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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

AKC Group Standards Download AKC approved breed standards by complete group for use on any portable electronic device. Sporting Hound Working Terrier Toy Non-Sporting Herding Misc. Judges Study Guide No single written guide is ever comprehensive enough to be the only learning tool utilized in preparation for judging a new breed. We urge you to […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior […]

Based on American Kennel Club registration statistics, we rank the most popular dog breeds in America each year. The French Bulldog takes the No. 1 spot!

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 25th AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, 2025. The 2025 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]

GCHG CH Hearthmore's Wintergreen Mountain RI CGC TKN FITB, a Giant Schnauzer known as “Monty” triumphed over more than 5,600 competitors to earn a $50,000 cash prize when they were awarded Best in Show at the AKC® National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, held December 14-15, 2024 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, […]

The biggest Conformation event of the year is here, and the results are out! See the group winners of the 2024 AKC National Championship.

The following are the group designations that AKC breeds have been assigned. There are currently 202 breeds and 9 breeds with 21 varieties.  The varieties are by size, color or group.   The varieties are marked by **(Revised 1/01/25) [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Sporting Group – 33 breeds"] Sporting Group Naturally active and alert, Sporting dogs make likeable, […]

The top dogs in the nation were crowned from an overall entry of 139 dogs this past weekend at the first AKC RACH Invitational. Competitions were held December 12-13, 2024, in conjunction with the AKC® National Championship Presented by Royal Canin at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The winners: AKC RACH Invitational […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2024 National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The […]

Based on American Kennel Club registration statistics, we rank the most popular dog breeds in America each year. The French Bulldog takes the No. 1 spot!

Every dog owner thinks their dog is intelligent. In flashes of brilliance, your dog lets you know what time it is because he wants dinner and runs to...

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 […]

Test for what is recommended for your breed. Order AKC DNA + Health Kit The AKC DNA Program recommends that breeders perform DNA tests that are relevant to their breed. The AKC DNA + Health Kit includes over 328 markers for health and traits, and every dog receives results for all tests. However, not all […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2024 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 2024. The 2024 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]