Kathy Santo, a dog trainer and AKC Family Dog columnist, offers tips on what to buy for your dog, whether you're training for Canine Good Citizen or just brushing up on the basics. TreatsFind out what treats motivate your dog most, and stock up on 'em. Also, have a mix of "regular" treats and "high-value" treats—the […]

Ally RAE CGC owned by Viki Smartt of Knoxville, TN In 2010, a friend of Viki’s spotted an addict trying to sell a young puppy on a street corner and immediately knew he had to help. The friend offered the man $4 as that was all he had in his wallet at the time. It […]

Miss Coco Rochelle CDX PCDX BN GN RAE THDN CGC owned by Jean Schaardt of Manahawkin, NJ Coco had a hard road in life, but is proof you can teach an old dog new tricks.  She spent the first seven years of her life in a Tennessee kennel and then was turned into a shelter, […]

Being selected for one of the US World Agility Teams is considered the ultimate achievement by many in the agility world. Now junior handlers who are 18 years old and younger have the same exciting opportunity. The European Open Junior (EOJ) Agility Championships will take place in Luxembourg July 13 – 16, and the 2017 […]

Ba Sammy Jo UD PCDX BN GN RAE owned by Brittany J. Allen of Decorah, IA Sammy Jo is a four-year-old All American adopted from the Humane Society of Northeast Iowa in the summer of 2013. Sammy trains in multiple k9 sports and recently finished her RAE and Utility Dog titles. Her next obedience goal […]

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 bites of food […]

For National Photography Day, we got some advice from professional pet photographer, Sarah Faith Rosencrans. Check out her helpful hints for taking great pictures of your pup! As a proud dog owner and a professional pet photographer I am always searching for ways to get my rambunctious models to sit still and pose for the camera. […]

by Elissa Kirkegard Ch. Realta's Galileo CD TD SH MHU QAA CGC (IWSCA ALL AROUND RETRIEVER AND IWSCA WCX) Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks? Nine year old veteran retriever and hunting dog, Gali, owned and handled by Elissa Kirkegard, took to the spaniel hunt test game with gusto. This is the […]

Check out the array of trick dog training books that provide simple, easy to follow, step-by-step instructions on how to train your dog to learn tricks. All these books are available thru the AKC online store. For Additional Trick Dog merchandise such as ribbons, rosettes, patches or evaluator pins visit the AKC online store.

January is National Train Your Dog Month and there's no better way to celebrate the bond between you and your canine companion than by introducing some fun into your daily routine. Tricks training is a great way to do that. National Train Your Dog Month was established six years ago by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, […]

In one of the year’s great dog tales, a hero K-9 team who saved lives in Iraq and Afghanistan are reunited in civilian life—after a separation of nearly three years. In June, U.S. Army veteran Staff Sergeant James Harrington, of Mandeville, Louisiana, took possession of retired K-9 Sergeant 1st Class Ryky, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois. […]

AKC GoodDog Helpline Trainer Milena Barreto has taught her Standard Poodle, Phoebe, dozens of tricks, and Phoebe shows them off on her therapy dog visits. Here, Milena tells us how to teach the very cute trick of Peekaboo. Your dog will walk between your legs from behind and sit, peeping out from behind your legs. […]

Trick Dog Titles: The Hamilton of Dog Training Many years and many pounds ago, I was all about ballet dancing. I loved ballet and at that time, had no use for tap, modern dance or jazz. I was a dance traditionalist and couldn’t see the value in a dance form that didn’t involve the discipline […]

with Family's Devotion   While her daughter took a tennis lesson, jogger Vicky Kaseorg put her wait time to good use with a run around the neighborhood. A lifelong animal lover, Vicky forced herself to look away when she spotted a skinny mud-covered dog lying in a parking lot. Surely some kind-hearted person would help, […]

AKC Master Agility Champion (MACH) Popo Yun-Mallan MXB MJS owned by Janet Yun of Houston, TX Popo was found as a stray and turned into one of Houston’s shelters, where Janet rescued him on Chinese New Year’s 2007 when he was about a year old.  “He is our first dog, and we knew instantly when […]

Beowolfe CD BN RAE2 owned by Michael Gilbert of Springfield, OH Michael saved Beowolfe from an animal shelter just three days before he was scheduled to be put to sleep.  “But I can honestly say Beowolfe has saved my life a thousand times and given me a new lease on life,” he said. Michael trained […]

One-year-old mixed-breed, Jade, has an amazing array of tricks up her paw for such a young age! Mixed-breed dogs can join the American Kennel Club through the AKC Canine Partners program for all dogs, including rescues.

