Once again, the Bulldog took Los Angeles’s top spot in the 2016 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Bulldog was also recognized as the #1 pup in Las Vegas and San Diego. After a down year, the Labrador Retriever made a jump from a tie in 4th with the […]

Once again, the Labrador Retriever took Atlanta’s top spot in the 2016 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Labrador Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in Denver, Boston, and Seattle, among others. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have climbed the ranks in Atlanta, increasing from eighth to fifth. Boxers, […]

Once again, the Labrador Retriever took Boston’s top spot in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC®) 2016 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Labrador Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in Raleigh, Houston, and Atlanta, among others. There were quite a few shifts and changes among Boston’s most […]

Once again, the Labrador Retriever took Dallas’ top spot in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC®) 2016 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Labrador Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in Chicago, Austin, and Raleigh, among others. Yorkshire Terriers fell drastically in popularity this year in Dallas. The […]

BREED 2015 2014 2013 Retrievers (Labrador) 1 1 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 2 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 3 3 Bulldogs 4 4 5 Beagles 5 5 4 French Bulldogs 6 9 11 Yorkshire Terriers 7 6 6 Poodles 8 7 8 Rottweilers 9 10 9 Boxers 10 8 7 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 11 12 […]

  A dog gate creates a boundary that keeps your dog either inside or outside another area of the house or grounds. It’s a useful piece of equipment, whether you have a brand new puppy or dogs that usually have the run of the house. A gate gives a puppy a safe, dog-proofed area to […]

  The English Toy Spaniel is the quintessential lap dog. Loyal and loving, they always want to be with their owners. Here are some interesting facts about this cuddly breed: 1. They Are Believed to Have Come From Japan Although no one is sure exactly where the English Toy Spaniel originated, experts agree the breed […]

  Find more information on all the different breeds of puppies. Not sure which puppy is right for you? Take a short quiz to Find a Match. A | B | C | D | E |  F | G | H | I | J |  K | L | M | N | O |  P | R | S | T | V |  W | X | Y A. Breed Group Affenpinscher Toy Afghan Hound Hound Airedale Terrier Terrier Akita Working Alaskan Malamute Working American English Coonhound Hound American Eskimo Dog […]

  Purebred dogs are purpose-bred dogs and come in all shapes and sizes. The characteristics that make each of these dogs unique also help them perform the function for which they were bred. The physical appearance of the dogs illustrates this, and is also an important part of the breed’s history. For example, the thick […]

You're constantly forcing a smile when someone says, “Wow, she must be ferocious!” while out on a walk.   Forget to wipe his eye boogers off for a day or two? Be prepared for Stinky Face. That high-pitched yap that pierces through into your ear drum, through your brain, and into your soul.   Bath time […]

Ways to Increase the Chance of TV News Coverage for Your Dog Show TV crews are eager to cover local stories and your hometown dog show easily fits the bill. Even if there may be a bigger dog show, your local show can serve as a lead-up, building anticipation toward larger shows. Luck sometimes plays […]

  The Sussex Spaniel is a True Original: Among the First AKC Registered Breeds in History "Stump" and owner-handler Scott Sommer won Best in Show at the 133rd Westminster Kennel Club Show. The American Kennel Club®, a non-profit organization whose rules govern more than 20,000 canine competitions each year including the famed Westminster Kennel Club […]

AKE 20.3 1889-1908 1.75 linear ft (in 2 flat boxes.) Processed by Brynn White, 2016   Click here for a printable PDF of the collection finding aid   The collection includes clippings of the 204 pen drawings by promiment dog painter and show judge Gustav Muss-Arnolt published between 1889 and 1908 in the American Kennel Club […]

In the 1950s, the Poodle skirt as a fashion trend embodied the popularity of the number one AKC® registered breed. And if the recent media attention surrounding the release of AKC's 2006 Registration Statistics is any indication, not only does the Labrador Retriever reign supreme, but the purebred dog remains one of the most popular […]

