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Breed Club Volunteers Power the 11th Annual AKC Meet the Breeds

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Published: Jan 27, 2020 | 2 Minutes
Updated: Jan 20, 2023
Published: Jan 27, 2020 | 2 Minutes
Updated: Jan 20, 2023
Hundreds of dedicated breed club volunteers made the 11th Annual AKC Meet the Breeds possible. Here, a Belgian Tervuren owner shows off her dog's affection to Meet the Breeds attendees.
David Woo/American Kennel Club
The bold, bewhiskered Standard Schnauzer is a high-spirited farm dog from Germany.
A companion dog whose name is German for “little lion,” the Löwchen has been a popular pet among Continental Europeans for more than 500 years. The portable, non-shedding Löwchen is said to be affectionate, lively, and brave as a lion.
David Woo/American Kennel Club
The Basenji, Africa’s “Barkless Dog,” is a compact, sweet-faced hunter of intelligence and poise. They are unique and beguiling pets, best for owners who can meet their exercise needs and the challenge of training this catlike canine.
The American Eskimo Dog combines striking good looks with a quick and clever mind in a total brains-and-beauty package. Neither shy nor aggressive, Eskies are always alert and friendly, though a bit conservative when making new friends.
The Australian Shepherd, a lean, tough ranch dog, is one of those “only in America” stories: a European breed perfected in California by way of Australia. Fixtures on the rodeo circuit, they are closely associated with the cowboy life.
The Golden Retriever, an exuberant Scottish gundog of great beauty, stands among America’s most popular dog breeds. They are serious workers at hunting and field work, as guides for the blind, and in search-and-rescue, enjoy obedience and other competitive events, and have an endearing love of life when not at work.
The Boston Terrier is a lively little companion recognized by his tight tuxedo jacket, sporty but compact body, and the friendly glow in his big, round eyes. His impeccable manners have earned him the nickname “The American Gentleman.”
Graceful terriers in sheep’s clothing, Bedlington Terriers, named for the English mining shire where they were first bred, are genial housemates, alert watchdogs, versatile athletes, and irresistibly cuddly TV-time companions.
The Smooth Fox Terrier, called the “gentleman of the terrier world,” is a lively, gregarious terrier with a devil-may-care attitude, originally developed for Britain’s traditional foxhunts. They are close relatives to Wire Fox Terriers.
The Lagotto Romagnolo, Italy’s adorable “truffle dog,” sports a curly coat and lavish facial furnishings. Despite their plush-toy looks, Lagotti are durable workers of excellent nose who root out truffles, a dainty and pricey delicacy.
The quick, curious Papillon is a toy dog of singular beauty and upbeat athleticism. Despite his refined appearance, the Pap is truly a “doggy dog” blessed with a hardy constitution. Papillon fanciers describe their breed as happy, alert, and friendly.
Agile, smart and swift, the Peruvian Inca Orchid is an elegant sighthound that developed in Peru. The breed can be hairless or coated, and comes in three sizes: small, medium and large.

Breed Club Volunteers Power the 11th Annual AKC Meet the Breeds

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Hundreds of dedicated breed club volunteers made the 11th Annual AKC Meet the Breeds possible. Here, a Belgian Tervuren owner shows off her dog's affection to Meet the Breeds attendees.
/
David Woo/American Kennel Club
The bold, bewhiskered Standard Schnauzer is a high-spirited farm dog from Germany.
/
A companion dog whose name is German for “little lion,” the Löwchen has been a popular pet among Continental Europeans for more than 500 years. The portable, non-shedding Löwchen is said to be affectionate, lively, and brave as a lion.
/
David Woo/American Kennel Club
The Basenji, Africa’s “Barkless Dog,” is a compact, sweet-faced hunter of intelligence and poise. They are unique and beguiling pets, best for owners who can meet their exercise needs and the challenge of training this catlike canine.
/
The American Eskimo Dog combines striking good looks with a quick and clever mind in a total brains-and-beauty package. Neither shy nor aggressive, Eskies are always alert and friendly, though a bit conservative when making new friends.
/
The Australian Shepherd, a lean, tough ranch dog, is one of those “only in America” stories: a European breed perfected in California by way of Australia. Fixtures on the rodeo circuit, they are closely associated with the cowboy life.
/
The Golden Retriever, an exuberant Scottish gundog of great beauty, stands among America’s most popular dog breeds. They are serious workers at hunting and field work, as guides for the blind, and in search-and-rescue, enjoy obedience and other competitive events, and have an endearing love of life when not at work.
/
The Boston Terrier is a lively little companion recognized by his tight tuxedo jacket, sporty but compact body, and the friendly glow in his big, round eyes. His impeccable manners have earned him the nickname “The American Gentleman.”
/
Graceful terriers in sheep’s clothing, Bedlington Terriers, named for the English mining shire where they were first bred, are genial housemates, alert watchdogs, versatile athletes, and irresistibly cuddly TV-time companions.
/
The Smooth Fox Terrier, called the “gentleman of the terrier world,” is a lively, gregarious terrier with a devil-may-care attitude, originally developed for Britain’s traditional foxhunts. They are close relatives to Wire Fox Terriers.
/
The Lagotto Romagnolo, Italy’s adorable “truffle dog,” sports a curly coat and lavish facial furnishings. Despite their plush-toy looks, Lagotti are durable workers of excellent nose who root out truffles, a dainty and pricey delicacy.
/
The quick, curious Papillon is a toy dog of singular beauty and upbeat athleticism. Despite his refined appearance, the Pap is truly a “doggy dog” blessed with a hardy constitution. Papillon fanciers describe their breed as happy, alert, and friendly.
/
Agile, smart and swift, the Peruvian Inca Orchid is an elegant sighthound that developed in Peru. The breed can be hairless or coated, and comes in three sizes: small, medium and large.

Thousands of dog-lovers made their way to the Javits Center Jan. 25 and 26 for the 11th annual AKC Meet the Breeds®, an unforgettable weekend full of canine fun and education. Adults and children alike went from petting Afghan Hounds to Yorkshire Terriers, learning about purebred dogs and responsible pet ownership along the way. So how do nearly 1,000 dogs get to one place? Individual owners and breeders volunteer to represent their National Breed Club by bringing their dogs to the event.

Behind every pettable dog at AKC Meet the Breeds is a person who has worked years to educate themselves and others about their breed, train their dog, and improve the breed’s health and reputation.

Coming from all over the country, breed representatives dedicate much of their lives mastering and bettering their breed. True experts, these devoted volunteers spend time educating the public year-round about topics such as:

The passion these breed representatives have shows through at events like AKC Meet the Breeds where club members spend hours carefully decorating their booth to best represent each breed’s history and personality. Ask any breed representative what they love most about their dog, and they are happy and excited to talk about one of their favorite subjects.

“The AKC knows the extraordinary effort every breeder and owner puts forth to make the AKC Meet the Breeds event such a huge success,” says AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo. “We watch with sheer amazement and are humbled by the work of each and every volunteer breeder and dog owner as they share their beloved purpose-bred pets with the pet-loving public at Meet the Breeds. We are overwhelmed by the spirit of the participants and the love of dogs that takes over at Meet the Breeds.  This labor of love exists because of the dedicated purebred dog breeders that work tirelessly to educate about their breeds, and for that we at AKC are grateful.”

The AKC would like to thank all of the volunteers who worked to make this year’s event happen — especially our National Breed Clubs (parent clubs) and all of the volunteer members that educated the public about their unique breeds and responsible dog ownership.

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