A good temperament is often top of the list of desirable attributes for a pet, but what does temperament in dogs mean, and how can it be measured?

Parvo is every new puppy and dog owner’s worst nightmare. In a matter of days, a perfectly healthy puppy can go from playful and active to fatally ill. Parvo in dogs is a preventable disease, however, all new puppy owners and breeders need to be aware of the risks of parvo, how to prevent it, […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 25th AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, 2025. The 2025 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]

By Karissa Groves, age 14 Hi! I’m Karissa Groves, and I love dogs, all sorts of dogs—but I really love Bloodhounds! About four years ago, I went to a dog show with my grandma. When I saw kids there showing dogs, I asked her if I could start showing too. [gallery columns="2" size="medium" link="none" ids="28350,28351"] […]

By AKC Field Representative Jim Odle Bassett Hound Field Trials are exciting and a lot fun for the hound and huntsman. These events date back to the 1930's. Basset field trials are designed and conducted for the purpose of selecting those hounds that display sound quality and ability to the best advantage. Shortly after the […]

Never underestimate what terriers are capable of is a theme for this team! Jan Moller and her Irish Terrier Griffin (GCH CH Bay-Lei's MacGryphon BN RA...

New York, NY –Trap Falls Kennel Club (TFKC), Northwest Obedience Club, Inc. (NOCI) and Black Hills Dog Training Club (BHDTC) have each been honored with an AKC Community Achievement Award for the fourth quarter of 2013 for hosting exceptional AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day events. The AKC Community Achievement Awards support and recognize outstanding public […]

-- Click here for more information about PAWS -- To help dog owners better understand the recently introduced PAWS legislation, please see the bill analysis below as prepared by Dr. James Holt, AKC's federal government relations consultant. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS OF S. 1139/H.R. 2669, THE "PET ANIMAL WELFARE STATUTE" (PAWS) INTRODUCED MAY 26, 2005. […]

  [accordion] [accordion_panel title="AKC Educational Requirements Policy and Recommendations (April 2024 Board meeting; amended May 2025)"] As an additional step in creating a safe and respectful sport environment for all, the AKC Board of Directors approved the following educational requirements policy and recommendations.  Effective April 10, 2024: AKC Board of Directors, Inspectors, Field Staff across […]

CANINE PARTNERS SPOTLIGHT - CONGRATULATIONS TO FIRST ALL-AMERICAN DOGS TO EARN AKC SCENT WORK TITLES The American Kennel Club’s newest sport, AKC Scent Work, launched Oct. 1, 2017, but it kicked off in September with the first AKC Scent Work trial. The sport mimics the work of detection dogs to locate a scent and alert […]

With a registered name like DC Jewels Peridot & Pearls MLC SAR-W, the dog you'd expect to see might be a prissy homebody that lavishes attention on people and strolls about in elegant attire. Not this little blonde dynamo, believed to be the first of her breed to earn an AKC search and rescue (SAR) […]

Can dogs with missing tails, ears, or eyes compete in AKC conformations shows? It depends on the missing part and the breed standard.

Step aside Dorothy and Toto! A new girl in ruby red slippers and a Cairn Terrier is here. Her yellow brick road? The conformation ring.

It’s one of the great dog-themed anthems of rock ’n’ roll, but up until the last minute “Hey Bulldog” was supposed to be about a frog. It was early February 1968, as the Beatles were preparing for their fateful trip to India to meditate with the Maharishi. Pressed for time, and with a commitment for […]

The 2020 Junior Showmanship Finals at the AKC National Championship took place on Dec. 12 in Orlando, Florida. To qualify, juniors had to have at least three first-place wins in Open Class with competition present between Oct. 10, 2019 and Oct. 7, 2020. In addition, juniors must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 for the past […]

  After a one-year hiatus, the Detroit Kennel Club dog show returns to the Motor City this weekend with events Saturday and Sunday, June 20–21, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in the Detroit suburb of Novi, Michigan. This year’s show features a number of special attractions, including obedience and rally trials, demonstrations, AKC National Owner-Handled […]

  The American Kennel Club created the Foundation Stock Service® (FSS®) to answer the needs of today's rare breed fanciers. The Foundation Stock Service® is an optional record-keeping service for all purebred breeds not currently registrable with the American Kennel Club. Originally the Foundation Stock Service (FSS) program was used to bring in breeds such […]

If Reiki works on people, what about Reiki for pets? Here's what to know before trying this healing touch therapy on your dog.

Victoria "Tori" Lee, the owner of Endachs, grew up with dogs of different ages and breeds. When she was 15 years old, she was determined to have a dog...

-- Advancing Our Sport-- New York, NY – This year we celebrate the 129th anniversary of the American Kennel Club. Today, as it has been throughout those years, our beliefs and traditions continue to guide us in our sport, while innovation continues to advance us. We began the year with the spirit of relentless positive action […]

With a three-legged hop and a skip, 6-year-old Ari, aka Hero No. 1651, knows how to work a crowd. Giving his amputated limb the cold-shoulder, the Golden Retriever with the soft, friendly eyes can’t wait to cheer up anyone who needs a dose of happy. His specialty? Hospice patients, nonverbal people, children using wheelchairs, and […]

Dog teeth chattering doesn't only happen when your pet is cold. Veterinarians explain the reasons for teeth chattering in dogs and how to handle them.

You never know what's waiting in the attic. In 1996, Wayne Ferguson was visiting St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey, a rescue group where he was a board member. An employee who knew of his involvement in purebred dogs gave him a tip in passing. “Mr. Ferguson, you should go in the […]

Shari and Kevin Curran have a very busy lifestyle in rural Texas, but somehow a charismatic Pug, named Lionel, has managed to become the centerpiece of their lives. The couple, who live on 80 acres in Canton, Texas, 60 miles east of Dallas, own horses, miniature horses, a pot-bellied pig, alpaca goats, chickens, and, of […]

Helen and Greg Groce of Lexington, NC, are infinitely grateful for the opportunities their Beagle, "Xavier" has given them, both in conformation and supporting Greg, who has ALS.

Beagle Field Trials, a sport found only in the United States and Canada, started with this announcement in the Sunday Boston Herald on October 26, 1890: "A group of Beagle Owners would hold a Beagle field trial in Hyannis, Massachusetts, in a fortnight." This Group called themselves the National Beagle Club of America, and the […]

Though we often don’t think about them in this way, dogs are really about people — those long-ago (or, sometimes, not so long-ago) figures who developed particular breeds for particular tasks. Some breeds — like the Doberman Pinscher, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, and Cesky Terrier — owe their existence to just one visionary person. Other breeds were brought into being […]

  [accordion] [accordion_panel title="2026"] The AKC Detection Dog Task Force invites you to join an upcoming webinar: Comparing Multiple Approaches to the Breeding and Training of Detection Dogs. Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026 Time: 7:30 PM (ET) Duration: Approximately 1 hour Industry experts with diverse backgrounds will compare and contrast their approaches to breeding and […]

Good morning. I lost my dear friend a few weeks ago. Dealing with Ron’s passing is a deeply personal experience for me. He was my mentor, a colleague, and above all, a special friend. He had an enormous capacity to give of himself. I am today, because I knew him. However, I can comfort myself […]

Bonding with your canine companion, meeting new people, keeping your dog physically and mentally active, and good, pure fun—just some of the reasons people participate in AKC dog sports. For people with disabilities, these benefits may seem inaccessible. AKC dog sports can be and are enjoyed by individuals with disabilities. Today, people of varying physical ability […]