Originally bred to help hunters, retrievers were tasked with finding birds or other game and bringing them back undamaged. For this sort of job, the dog needed a “soft,” gentle mouth, where they would carefully carry the prey without damaging it. Also required were strength and agility to traverse a rugged landscape or work in […]

It was the canine version of the Titanic – but with far less tragic results. In 1807, a ship left Newfoundland, Canada, bound for the English harbor of Poole in Dorset. Off the Maryland coast, it encountered a heavy gale, and began to take on water. With the smaller boats on the brig swept out […]

n 1897, when two Newfoundland puppies, Canton and Sailor, were rescued from a shipwreck off the Maryland coast, the heritage of the Chesapeake Water Dogs began. Hunting season on the Chesapeake Bay is cold and stormy, with icy winds and strong tides. The sportsmen needed a tough retriever who could brave the bay’s freezing waters […]

What makes your dog's coat long, short, straight, curly, wiry or silky? Most coat types are determined by genes at just three genetic locations.

Order AKC DNA + Health Kit Activate AKC DNA Kit DNA Resource Center All AKC DNA + Health Kits include: The AKC DNA Profile of 201 markers for genetic identity and parentage verification purposes 328 genetic variants for health and traits, including coat color Results are delivered by our trusted service provider (Neogen) with the […]

Canine degenerative myelopathy (also known as DM) is a spinal cord disease. DM can result in gradual paralysis in dogs, starting in the hind legs.

All AKC DNA + Health Kits include the original 201 markers for genetic identity and parentage verification purposes, as well as over 328 genetic variants for health and traits. Download a pdf of all included tests Health Tests Acral Mutilation Syndrome (AMS, SN) This genetic variant is associated with an inherited neurological disease characterized by […]

The AKC uses registration data to collect the most popular breeds of the past year, and for the first time in history, the French Bulldog takes the #1 spot

Imagine you are 19 years old, your apartment has been destroyed by Russian bombs, and you have left your family and friends behind in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Now, nine months later you find yourself in the bright lights at The National Dog Show in Oaks, Pennsylvania, with an affable 3½-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Quentin beside […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to recognize breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups as 2021 AKC Breeder of the Year group honorees. “It is our pleasure to honor this group of esteemed breeders,” said Dennis Sprung, AKC President and CEO. “These individuals have made important contributions […]

On the morning of September 12, 2001, Susan Cohen was going to her job at New York City’s Animal Medical Center when she saw a search-and-rescue German Shepherd Dog being rushed into the emergency room. The dog had been overcome by toxic fumes at Ground Zero, and needed medical help fast. As AMC’s director of […]

It was strange, eerie even, like one of those science-fiction movies where a person wanders into a town invaded by space aliens. No matter where you looked, there they were: little brown dogs. They were romping on lawns, trotting into grocery stores, sailing by on shrimp boats, and peering out the windows of cars and […]

Cairn Terrier Learn about Cairn Terriers [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] Cairn Terrier Club of America Patricia Gould, 9510 190th Place SW Edmonds, WA 98020; 406-459-8290; CairnPup@gmail.com Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] Canaan Dog Learn about Canaan Dogs [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] Canaan Dog Rescue Network, Inc. [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] Cane Corso Learn about Cani Corso [accordion] […]

A nose punch to the hand, a play bow, and a swipe with a paw. Add a yip, a lick, and a tug at clothing, and it looks like a dog in hijinks heaven. These silly shenanigans are all fun and games until someone’s type 1 diabetes fluctuates to a life-threatening level. That’s when a […]

Since acquiring their first Labrador Retriever over 20 years ago, Brenda and Ken Neil, AKC's 2019 Breeders of the Year for Retriever Field Events, have been among the breed's biggest champions. While that first Lab's life was sadly cut short, the Neils are a long way from heartbreak now. Today, they invite as many black Labrador […]

Breed 2018 Rank 2017 Rank 2016 Rank 2015 Rank 2014 Rank Labrador Retrievers 1 1 1 1 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 2 2 2 2 Golden Retrievers 3 3 3 3 3 French Bulldogs 4 4 6 6 9 Bulldogs 5 5 4 4 4 Beagles 6 6 5 5 5 Poodles 7 7 […]

Click below to see titles and abbreviations for: Prefix Titles Suffix Titles Parent Club Titles Working Dog Titles Other Recognized Titles Other Title Lists: Titles Sorted by Sport Titles Sorted in Alphabetic Order   Prefix Titles Title Title Name AFC An Amateur Field Trial Champion title can be earned in either Beagle Field Trials, Pointing […]

All dogs six months of age or older from the following breeds are eligible to participate in Spaniel Hunting Tests: AKC Recognized Breeds Airedale Terriers American Water Spaniels Boykin Spaniels Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Clumber Spaniels Cocker Spaniels Curly-Coated Retrievers English Cocker Spaniels English Springer Spaniels Field Spaniels Flat-Coated Retrievers Golden Retrievers Irish Water Spaniels Labrador […]

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Sienna Bay Watermark Dirk DM DS TKN TKI CGC, shows off one of his tricks that helped earn him the new AKC Intermediate Trick Dog title. Eleven-year-old Kya has had an impressive career that includes a conformation championship and rally titles. Being a veteran has limited some of her activities, but that […]

The Westminster Kennel Club recently announced that Mr. Thomas H. Bradley III is scheduled to judge Best in Show at the club’s 141st dog show Feb. 13–14, 2017. A lifetime participant in the dog sport, Mr. Bradley competed in his first dog show as a teenager in 1955, showing his German Shorthaired Pointer at the […]