By AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Elizabeth Sandling A therapy dog can bring much comfort and joy when visiting people in places such as retirement homes, nursing homes, hospitals, schools to help children with special needs, and visiting those who have experienced a stressful or crisis situation. A therapy dog's job is to make people [...]

Some dogs regularly chomp on fingers while taking their treats. Some only do it when they are excited or all revved up.  Either way, taking things gently in the mouth is a learned skill for some dogs, especially when they are excited! If your dog is a regular “Jaws,” he needs to learn that fingers [...]

The membership of the Atlanta Obedience Club was very honored to present the AKC K-9 Officer Program Certificate to K-9 Officer Tryko of Doraville, Georgia. Tryko was presented the certificate during Atlanta Obedience Club’s Responsible Dog Owners Day event. Atlanta Obedience Club donates to The Pawlice Fund which was set up by a local [...]

Wanna Play a Game? The article is contributed by competitor and trainer Norah C. Strebel of Utah, who describes her play/tug warm-up routine with her agility partner, Cider, an All American Dog. Norah discovered the world of dog sports with the adoption of a flying disc-obsessed mixed-breed dog in 2000. Since then, she has participated [...]

How to tease with a toy/towel Examples of exaggerated animation of the towel as a reward object. If the dog is not enticed or excited about playing with the towel, they will likely ignore it. You must bring it to life and remember "The bunny never jumps in the dog's mouth". DO NOT practice [...]

American Kennel Club Updates on COVID-19 Pandemic Please see the following message from the AKC Board of Directors and AKC Staff: Covid-19: Participating in Dog Sports The American Kennel Club continues to encourage each of its 5,000 clubs to adhere to federal, state and local restrictions pertaining to minimizing the spread of COVID-19.  As states gradually [...]

The one thing I see often as people explore detection with their dogs is the sole use of searching. It is better to think of it in three parts. Olfactory acuity- This involves the mechanical design of the nose, the olfactory epithelium (OE) that odors attach to, the learned behavior of sniffing, and the brain [...]

Here are some guidelines for conducting the test: When submitting a hunt test video it must be continuous and without interruption or editing. Try not to retest in any phase, other than if it is clear the dog was not tracking a thrown towel during Chase Retrieve or Hidden Grass. If you find yourself trying [...]

Although occasionally somewhat willful by nature, Stabyhouns are obedient, gentle, and patient dogs, who are deeply fond of their family, wanting to please their owners. He is both a soft-mouthed retriever and a pointer that is particularly useful for hunting ducks and upland birds. He is a fine retriever, and water work is one of [...]

The Samoyed is a substantial but graceful dog standing anywhere from 19 to a bit over 23 inches at the shoulder. Powerful, tireless, with a thick all-white coat impervious to cold—Sammies are perfectly beautiful but highly functional. Even their most delightful feature, a perpetual smile, has a practical function: The upturned corners of the mouth keep [...]