Finding your first family dog is a daunting process—one that's up there with dating and house-hunting. And like parenting, when it comes to raising a dog to be perfectly well-behaved, successful, and sociable, well, let's just say practice makes perfect. But, these breeds, while they appeal to different interests, are easily trained and friendly (especially with children), […]

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 […]

Every year, the AKC releases the list of most popular breeds. But which breeds were top 10 from 2000-2009? Find out here!

The only breed to rank in the top ten breeds every decade since the founding of the American Kennel Club became the nation’s top breed in the 1950s—the Beagle. Not coincidentally, Charles Schultz’s pet Beagle, Snoopy, made his illustrious first appearance in national newspapers on October 4, 1950, and swiftly became a pop phenomenon. The […]

No doubt spurred on by the famous Best in Show wins of My Own Brucie in the early 1940s, accompanied by this handsome dog’s likeness appearing on the cover of Life, the Cocker Spaniel became the country’s number-one dog. The breed enjoyed the number-one ranking for sixteen years, from 1936 to 1952. Although the Pekingese […]

  Atlanta's top 5 most popular breeds for 2013 "In keeping with the national trend, Atlanta loves its big dogs," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "Lovable large breeds clearly dominate the city's top five." Labrador Retriever Golden Retriever German Shepherd Dog Boxer Cavalier King Charles Spaniel * Registration data pulled from Atlanta zip codes as […]

The AKC Archives is arranged into four major groups: Clubs, including AKC Member Clubs and Parent Clubs People AKC Administrative Visual Materials In addition to the library book and periodical collection, there is also an assortment of photographs, pamphlets, clippings, pedigrees, and more in the Library & Archives vertical files. Contact the Archivist for further information on undescribed […]

  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 […]

By John Osborne Collier Citizen Angel, a recent addition at the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Naples, sit in the lap of a staff member. The facility is one of very few that allows domestic violence victims to bring their pets along with them. Laura Torres/Citizen Correspondent Oftentimes, dogs are a woman’s best […]

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce that Diana Wilson and Guy Fisher have been hired as AKC Executive Field Representatives.   Wilson will join the staff May 5, 2014 in the Denver, Colorado area, while Fisher will join the staff on June 2, 2014, working out of the AKC […]

Eleven AKC® National Agility Champions, one National Obedience Champion and the first-ever AKC Rally® National Champion were crowned from a record entry of more than 2,000 purebred and mixed-breed dogs at the American Kennel Club® (AKC®) Companion Events Extravaganza, which took place this weekend in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “The winners of these Championship events are truly […]

If You Want a Friend in Politics, Get a Dog, an exhibition on loan from the AKC art collection, has been installed at the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence, in Harrisburg. “The governor and I are thrilled to partner with the American Kennel Club to offer this rare art exhibition featuring man’s best friend,” says Pennsylvania first […]

  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 […]

Lab Ties Poodle for the Longest Consecutive Reign at #1 and Bulldog Enters Top 5   Check out a Slideshow of the Top 10 Breeds at TODAY.COM   New York, NY – Proving that bigger really is better, the American Kennel Club (AKC®) announced today that the Bulldog has muscled its way into the top […]

-- New Performance and Agility Opportunities Available to Competitors -- The American Kennel Club has recently launched several new competitive opportunities for exhibitors in Performance Events and Agility, and I’m pleased to update you about the success and progress of these programs. The Blue Grass Coursing Club and Greyhound Association of Northern Georgia hosted the […]

-- AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Premieres January 23 on ABC Television Network -- For the first time in the 10-year history of the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship the broadcast of this prestigious event will be seen nationwide on network television. We are pleased to partner with the ABC Television Network on this important milestone. All 167 AKC […]

A panel of volunteers appointed by the Point Coupee Police Jury has recommended breed-specific changes to the Parish’s animal control ordinance, which it will consider at its meeting on May 25.  The American Kennel Club strongly opposes breed-specific legislation, and encourages all Point Coupee residents to contact the members of the Parish’s Police Jury listed […]

$20,000 Donation to Animal Control That Helped Displaced Animals NEW YORK, NY – The American Kennel Club® and AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR) are pleased to announce that the AKC CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund has donated $10,000 to the Kirkwood Foundation for the Friends of the Animal Shelter Fund, the non-profit group […]

- Labrador Retriever Continues to Reign Supreme - New York, NY - The American Kennel Club® announced today that the Yorkshire Terrier, fondly called the “Yorkie” by millions of enthusiasts, has overtaken the beloved Golden Retriever and the iconic German Shepherd Dog to become the second most popular purebred dog in America according to AKC® […]

  New York, NY -- The American Kennel Club® announced today the winners of the 2007 AKC® Lifetime Achievement Awards. The awards will be presented to the winners by AKC President and Chief Executive Officer, Dennis B. Sprung, at the December 5, 2006 Delegates Meeting in Long Beach, California, held in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba […]

-- Tiny Terrier Poised to Overtake the Great Golden Retriever as Second Most Popular Dog in U.S.-- New York, NY — For the 15th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America, according to AKC® registration figures released today. The Golden Retriever held onto the number two spot and the […]

AKC has learned that last night the Senate Public Affairs Committee postponed hearing SB188. The bill will NOT be on the schedule for today's meeting, however it will likely be heard in the near future, perhaps as early as next week. Please check the New Mexico Legislature's Committee Calendar http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/agecalendars.asp for scheduling information. Fanciers are […]

  In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were established in 1998 to honor our Fancy’s best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national level. […]

Dear Members of the Fancy: We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for all the wonderful work you did to defeat the proposed cropping ban in California. Your efforts, your voice, your commitment to fighting this battle made the difference, and we know we would not have won this challenge without you. There is […]

The Skarda Award Committee selected Jud Streicher as the 9th recipient of one of the dog world's most prestigious awards. In a career spanning almost sixty years, Jud Streicher has been a leader in the dog world in both obedience and conformation. He was the president of the first obedience club to be admitted to […]