Photo courtesy of Houston PetTalk Magazine/Rebecca Burwell It is rare for even the most experienced competition obedience dog to earn a perfect score of 200. But recently, an All-American Dog achieved a flawless performance in his first time in the Novice class. Super Cooper Trooper CD BN RN and his owner Josh Wiggins of Spring, […]

RATCHX Rex Von McKinney Rausch BCAT CGC owned by Jeanette Rausch of Mount Juliet, TN Eight-year-old Rex was once a stud dog at a kennel that was shut down by the authorities. “I stumbled across his photo online and fell in love with him so I reached out to the organization to arrange meeting him […]

It didn’t sound that hard – Beginner Novice Obedience.  After all, we already had our AKC Canine Good Citizen and AKC Rally Novice titles!  And this is an optional title, meant to give dogs experience before the regular Novice Obedience class.  Our trainer walked us through the steps, saying, “I think Magic can do this, […]

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, […]

Dry cornstalks rustling in the wind provided a perfect background sound for the Great Plains Bearded Collie Club of Omaha’s all-breed herding tests and trials held Friday–Sunday, October 9, 10, and 11. Ann Witte’s Gaelyn Glen Farm in Springfield, Nebraska, has been host to AKC herding trials for many years as she steered and showcased […]

Sissy Santangelo of Harahan, LA, tells us how her Whippet mix, Katie, became the multi-titled Katie Lynn Panger Santangelo CD BN RAE CAA CGC. Katie is a member of the AKC Canine Partners community. Katie came to me as a foster from Whippet Rescue. After spending time with her, I realized how sweet she was […]

By Anne Smith Abbey  This month a number of talented Newfoundland dogs had the chance to prove their rescue skills as well as their love of the water when the Genesee Region Newfoundland Club (GRNC), a regional breed club of the Newfoundland Club of America, hosted its annual two-day water test on Labor Day weekend. […]

New York, NY — The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) has recognized seven breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups as 2015 AKC Breeder of the Year group honorees. “The individuals that make up these breeding programs have dedicated their lives to the advancement of the purebred dog, producing dogs […]

But luckily, there are numerous dog sports and activities to keep every age of dog happy and active. When Keller’s Toccoa Millie CAX CGC aged out of her favorite sport of AKC Coursing Ability, her owners Bob & Paulette Keller looked for other options that would keep the 9-year-old canine athlete engaged and focused. The […]

On Saturday and Sunday, August 15-16, the weekend of AKC obedience and rally trials at On The Run! Canine Center in Ham Lake, Minnesota, arrived—and with it heat and humidity, as is typical for this time of year. But that didn’t stop local dog folks from showing up early to help set up and run the annual Cambridge […]

  Finding a quality Golden Retriever puppy can be a daunting task. Experienced Golden owners will agree on the two most important elements in searching for a pup: a reputable breeder, and a quality pedigree. Good breeders understand the importance of pedigree. They select their breeding stock using dogs with parents, grandparents, and other ancestors who […]

Dog trainer Brian Burton rescued Sammy and recognized his extreme intelligence which has been channeled into amazing performances in AKC Rally. Enjoy this video of one of Sammy’s perfect score AKC Rally trials: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjvQn54xZH0 Read more about Sammy's story: It was nearly Christmas 2009 when the New York City Animal Control picked up the terrier […]

Tacarra Andrade of Novi, MI, and MACH8 Prince Doggie are the most titled team in the AKC Canine Partners program, holding eight AKC Master Agility Championships and having qualified for the AKC Agility Invitational and AKC National Agility Championships on multiple occasions. Princey is Tacarra’s first agility dog -- she had never heard of agility […]

The AKC recognizes three titles earned by dogs in competitions sanctioned by the North American Flyball Association (NAFA). Owners of flyball-titled dogs may apply to the AKC and request that their flyball title be added to their AKC permanent record. Flyball is one of the few team sports for dogs, and the sport is for […]

Finding an AKC Sport that Fits Your Mixed-Breed DogSince 2010, the AKC has awarded thousands of titles to mixed-breeds. Why shouldn’t your clever, athletic mix join the fun? And why shouldn’t you enjoy the dog-park bragging rights that come with putting an AKC title on your dog? Here’s an overview of the competitions. Obedience Dog-and-handler […]

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 […]

Successful breeders know the strengths and weaknesses of each of their dogs. Pedigrees, when properly analyzed, can provide a roadmap of those positive and negative features. Computerized databases have made it easier to analyze pedigrees and to store and retrieve information, but breeders still must do their homework. Understanding a pedigree is more than simply […]

Katie and her owner Debra White of Palatine, IL, have achieved the advanced level AKC Obedience title of Utility Dog (UD) as well as AKC Rally Excellent and AKC Agility titles! Debra met Katie at an adoption fair and the then 6-month-old puppy moved in with her the next day. The herding dog mix had […]

If your dog is constantly on the prowl for squirrels, moles and any other critters that appear in your backyard, then they should be a natural for the fun sport of Barn Hunt.   As of April 1, 2013, the American Kennel Club recognizes titles earned at events sanctioned by the Barn Hunt Association (BHA). […]

Hailey Has Plenty of Tricks Up Her Paws Baseballs, basketballs, skateboards and Frisbees – most parents invest in plenty of these items for their kids. And in Karen Profenna’s case, that includes her four-legged family member. Hailey – a little black-and-white fireball – can swing a bat, dunk a basketball, ride a skateboard and soar […]