Zoey, an adopted mixed-breed dog, has learned numerous tricks and great impulse control skills, as you will see in this video. All dogs, including mixed-breeds, can be part of the American Kennel Club through the AKC Canine Partners program.

Badger is a mixed-breed rescue dog who lives with his owner in Australia. He has learned dozens of cute tricks through positive reinforcement training and aspires to be named Australia's most talented pup! In America, mixed-breed dogs can compete in AKC sports and programs through the AKC Canine Partners program.

This is the talented shelter dog turned inspirational Therapy Dog and International Trick Dog Champion!  Noodles the Wonder Dog, a mixed-breed dog, is also an AKC Canine Good Citizen and entertains around the country to promote rescue. Learn more about Noodles at https://www.facebook.com/NoodlesTheWonderDog Rescue dogs, like Noodles, can be part of AKC events and sports through the […]

Susan Smith of Bordentown, NJ, shares this special story of her mixed-breed, Charm, who has overcome many obstacles to earn the highest honor in AKC Rally. Today, Charm Princess Jewell Smith RAE THD CGC, is healthy, happy and also making others happy through her work as a therapy dog. Charm is a  member of the […]

A great look at early tricks and sports training for this then 15-month-old mixed-breed dog. Mixed-breed dogs can compete in AKC sports through the AKC Canine Partners program for all dogs, including rare breeds and rescues.

Watch this great canine freestyle performance by junior handler and 4-H member Claire Wilcox of Wichita Falls, TX, and her Chihuahua mix, Shadow. Canine freestyle is also known as "dancing with your dog" and requires off-leash control, obedience training and tricks. Shadow is a member of the AKC Canine Partners program for all dogs, including […]

Ferris,a mixed-breed dog in the AKC Canine Partners community, went to his first AKC Rally trials in September and on his second try, he earned a score of 95 out of a possible perfect score of 100 in the Rally Novice A class for beginning handlers and dogs. Rally is a very fun sport in […]

This is the final profile in a series 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 as All-American Dogs, […]

Make Next Year Your Dog’s Best Ever: 5 Great Dog Training Resolutions AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Breanne Long says don’t forget your dog when you are making your New Year’s resolutions for 2016, like try something new and fun with your dog. Kurtis of Kingfisher CAX DJ RATN CGC, (pictured) a member of the AKC […]

Kumala CAX owned by Michelle Jung of Daly City, CA Michelle adopted Kuma from the San Francisco SPCA in 2014 when he was around a year and a half. He was a stray dog from a neighboring county before being picked up and turned into a shelter. “I've had him for about two years now, […]

Coconut THDD CGC spent his first three years of life in a basement until his owner turned him over to a shelter. Dr. Elizabeth Lynch of Greenwich, CT, saw something special in Coco and took him home. With a lot of love, training and trust building, Coco has become a wonderful therapy dog and recently […]

  Coppertone was near death when California residents Heather & Lori Sims rescued her as a young puppy. They spent nights feeding the Miniature Dachshund with an eye dropper because she was too weak to eat on her own. The veterinarian gave her little chance of survival, but the puppy pulled through. The Sims say […]

Gra’Nola Doodle CDX RAE OA OAJ AXP NF OFP THDX owned by Ingrid Schillebeeckx-Rice of Barnegat, NJ Nola’s career started as an animal assisted therapy dog in the ​ Little Egg Harbor School District. Nola worked with both the general and special education population, serving as a catalyst for therapists, teachers and counselors to accomplish […]