On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on an amended Animals ordinance that will negatively impact responsible dog breeders.  It is imperative that DeKalb County residents contact county commissioners immediately to request the ordinance be deferred to allow for further amendments prior to its final consideration. WHAT THE AMENDED [...]

Volunteers may soon be seen throughout Colorado collecting signatures to put a measure on the November 2022 ballot that they will claim will protect animals in the state. The American Kennel Club joins many other animal welfare, livestock and animal husbandry groups in expressing grave concerns and opposition to the proposal. We urge all dog owners [...]

A bill recently introduced in the Iowa Senate would likely have an extremely damaging impact on breeders and fanciers.  This bill is expected to move very quickly.  It is imperative that Iowa dog owners and breeders contact their State Senator TODAY and ask them to oppose Senate File 168.  Click here to find [...]

California legislators are once again attempting to regulate hobby breeders. Introduced by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, AB2513 establishes the "Humane Control of Dog and Cat Overpopulation Act of 2004."   The bill will: Prohibit the sale of unaltered dogs and cats unless the seller has obtained a permit. Create two types of permits. The first will be [...]

In recent months, responsible breeders all across the country have faced an increasing threat of restrictions on their right to breed, both at the municipal and state level. The defeat of proposed legislation in Virginia and Oklahoma was a positive victory for the purebred dog fancy, but introduction of similar proposals is likely in the [...]

Dog breeders in New Hampshire are being targeted by legislation that seeks to make them criminals. The legislation is scheduled for a committee hearing on Tuesday, March 5. Responsible dog breeders and owners across the country are needed to join the fight to defend the rights and reputations of purebred dog breeders and to respectfully educate [...]

Wisconsin Representative Don Pridemore is currently asking legislators to sign on as co-sponsors to LRB 1798 - legislation that would change the definition of "dog breeder" in state law from those who sell 25 dogs per year to those who sell 50 dogs per year. The American Kennel Club strongly believes that all dogs should be raised in [...]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to report the successful completion of Texas' 2009 Legislative Session.  This year, many bills threatened the rights of responsible purebred dog breeders and owners in the Lone Start State, including mandatory spay/neuter, breed-specific, unreasonable breeder oversight, and ownership limit legislation.  However, the legislature's adjournment on [...]

House Bill 1468 has passed the Indiana General Assembly and been signed by Governor Mitch Daniels. When the bill passed the House of Representatives, it contained numerous egregious provisions including limits on dog ownership, restrictive breeding ages, stringent care and conditions, and consumer protection provisions that provided no recourse for the breeder. Thanks to the work [...]

On Thursday, April 30, Connecticut Senate Bill 499, which seeks to impose several changes to Connecticut's consumer protection laws, passed the state's Senate with burdensome last-minute amendments. The bill is now in the House of Representatives. While the American Kennel Club (AKC) supports reasonable consumer protection laws that protect both puppy purchasers and responsible [...]

A bill has been introduced in the Nevada Senate to regulate anyone who wants to breed and sell dogs, regardless of the number.  Senate Bill 241 would require all breeders, regardless of how many dogs owned, to pay a $500 annual fee in order to breed and sell puppies.  It would also impose numerous other [...]

The Indiana House Courts and Criminal Code Committee has agreed to hear a proposed amendment that would require any breeder who owns 10 or more intact female dogs over four months old to register as a commercial breeder.  The amendment also bans ownership of more than 20 intact dogs that are a year of age or [...]

Proposed updates to Palm Beach County’s Animal Care and Control Ordinance and fee schedule would expand breeder regulations; add new rules for hobby breeders, exhibitors, and people who own unaltered dogs or cats; and increase the cost of a hobby breeder permit by 166.7%. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is concerned that these changes could [...]

The New York Legislature recently adjourned after a busy two-year session where AKC followed over 350 bills with the potential to impact dogs and New York dog owners. With state budget discussions dominating much of this year, there was a significant flurry of activity at the end of session to determine which bills would pass before [...]

The Illinois Legislature adjourned the spring 2026 session in the early hours Monday morning.  While the lawmakers will come back for a short session later this fall where bills may be considered, this adjournment crosses a major hurdle for bills impacting dog owners and breeders in Illinois. Thanks to a significant response from dog owners and [...]

Thanks to the strong response from AKC advocates and sportsmen’s groups—and the strong leadership of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson—the House Farm bill, H.R. 7567, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act,” passed by the U.S. House contained positive provisions that support responsible breeding and dog ownership and no [...]

The Missouri Legislature has adjourned for the year, with all bills of concern to dog owners and breeders being tabled or significantly amended. AKC thanks all who took the time to contact leadership and their lawmakers regarding two bills that would have had a detrimental effect on hobby and show breeders.  We also extend special [...]

An Illinois bill seeking in part to impose commercial standards on some home-based kennels and breeding programs has been pulled from consideration and will likely not move forward during the spring session. As mentioned in previous alerts, the “one size fits all” standards in Senate Bill 2990 are geared toward large commercial facilities and fail to [...]

Recently I helped a breeder friend compile a package of handouts to send to prospective owners. This was her first litter so she was new to the process. I was surprised to learn that her bitch’s breeder had not sent her anything comparable when she was shopping for a puppy. I used to think [...]

Finding a responsible breeder you trust is your first—and most important—step to finding your new best friend. Breeders are invaluable resources. Not only are they a bridge between you and your perfect dog, but you can also rely on them throughout your dog’s lifetime. Think of a breeder as your own private [...]

Searching for a new purebred puppy isn’t necessarily as easy as it seems. Sure, anyone can post an advertisement for healthy, purebred, AKC-registered puppies on sites like Facebook and Craigslist, but that doesn’t make them true. It is important for dog owners to know where exactly their new furry friend came from to [...]

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 [...]

By Jo Ann WhiteThere are many good reasons to buy a well-bred purebred dog from a responsible breeder. The first, of course, is predictability. You will know whether you are getting a breed that exemplifies what you want from a dog, rather than an albeit cute puppy who could grow up to be something other [...]

By Cheri Rankin It all started when my daughter, Erin, wanted a "sled dog" for her fourth birthday (because she was enamored of sled-dog movies like Iron Will and Balto). I've been a dog lover all my life and had always had a dog growing up, but at that point we had not had a [...]

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.

For most people, being a responsible dog owner takes the form of caring for our dogs. That means socializing them to become good canine citizens, cleaning up after them, and ensuring they have good veterinary care, nutrition, a warm bed — if not the couch — and toys and treats. But for purebred dog breeders, this sense [...]

For Karen Rowan, a lifelong love of dogs became a decades-long commitment to one breed in particular: the Dalmatian. Alongside her husband, Paul, Rowan has spent more than 30 years developing Gaelic Dalmatians in North Carolina. Their program reflects careful planning, respect for the breed’s history and purpose, and a deep commitment to responsible breeding [...]

Thinking of Buying a Puppy? Find a Responsible Breeder. Don't be put off if a breeder isn't immediately responsive. Hobby breeders often have full-time jobs and they don't always have available puppies. Be selective. Find a responsible breeder who is knowledgeable and make sure you're comfortable with them. Visit the breeder's home or kennel and [...]

  The American Kennel Club has created the petition in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) new proposed regulations which would create harsh and unintended consequences for responsible small and hobby breeders in this country. Please join us by signing the petition before July 16 when the public comment period to the Animal [...]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-profit organization that is the world’s largest registry of purebred and mixed-breed dogs, and a leading voice for canine welfare and responsible ownership, is pleased to announce that applications for the AKC Eddy Award are now open through September 1, 2026. The AKC Eddy Award is designed to encourage and [...]