Update: On 1/25/24, SB 1238 was passed with amendments, and referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for further consideration. The American Kennel Club (AKC) encourages New Jersey residents to join in expressing support of Senate Bill 1238, which seeks to require employers that serve customers in public facilities to provide training to employees […]

Friday, March 15, 2019 The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to support Minnesota House File 478.  Like its companion bill, SF 1109, this bill seeks to provide $150,000 in funding for the training of service dogs to assist some of the state’s firefighters with posttraumatic stress disorder.  All Minnesota residents are encouraged to join […]

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to support Minnesota Senate Bill 1109.  The bill seeks to provide $150,000 in funding for the training of service dogs to assist some of the state’s firefighters with posttraumatic stress disorder.  All Minnesota residents are encouraged to join in support of the bill. AKC’s […]

Meet Jaquie Blake and her one-year-old Golden Retriever, Harlow. Harlow is an unbelievably special pup, who works hard every day training to be a service dog for Jaquie.     A photo posted by A service pup in training! ♿�� (@helper_dog_harlow) on Jun 17, 2016 at 1:55pm PDT Jaquie suffers from epilepsy and narcolepsy, among […]

Aero, a Rottweiler service dog in training, participated in Camelback High School's graduation ceremony on Thursday. Aero has been working with a senior at the Phoenix school as part of his training with Lifeline Assistance Dogs. Aero participated in graduation rehearsal and his owner, Riann, posted this on the dog's Facebook page: "Aero will be […]

At six prisons in New York and New Jersey, inmates can participate in a program where they learn to train purpose-bred Labrador Retrievers to become service dogs for veterans and explosive detection dogs for law enforcement. But as much as the inmates are helping train the dogs, the dogs are teaching the inmates responsibility and helping them gain a sense of self. […]

Kallie, a psychiatric service dog, and Rio, a puppy in training to become a service dog, go on an outing to Walmart to work on their training. Rio is a Labrador Retriever, and Kallie is a Border Collie/Cattle Dog mix.

Jennie LaPrade's three AKC FIT DOG Canaan Dogs, Argos, Jessie, and Kuma love their daily walks. Now they're taking on other dog sports.

When Kevin Holmes went looking for a service dog that would double as a competition teammate two years ago, he had specific idea in mind. His answer? "Natalie" the German Wirehaired Pointer.

Every season is the right time for dog training but spring and summer, when the weather inspires owners to spend more time with their dogs, is a particularly good time to get busy with training that helps to make their relationship even better. One of the things you can do to make their journey even […]

Every dog benefits from training, but it can feel overwhelming to figure out where to get started. The first step to training your dog is finding the...

Captain Max Emil Friedrich von Stephanitz and his friend Artur Meyer developed the German Shepherd Dog in the mid-19th century. The creators wanted a...

Owner-handler Kyllian Genzmer, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, got her Belgian Sheepdog to be her pet. "Legend" ended up being so much more.

Minnesota House File 4215 seeks to fund a program that would provide grants to nonprofit organizations that train and place therapy dogs in state and local law enforcement agencies located in Minnesota to aid in treating peace officers suffering from job-related trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder and to assist in responding to calls involving persons […]

8-year-old Belgian Malinois "Bullitt" may be getting older, but he's not slowing down. A 2022 NADD Hall of Fame Inductee, he's competing in the 2024 Diving Dogs Challenge.

If you've ever flown with your pet, you know it can be stressful. But there are jets specifically for pet travel, and planes made for your dog!

Tomorrow, February 13, is the last day in the State of Washington for bills introduced to be voted out of their original chamber. AKC continues to monitor several bills impacting dog owners in Washington state. Below are the latest updates, along with contact information if you wish to comment on any of these measures. AKC […]

New Jersey Senate Bill 1253 seeks to create a three-year pilot program to assess the academic and health benefits associated with the use of therapy dogs in public elementary school wellness programs.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) strongly supports S.1253; and encourages New Jersey residents to express their support of S.1253 with the members of […]

When he was born, he was struggling to survive. Now, Australian Shepherd "Leonidas" is a conformation dog and PTSD service dog.

Some dogs eagerly await car rides, but for other dogs, traveling by car or airplane can be stressful and nausea-inducing. Can you give them Dramamine?

Although dog walks are a great way to provide exercise and enrichment to most dogs, they can be the source of stress for others. How can you help?

The Florida Senate Committee on Agriculture is scheduled to consider Senate Bill 1156, which would expand the state’s dangerous dog law, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.  Residents are urged to contact committee members and politely ask them to not advance Senate Bill 1156 as introduced, and to work with knowledgeable animal advocacy organizations and stakeholders […]

The AKC FIT DOG program began in 2022 and is designed to encourage dogs and people to be more active with their dogs to support their health and fitness.

Whether they're going solo or in a group, dog owners are taking part in AKC FIT DOG challenges to keep themselves and their dogs in shape. One such group is members of the Southwest Obedience Club of Los Angeles, who found their love of fitness together — almost by accident.

The American Kennel Club's newly recognized breed, the Lancashire Heeler, is the 201st recognized breed, part of the Herding Group.

There are many reasons to change a dog's name, and it only takes a few simple steps to do so. Learn why and how to change your dog's name.

[accordion] [accordion_panel title="2024"] AKC National Detection Dog Conference, July 23 – 25, 2024  The AKC Detection Dog Task Force (DDTF) is pleased to announce the AKC National Detection Dog Conference will take place July 23 – 25, 2024, at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio. This year’s theme is Detection Dogs: Past, Present & Future. The […]

Update: Season 4 is coming soon! In our award-winning Down and Back: Stories From the American Kennel Club Archives dog podcast, host Bud Boccone tells the tales of breeds, dogs, and personalities who’ve shaped America (and Americans) over generations. Using the American Kennel Club's historical records, archival material, oral histories, interviews, and more, the show […]

"Tuffie" the Saint Bernard can handle a lot, and she was front-line as a therapy dog when a mass shooting rattled Saint Francis Medical Center, a hospital where she often did therapy sessions.

"Queue" is an electronic detection K-9 Lab with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office. She helps convict child abusers and traffickers as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit.