The Schipperke, Belgium's "little captain," is the traditional barge dog of the Low Countries. Curious, lively, and intense but mischievous, this little black dog is a robust, long-lived companion for whom there is never a dull moment.

The bubonic plague, or Black Death, was unleashed in 1348 by the humble rat flea. The plague decimated the people of Europe and before the connection was made between the plague and rats, half of all Europeans — by some estimates 40 or 50 million — suffered an unspeakably gruesome death. In the wake of […]

Senior dogs really can do it all. On Friday, March 15, Carol Davis and her 12-year-old Schipperke, Misty, won the 2019 AKC Rally National Championship. "I can't tell you how good it feels," Davis says. "The past three years, we've always placed second. Today we got first." Davis says she plans to celebrate with her cheering section […]

AKC Breeder of Merit and Bred with H.E.A.R.T. breeder Beth Lilly, owner of Safari Schipperkes, fell in love with her first Schipperke, Smokey, more than 30 years ago. At first, she was “just your average pet owner.” But with encouragement from a friend, she became a dedicated fancier and in the past 23 years has produced 38 champions and had well over 100 health tests performed on them. Smokey passed away at 19 years of age, and Beth said she still misses him.  […]

Alopecia X is a non-inflammatory hair cycle abnormality that typically affects double-coated breeds like the Pomeranian and other arctic dog breeds. Affected dogs start losing their outer guard hairs as a young adult. The disease progresses to what veterinarians call bilaterally symmetrical alopecia – complete hair loss on the trunk that spares the head and […]

Dedicated to the Schipperke breed, professional breeder and handler Krista Nuovo-Roe of DeLamer Schipperkes has been involved with dogs since she was a child. Since then she has grown into a serious competitor who has worked extremely hard to produce champion dogs. While Nuovo-Roe began working with a different, much larger type of breed, the […]

Much has been talked about and written of late about a disturbing trend evident at dog shows: poor sportsmanship. We’ve all heard comments such as “Well, handlers always win with that judge,” or “I can’t believe that dog won the breed,” or “Can you believe what was put up for Winners?” Let’s go back in […]

The 143rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, presented by Purina® Pro Plan® awarded one dog in each of the seven groups Best in Group. Some of these winning breeds, like the Wire Fox Terrier, have won their group 23 times. Yet others, like the Schipperke and Havanese, won their groups for the first time. Best in Terrier Group Best […]

When most people think of boisterous, outdoorsy dogs, they think of the larger working and sporting breeds. Dogs like Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are popular choices for those looking for an outgoing, extroverted dog. But there are a lot of small breeds with some pretty big personalities. Not all small breeds are satisfied being […]

Ever hesitate to bring up a hard-to-pronounce foreign name because you’re afraid you’ll pull a Travolta and totally butcher it? To help you avoid these uncomfortable moments, WOOFipedia presents this handy pronunciation guide to five breeds whose names you’re embarrassed to say aloud at the dog park. Entlebucher Mountain Dog ENT-leh-boo-cur This Swiss herder’s name […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) continues its support of students pursuing veterinary studies with the presentation of the 2015 AKC/American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) Veterinary Scholarship to Courtney Korff, a third-year student at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. This $5,000 scholarship, offered since 2009, is designed to support individuals with a background in […]

"AKC Breeder of the Year" to be Announced at AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Orlando, Fla.   The American Kennel Club® announced today the seven group recipients of the 2012 AKC® Breeder of the Year Award.  The award honors breeders who have dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament and quality of purebred dogs.   […]

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Hartman to Director of Agility. Hartman joined the AKC in May, 2003 as the Agility Manager in the Companion Events department and was quickly promoted to Manager of Companion Events in September, 2003. In April 2004, he joined the […]

Saint Bernard Learn about Saint Bernards [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] St. Bernard Club of America  Saint Bernard Rescue Group Email: saintsrgreat6@gmail.com [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] Saluki Learn about Salukis [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] Saluki Club of America Sara Winstead – salukis777@aol.com Saluki Tree of Life Alliance, Inc. [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] Samoyed Learn about Samoyeds [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] Samoyed Club […]

For purposes of imposing a consistent format at dog shows, the AKC family of breeds is divided into seven groups. The hounds, terriers, and toy dogs each have their own group. The herding dogs that move livestock are grouped together, and so are the big working dogs that pull, protect, patrol, and do other heavy work. Likewise, sporting dogs, […]

Lemke’s Rudy THDD owned by Judy Lemke of West Sacramento, CA Ten-year-old Rudy is an unassuming little dog who is a mix of Schipperke and Toy Poodle. “Packed within this small dog is a loving and willing heart,” Judy said. Rudy tested in March 2009 for Lend A Heart, Lend A Hand Animal Assisted Therapy […]

What makes a dog smart? Discover how canine intelligence is defined and which dog breeds consistently rank highest.

Daily Life Smaller dogs don’t necessarily need to work off loads of energy, so they are quite suitable for apartment life. But not all small dogs live to be lap warmers! Certain breeds like Dachshunds or small terriers would also love country life and the opportunity to run around on a farm. If your family […]

    2023 AKC Fast CAT Invitational – Pure Speed Rankings Fri. December 15, 2023 – FINAL ROUND as of 5:05 PM ***All official and final results will be posted following the conclusion of the event*** BELOW 12" / HC 2 PLACE CALL NAME BREED OWNER TIME 1 Winston Bolt French Bulldog Braden Frederick 8.485 […]

The regal Chow Chow has a fascinating history and many unique features. But did you know that they have blue-black tongues? Read on to learn more about this breed.

On Saturday, March 16, the top 50 of 118 dogs advanced to the next day of competition at the National Obedience Championship. The winners and top four dogs in each of the eight groups were also announced. Sporting Group Beacon the Golden Retriever, handled by Kathy Rasinowich This is Rasinowich's 17th NOC. "Beacon is like Clem […]

Small dogs are some of the most popular dog breeds in the world. Here are the smallest dog breeds guaranteed to make you smile.

It's essential to prepare ahead of time to protect your dog from the heat during summer, especially if you could lose access to air conditioning.

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, […]

Maple and her owner Susan Stejskal have won the 2025 Award for Canine Excellence in the Search and Rescue - Human Remains Detection category.

  Finishing touches are being applied to Monroe County Fairgrounds; Monroe, Michigan for the annual dog show, hosted this July holiday weekend by Ann Arbor Kennel Club. From Friday July 3rd through Sunday 5th more than two thousand dogs will compete in Conformation, Rally, Obedience and Barn Hunt. For the first time ever, Dock Diving […]

It’s good to be King. On Feb. 12, the Wire Fox Terrier Grand Champion Kingarthur Van Foliny Home was crowned Best in Show at the 143rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, presented by Purina® Pro Plan® at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The victory was nothing if not dynastic: Wire Fox Terriers are the […]

Award Presented at AKC/Eukanuba National Championship   James W. Smith of North Collins, NY was honored with the 2012 AKC Breeder of the Year Award for his Absolutely Smooth Fox Terriers at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship on Sunday, December 16, 2012.  The annual award honors those breeders who have dedicated their lives to improving the […]

In addition to the renowned conformation show, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan® hosted the third annual Masters Agility Championship and the inaugural year of the Masters Obedience Championship.   Masters Agility Championship Agility is an athletic event designed to demonstrate a dog's willingness to work in a variety of […]

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 […]