Are you considering getting an Irish Wolfhound puppy? If so, it’s certainly understandable. These sweet-tempered creatures have beguiled us since ancient times. Originally bred as fearless big-game hunters capable of dispatching a wolf in single combat, Wolfhounds today are the most serene and agreeable of companions for owners of all ages. But, with big dogs […]

It was all over in a second, before you could even scream. Jennie* and her daughter, Goose, 4, had just gotten out of the car in a shopping center parking lot in Durango, Colorado, when the child turned and bolted. Jennie did not have time to react, but their Newfoundland, Porter, knew just the right […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2016 AKC® Lifetime Achievement Awards: Patti L. Strand (Conformation), John Cox (Companion Events) and John Russell (Performance). The Awards, first created and awarded in 1999, are presented in recognition of exceptional participation and achievement within the dog fancy. The finalists and winners, […]

This larger-than-life breed was developed in the mid-1800s by Heinrich Essig, an exotic-animal dealer and alderman from the German town of Leonberg, who, legend has it, was trying to create a dog to resemble the lion on the town’s crest. Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, Great Pyrenees, are among the breeds went into this intelligent, all-around working […]

Each of the AKC registered breeds are assigned to one of seven groups representing characteristics and functions the breeds were originally bred for. Current as of June 1, 2023 [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Herding Group"] HERDING GROUP The Herding Group, created in 1983, is the newest AKC classification; its members were formerly members of the Working Group. […]

The Saint Bernard mix looked like he was dead when he was first spotted in a ditch on the side of a road. “We thought he had been hit by a car,” recalls Deborah Workman, executive director of the Sanctuary for Senior Dogs, in Cleveland, the group that took in the 8-year-old stray. The truth was […]

By: Erika MansourianBy: Erika Mansourian A letter has been sent to the residents of 170 West End Avenue, informing them of a new board policy requiring them to prove the breed of their dog, even going so far as demanding a DNA test in some cases. Since 2011, 27 breeds have been banned from the building […]

Under the "General Appearance" section, the official breed standard for the Basset Hound reads: The Basset Hound possesses in marked degree those characteristics which equip it admirably to follow a trail over and through difficult terrain. It is a short-legged dog, heavier in bone, size considered, than any other breed of dog, and while its […]

By Bruce T. PaddockIt’s a well-worn cliché that dogs are “man’s best friend,” but surely there can be no greater act of friendship than to save a person’s life. Two different breeds, the Saint Bernard and Newfoundland, were developed to do just that. Rescuer of the Alps: The Saint Bernard There is only one pass […]

If the word "drafting" is unfamiliar to you, you’renot alone. It’s one of those dog sports that probably isn’t on the radar of the average dog owner. The basic definition is the act of pulling a cart or wagon. (And "carting" is often used interchangeably.) Some of the breeds in the Working Group were originally […]