be in two directions. Yes, that’s right! Their attention, of course, will be directed on this special young champion, but their [...]

As a dog trainer and an instructor for puppy socialization classes, I can’t help but notice that almost all of the purebred puppies I see (and many popular purposely-bred mixes) are not from good local breeders but were purchased through the Internet. It’s actually quite astonishing: On a whim, anyone can [...]

Meet the Otterhound.[/caption] AKC Gazette breed column— Giving the public opportunities to meet a rare breed can be the key to its survival. A rare-breed dog is often a delight to own and an enigma to people unfamiliar with them. Taking a rare-breed dog out for his daily walk in the neighborhood frequently [...]

The Labrador Retriever may have just been named the most popular dog breed in the United States for the 27th year in a row, but overseas, this high-spirited companion doesn’t carry the same kind of clout. According to new research, Europe’s most popular dog breeds are the Cane Corso and the Rottweiler. However [...]

Labrador Retrievers are popular and versatile sporting dogs that make wonderful family companions and top athletes. Labrador Retrievers excel at retriever field trials, where they are tested on their retrieving skills and “learned abilities like steadiness, control, response to direction, and delivery of bird.” So, the retriever community was rattled when these high-drive athletes started [...]

Meet Gayle Watkins, breeder of over 100 titled Golden Retrievers that have excelled in multiple sports and co-founder of Avidog International.  A Gold-level AKC Breeder of Merit, Gayle Watkins of Highlands, North Carolina, puts the “purpose” in multi-purpose dogs: Her Gaylan’s Golden Retrievers have earned more than 140 American and Canadian conformation, obedience, tracking, Rally and [...]

For first-time breeders, the memories of whelping a litter and caring for puppies lasts a lifetime. Breeding a beloved female and raising healthy pups...

It's been almost a decade since Sharon Gardner of Austin, Texas, had her most devastating experience as a Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder. With no warning, her litter of five-and-a-half-week-old puppies began showing signs of lethargy. Then came the diarrhea and vomiting. A test performed by her veterinarian delivered the bleak diagnosis: parvovirus, a highly contagious disease [...]

The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the health of all dogs and their owners through sound scientific research and the dissemination of health information. CHF works with researchers, veterinarians, breed clubs, dog owners, and breeders to find and fund studies with the greatest potential to improve the health [...]

The AKC Breeder Toolkit will be unveiled in Spring 2020, replacing the current Online Record Keeping System. Features include Litter Registration, Breeding Records, Litter Coupons, and more. AKC Breeder Toolkit will be a comprehensive one-stop-shop for all breeder interactions. The American Kennel Club strives to support our valued breeders in every possible way, so in Spring [...]

It can be tricky to know how to find a responsible breeder. Here are some considerations to guide you in your search for your next puppy.

Header photo courtesy of Nancy Bishop, AKC Breeder of Merit The decision to get a puppy is a big one. First, there's deciding what kind of puppy you want, choosing a breed, and then, finding a reputable and professional breeder to ensure you are getting the dog of your dreams. And finding the right breeder [...]

Did you know that when a puppy buyer searches on AKC Marketplace, Breeders of Merit litter listings are the first ones they see? This is because Breeders of Merit receive special AKC Marketplace benefits. These include: Free litter listings for their qualified breed(s) Priority placement in search results Breed-Specific Breeder of Merit identification Breeder [...]

Taking the Time to Pick the Right Breed Makes You The Real Hero With the release of the action adventure movie Underdog, the American Kennel Club® reminds moviegoers about the importance of making careful, educated decisions when considering adding a dog to their home. Distributed by (c) Disney Enterprises, Inc., Underdog is a live [...]

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club announced today that it is now accepting listings for AKC Online Breeder Classifieds (AKC OBC), a new web-based service designed to bring breeders of AKC-registrable puppies together with potential pet owners. A breeder of an AKC-registered litter in good standing with the AKC may place a listing [...]

- Doing the Right Thing for Dogs Everywhere - The American Kennel Club, along with its affiliates, the AKC Canine Health Foundation and AKC Companion Animal Recovery, is the only not-for-profit registry devoted to the health and well-being of dogs. We have allocated more than $30 million to fund programs for the betterment of dogs everywhere. AKC [...]