Here at the AKC, we believe in honoring responsible breeders who have gone above and beyond on health issues, temperament, and genetic screening, as well as to the individual care and placement of puppies in responsible homes. That’s why we started the AKC Breeder of Merit Program: To give breeders a way to prove [...]

I’m not a fan of country music, but as I begin writing this column, from the radio in the next room the song “The Gambler” is crooning, “The secret to survivin’ is knowing what to throw away, and knowing what to keep.” Choosing a brood bitch is a bit of a gamble. Whether acquiring your […]

  You didn’t want your lowlife cousin to come to the party, but he came uninvited with your sister. Dog breeding can be like that. Some relatives can’t be avoided. Genotype, the genetic makeup of a dog, involves the extended family. My mentors taught me that linebreeding, the practice of breeding dogs who are somewhat […]

We get a lot of questions from dog owners each week asking why do their dogs behave in certain ways. One of the most common questions we get is 'why does my dog bark so often or all the time?' There could be lots of reasons why this might be happening, sometimes it is that […]

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 […]

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 […]

  Background The Conflict of Interest Committee (CIC) was appointed by the Chairman in November 2003. Its charge was to "evaluate all areas of possible conflict of interest situations within AKC and the sport. It should detail the conflict provisions now in place and make recommendations for possible modifications or further provisions if required. Its […]

AKD 4.6 1947-2012   2.5 linear ft in 3 boxes Collection Processed by Cherie Acierno, July 2006   Click here to the view complete inventory and/or to search all AKC archival collections Click here for a printable PDF of the collection guide   This collection contains chronicles the activities of the Bull Terrier Club of […]

  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 […]

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 […]