Puppy biting can become a problem behavior if not nipped in the bud. Teaching bite inhibition, offering chew toys, and training are all ways to curb biting.

Question: I have a 4 month old Wire Fox Terrier who is a "mouther." Since I am the main subject of his mouthing affection, I continue to have small punctures and scratches on on my arms, hands and ankles. He has a number of puppy teething toys and we have tried "no" commands, displeasure yelps, constraint [...]

Puppy mouthing and play biting hurts, but with patient, consistency, and these expert tips you can teach your puppy not to mouth humans.

Sandra C. asked what to do about her young Australian Shepherd that likes to nip at her and sometimes bites hard enough to draw blood. AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Paisley Lunchick offers up some advice. Biting is a normal part of being a dog and serves a variety of functions. Some breeds, such as the [...]

From the AKC GoodDog! Helpline Team Dogs are wonderful. They are family members and best friends, providing companionship and unconditional love. But dogs and people do not always speak the same language. It is important to educate yourself and your family about safety around dogs so you can recognize when a dog feels uncomfortable and [...]

Donald Rakestraw of Wichita, KS, wrote this amazing story of a nearly feral dog who was found living in culverts in a neighborhood. Donald and his wife, Naomi, adopted the dog after her rescue and quickly realized that they had taken on a dog with many serious issues, including extreme fear that led to growling [...]

Training began for Jax on the day he joined the Majerle family of Phoenix, AZ. He was nine weeks old. “From day one,” Brandi Majerle said. “At meal time, instead of putting down a bowl full of his food, I treated each meal as a training session. I hand fed him small [...]

This is the third in a series of profiles on the six top mixed-breed dogs that received the invitations to compete in the 2015 AKC Agility Invitational. The annual event takes place Dec. 11-13 in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships in conformation and the AKC Obedience Classic. Mixed-breed dogs, known [...]

This is the fourth in a series of profiles on the six top mixed-breed dogs that received the invitations to compete in the 2016 AKC Agility Invitational. The annual event takes place Dec. 17-18 in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships in conformation and the AKC Obedience Classic. Name: MACH8 Feel The [...]

This article originally appeared in AKC Family Dog magazine. Alaska wags her tail and wiggles her body every time a person approaches. She has a great grin and calm demeanor but, turned in as a stray to a small rural shelter, her adoption chances were slim. She was an adult. She was black (the least [...]

Below are some frequently asked questions about finding information on the new AKC.org website. If you have a moment, we encourage you to read the step-by-step instructions or watch the video to familiarize yourself with the structure of the new site to help you during future visits. Select your device: Desktop Instructions Mobile Instructions [...]

Below are some frequently asked questions about finding information on the new AKC.org website. If you have a moment, we encourage you to read the step-by-step instructions or watch the video to familiarize yourself with the structure of the new site to help you during future visits. Select your device: Desktop Instructions Mobile Instructions [...]

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Below are some frequently asked questions about finding information on the new AKC.org website. If you have a moment, we encourage you to read the step-by-step instructions or watch the video to familiarize yourself with the structure of the new site to help you during future visits. Select your device: Desktop Instructions Mobile Instructions [...]

The American Kennel Club - National Core Professional Dog Grooming Educational Standards aims to establish clear expectations that ensure all professional dog groomers have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the dog grooming industry. The American Kennel Club -CoreNational Professional Dog Grooming Educational Standard allows flexibility in the design and method of instruction [...]

  Welcome to the AKC . We have put together definitions for dog words that you may not be familiar with. If you have additional questions regarding the glossary, please contact our Special Services Department. A Abdomen The belly or under surface between the chest and the hindquarters. Acetabulum The concave lateral portion of the sacrum [...]

Canine Partners Spotlight: Abandoned Pup Grows Up to Perform Heroic Act Zoee started life as an unwanted puppy, left by a Minnesota road with her littermates. Good Samaritans rescued the pups, and Zoee went to a foster home with the hopes of eventually becoming a service dog. Even though that career was not for Zoee [...]

Learning Objectives Through the analysis of a variety of sources, students will learn about the history of guide dogs and how the program has evolved over the years.   Grade Levels 9-12   National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change Theme 8: Science, Technology, and Society   ELA/Literacy Standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY [...]

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TSA/ACS Hunt test We ask you to take your puppy through this test at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and send us the video. Several downloadable resources are shown below and more information is available in the Blog section of this website. Hunt Test Score Sheet (download below) Hunt Test Score Sheet and Reference Guide Hunt Test [...]

This program has been helping people to raise detection dogs since February of 2019. That means that we have people now with adult dogs who want to know what the next step is for them to have the dog looked at for purchase. The how of it is a little complicated. It is complicated by politics [...]

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Competition/Titles Update Winter 2022 We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles and honors in Agility, Coursing Ability, Fast CAT Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, Tracking, and Trick Dog. Many dogs are also having success in AKC’s Virtual Titling programs! AGILITY Agility Grand Champion (AGCH) AGCH MACH3 Up [...]

In our award-winning Down and Back: Stories From the American Kennel Club Archives dog podcast, now in Season Four, 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 brings [...]

AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge Official Rules All federal, state, local and municipal laws and regulations will apply. Void where prohibited. By participating, entrants agree to abide by and be bound by these Official Rules. Internet access, video camera and email address required. 1. Eligibility: Individuals over eighteen (18) years of age who exhibit a dog that [...]

The Spotlight shines on a new agility handler and dog team that are learning the ropes together. Amos Gingrich and his Border Collie, Piper, are the recipients of the AKC Agility League’s first Most Improved handler/dog team, which they won for their Summer Season performance. They live in Alaska and ran on the [...]

As much fun as you have together, there will be times when you’ll need to leave your puppy at home unattended or times when someone else needs to take your puppy to provide grooming or veterinary care. Some puppies have problems when they are separated from their owners. In the extreme form, these problems [...]

AKC Urban CGC is a title in the Canine Good Citizen family of awards and titles that also include AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen and AKC Community Canine. AKC Urban CGC requires that the dog demonstrate CGC skills and beyond in an urban setting. As with Canine Good Citizen, AKC Urban [...]

WELCOME TO VIRTUAL HOME MANNERS! If you have trained your puppy or adult dog at home and would like to earn the AKC’s Virtual Home Manners titles to demonstrate your accomplishments, this is the place for you! What is Virtual Home Manners? Virtual Home Manners (VHM) is the answer when you want to train [...]

Ed K.  I have called twice, and both times was given great ideas to get my picky eater to eat. I also followed their game ideas, given to use up my puppy's energy in a positive way. Both times the helpline trainers were friendly and patient with me and also very encouraging. Sherrie C. I [...]