-- Changing the Future -- New York, NY – Last Thursday we posted a charming photograph of three Golden Retriever puppies on the American Kennel Club Facebook page. The caption was “I love my breeder” with a request to “share your love for your dog’s breeder.”  The image was shared 2,500 times, received 11,000 likes and […]

Once the American Kennel Club provided full recognition to the Pumi July 1, Gumby has been on a mission – and in the process notched his way into the breed and AKC record books. The 14-year-old dog, owned by Chris and Tom Levy, of Salem, Ore., has become the first of its breed to earn […]

--Westminster Triumph is Second Jewel of "Dogdom's Triple Crown;" Will Crufts Be Next? -- 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 Dog Show, is pleased to congratulate Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot, a 4-year-old Scottish Terrier who goes by […]

Breeding healthy, sound dogs that are good examples of their breed requires having a plan. Most breeders can tell you today which dogs they plan to breed together to produce their next two to three litters. “Breeding requires having a vision,” says Anita Oberbauer, PhD, professor of animal science and associate dean in the College […]

Despite our patriotic name, the American Kennel Club® is a world-class organization with an international presence. Earlier this month, the AKC/USA World Agility Team put in a stellar performance in Basel, Switzerland at the 11th FCI World Agility Championships. Sending Americans and their globe-trotting dogs to world competitions represents just one way in which we […]

For Nuri the Azawakh, the green synthetic turf of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a far cry from the Tennessee greenery to which this 6-year-old Sighthound is accustomed. Rest assured, plenty of attention is focused on the breed's inaugural appearance at one of America's most well-known dog shows. Nuri and her owner Vicki Williams, […]

The word kennel is believed to have originated in France to describe a pack of hounds and their housing. Today, it describes the most important environment in any breeder’s home. Once primitive man hooked up with dogs in a permanent ongoing relationship, the two learned to live together. Over the centuries, man began to construct […]

You could call him the “Water Boy” based on his naming origin, but 2½-year-old Noah is already establishing an identity on the terra firma of the dog show world, too. The 36-pound Cardigan Welsh Corgi, co-owned by Dr. Peggy McCoy, of Ohio, and his breeder, Sherri Hurst, of Texas, already has four group wins and […]

If I purchase/acquire a dog that is from an FSS®-recorded litter, is the dog automatically considered FSS®-recorded? In order to have the dog recorded, you need to forward your FSS® application to the AKC for review with the appropriate fees. You should receive the FSS® application form from the person from whom you bought/acquired the […]

Some dogs, just like good wine, age with grace. They are sound and wise and still have some spark well into their senior years, and through their endurance they have demonstrated value to the breed There are many advantages to using a quality older male as a litter sire. Not only do you know that […]

The Belgian Sheepdog history stems from a split of the Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, and the Belgian Malinois into separate breeds.

  The American Kennel Club® is pleased to announce that 30 Junior Scholarships have been awarded to students from 14 states and Puerto Rico. The scholarships for high school, college and graduate school students range from $1,000 to $5,000 each for a total of $50,000. "The students we recognize with these awards are the future […]

There are two kinds of breeders: Those who think that the history of their breed commenced with their arrival, and those who understand that they are part of a larger, grander tapestry.  John Buddie of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is one of the latter.  A retired schoolteacher and the 2015 AKC Herding Breeder of the Year, Buddie has been rearing his Tartanside Collies for 55 years – and counting. Starting […]

Is your dog considered a rare breed? Do you want an informal way to get some event experience under your belt? A Foundation Stock Service (FSS) Open Show is a perfect way for you and your dog to practice before an official event without any pressure, and is a must-do for anyone new to competing. […]

You already know that your puppy is the absolute cutest. So why not share his adorableness with the rest of the world? Enter him in an AKC 4-6 Month Beginner Puppy Competition. It’s a relaxed, stress-free way to make your debut in the dog show world. Plus, it gives both of you a fun way […]

You might have a dog you've dreamed of showing in a conformation event, but how do you know when they're ready to compete for the first time? In This Article Try a Beginner Conformation Course Consider Handling Classes Training in Public Spaces Enter a 4-6 Month Beginner Puppy Competition Practice Through Match Shows Assessing Your […]

Since 2003 when the war on terror began, the nationally known and locally beloved Maine Troop Greeters have welcomed more than 1.5 million troops, about 7,500 flights, and over 400 military dogs through the portals of Bangor International Airport, a gateway for America’s military. During that entire time, only one certified working therapy dog from […]

The Township Committee of Mendham Township, New Jersey, will consider changes to its animal control ordinance on Tuesday, October 23, 2012. The American Kennel Club (AKC) encourages all interested New Jersey residents to attend Tuesday's meeting and voice concerns with the ordinance. Dating back to late 2011, the Mendham Township Committee attempted to address some […]

Theodore Joshua Moore competes in dog sports with his German Shorthaired Pointers and is a two-time winner of the AKC Junior Versatility Scholarship.

  The American Kennel Club® is pleased to announce that 26 Junior Scholarships have been awarded to students from 16 states. The scholarships for high school, college and graduate school students range from $1,000 to $3,000 for each student. "These awards have been given to successful students who have also reached the highest levels of […]

5 Good Dog Books We Can't Even Give Away!Books arrive here at our New York offices by the bushel, sent by publishers in hopes of an AKC Family Dog review or a plug in our social media. For every book we review there are dozens more that, for reasons not always connected to their quality, […]

by Joan HarriganReprinted from: The Canine Chronicle We’ve all seen Rin Tin Tin’s acts of heroism on the silver screen or read about heroic dogs rescuing drowning victims or finding lost children. But it is not every day that one hears about a puppy -- less than 4-months-old -- prompting his owner to seek medical […]

There is a general movement within the dog world that has breeders and their clubs looking for new ways to make breed improvements. This is occurring because of the growing arsenal of tools available to breeders and their clubs. Given these conditions, the opportunity for making improvements is well within the reach of most clubs […]

The results of a retrospective study recently published in Canine Genetics and Epidemiology provides additional evidence of a link between sterilization status and certain health risks.  Correlation of Neuter Status and Expression of Heritable Disorders, by Belanger, et al., concludes that several conditions showed an increased risk associated with neutering.  The authors emphasize that, “the […]

'Samara' the Pyrenean Mastiff Outshines as a Guardian and Therapy Dog

The American Kennel Club is in full support of research that assists us in gaining greater knowledge of our canine companions. We agree with the data in the AAAS study but differ in their interpretation and conclusions. The study focused on “newer” breeds that were developed over the past 100 years (i.e., different sight hound […]

AKC Gazette breed column, Bearded Collies: Try something new with your dog in 2015 — there's a veritable feast of canine activities out there that he's likely to enjoy. I recently spent a pleasant afternoon cruising on Lake Ontario in a sailboat owned by friends who have two Bearded Collies of my breeding. The Beardies, […]

Though she's barely taller than the tips of her Great Dane's ears, Junior Handler Olivia Betancourt shines in the conformation ring.

Everywhere we turn, there is a three-in-one product out there. Now you can add a championship Flat-Coated Retriever to the mix. Meet sweet, goofy...

There are two kinds of pointers at dog shows. The first type is the Pointer, an elegant dog with a dished face, tail shaped like a bee stinger, and the hard-wired instinct to signal the location of camouflaged birds with the slow-motion lift of a front paw. The other pointers, by contrast, are found in […]