Tennis balls are the quintessential modern dog toy. My dog can sniff them out of roadside ditches, and nothing gives her as much joy as chasing after them in a wide-open field. However, tennis balls are a special toy in our household, reserved for supervised playtime. This is because, while they are undeniably one of […]

The mahogany huntress leapt from one bale to the next in pursuit of her prey. Straw and dust swirled in the air as Beatrice, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, canvassed the barn with handler Ikuko Jones following briskly behind. Jones sidestepped the hay bales as she watched intently for her dog’s “tell”: a swift, heavy swat of […]

Although humans have many rituals for mourning the loss of a loved one, there are no prescribed rituals for mourning the death of a pet. Some pet owners hold funerals, burials, or cremations. Others put framed photos in a place of honor or donate to a favorite animal charity. But some take things to a […]

State Issues: News from the State Capitols  Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. California – AB 468 would further clarify the difference between trained service dogs and emotional support animals, and particularly emphasizes that emotional support animals should not be granted the same privileges and access. The bill is […]

The AKC Rally National Championship will be held at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, OH on July 9, 2021. The event will be livestreamed on AKC TV. AKC Canine Partners wishes the best of luck to the All American Dogs and their handlers who qualified and will compete there: Rally Novice Wise's Coco Chanel RN owned by Heidi […]

The Orange County, Florida, Board of County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on June 22, 2021, regarding a proposed ordinance to ban the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores. Even if you would not personally source a pet to a pet store, it is critical that your lawmakers understand that pet […]

News from the State Capitols Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. Alabama – HB 235, a bill supported by AKC GR, authorizes food service establishments to allow pet dogs in outdoor restaurant seating areas and sets out access, sanitation, and other requirements. It also specifies that emotional support animals […]

The Illinois General Assembly has wrapped up the majority of its work for the year and remains in recess until an agreement is reached on some non-dog-related policy issues.  This has been a very active year for canine legislation in the state, and AKC worked with the Illinois Federation of Dog Clubs and Owners (IFDCO) […]

Anyone foolhardy enough to be outdoors in Le Harve, France, on a stormy, windswept evening in October 1789 would have beheld a curious sight: a conspicuously tall, ginger-haired gentleman striding through a soaking rain, urgently searching for something he apparently held quite precious. Onlookers in the old port city might have wondered if he was […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to report that an amended version of House Bill 1818 was passed by the Texas Senate yesterday, May 25, 2021. AKC and other allied animal interest groups support HB 1818 as amended by the Senate.  As previously reported, Committee Substitute HB 1818 permits pet stores to source dogs […]