-- Inaugural Meet the Breeds an Overwhelming Success -- This past weekend, the American Kennel Club, along with our friends at the Cat Fanciers’ Association, hosted 36,000 people over two days at Meet the Breeds in New York City. As anticipated, it was an unparalleled success resulting from the participation of nearly 200 dog clubs […]

-- AKC Celebrates 125th Anniversary with a Look Back at First AKC Registered Breeds in History -- For the 18th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America, according to 2008 registration statistics released today by the American Kennel Club® (AKC) But, while more than twice as many Labs were […]

Ask AKC  Dear AKC : We have two nine-month old Yorkshire Terriers. They are wonderful, energetic little bundles of fun but the little female will look for and consume their feces. I pick up their stools around the yard but inadvertently I miss some. Is there any supplement I can give her in her food that […]

Got a minute? If so, you can learn the essentials of any breed. Not enough to call yourself an expert, of course. But in the time it takes to watch a TV commercial, you can pick up just enough breed knowledge to bluff your way through a conversation at the dog park. The average adult […]

We often hear dog shows accused of being nothing but “beauty contests.” In reality, they’re organized more like job fairs. At AKC shows, dogs are exhibited in seven groups organized by the original work the breeds were created to do. The dog judged best in each group becomes one of the final seven to vie […]

The Westminster Kennel Club recently announced that Mr. Thomas H. Bradley III is scheduled to judge Best in Show at the club’s 141st dog show Feb. 13–14, 2017. A lifetime participant in the dog sport, Mr. Bradley competed in his first dog show as a teenager in 1955, showing his German Shorthaired Pointer at the […]

The Labrador Retriever has done it again. The intelligent, family friendly breed held onto the number one spot on the most popular list for the 24th consecutive year, continuing the longest reign as the nation’s top dog in American Kennel Club history. For the full list of breed rankings, click here. While the Lab holds strong, […]

The range of sizes among dog breeds is greater than that of any other animal. For example, a 150-pound Newfoundland is 50 times the size of a three-pound Pomeranian. And as you might expect, large breed puppies and small breed puppies have very different nutritional needs. There are general rules for feeding any puppy, but […]

If you are a judge, do you find it harder to go from judging Great Danes to judging Yorkshire Terriers, or to go from judging English Cocker Spaniels to judging American Cocker Spaniels? In other words, is it harder to turn the page in your mind and adjust for the vast differences between two breeds […]

AKC Community Canine is the advanced level of Canine Good Citizen. For people interested in taking the test with their dog, we created this video to demonstrate the 10 steps of the test. We hope to see you and your dog earning your AKC Community Canine title soon! Learn how to get started here. The […]

"What she lacks in size, she makes up in spirit!" Meet Winnie the six-year-old Yorkshire Terrier. She may be a small dog, but she makes a big difference in the lives of children. Winnie is a registered therapy dog and volunteer at Brenner Children's Hospital. We sat down with Winnie's owner, Casaundra, and talked to […]

Does size really matter? Not in the case of Benji, a Yorkshire Terrier credited with saving his owner, Vietnam veteran Larry Yepez, from a vicious bear attack. Yepez told Your Central Valley, a local news station in California, that a 250-pound black bear attacked him in his home last week (scroll down for video). He […]

A 79-year-old New York woman is crediting her Yorkshire Terrier, Labella, with saving her life. When Dottie Fisher was napping last week, Labella, a hearing-alert dog, jumped on her and incessantly nudged her. Although Labella will let Fisher know when a doorbell is ringing or calling on the phone, she's rarely so insistent. And true to […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and Royal Canin are pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2016 National Championship to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2016. The 2016 event will showcase the top national and international dogs and will also […]

There's a special event at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin in Orlando, Fla. where the only competition may be for which dog breed you fall in love with first. AKC Meet the Breeds® gives dog lovers, adults and children, alike, a unique chance to meet and play with dogs of more than […]

  Dogs love their owners and we love them; it's pretty simple. So it goes without saying that we want to involve them in everything we do! This month is Pride Month and dogs have taken to celebrating with their owners, family, and friends — and luckily for us, we get to see them get […]