by Sandra MurrayReprinted from: Essential Elements, ShowSight Magazine   Reprinted from: Essential Elements, ShowSight Magazine As a youngster she had won her breed’s National Sweepstakes. Not long after that win, she finished her championship with three 5 point majors, all at large regional specialties. During her specials career she earned multiple Group placements and Best […]

Police Officer Manuel Orellana and his K-9 Angel were recognized for their work on May 26, 2017 at the Staten Island Kennel Club Show as part of the American Kennel Club’s Canine Officers Program, which honors dogs who work in a public service role.  The Staten Island Kennel Club had the privilege to present the […]

Fourth of July is the classic American holiday, packed with classic American traditions. Most of them involve food, fireworks, and free time. In Southern California, surfing is often as much a part of the long weekend as hotdogs and sunburn. We include our dogs in almost all of these pleasures, and for the group known […]

The Labrador Retriever has done it again. The intelligent, family friendly breed held onto the number one spot on the most popular list for the 24th consecutive year, continuing the longest reign as the nation’s top dog in American Kennel Club history. For the full list of breed rankings, click here. While the Lab holds strong, […]

By Margie RuckerReprinted from: The Canine Chronicle Piper is my Service Dog. Piper does not look like the typical service dog. Piper's undeniable charm, stature, and jolly demeanor elicits amused skepticism and, occasionally, unkind comments. Over time I've learned that all responses are opportunities for me to provide accurate information and to advocate for the […]

July 14 is Bastille Day, when France and Francophiles the world over commemorate the start of the French Revolution in 1789. The AKC joins the celebration in just the way you’d expect—with dogs. Here’s a roundup of some AKC breeds developed in France, plus a few that are French by tradition if not by birth. […]

It is always a tremendous honor to be asked to judge at one of the big, prestigious shows. It’s a thrill. One thing that makes it so is that these shows tend to draw dogs of excellent quality, and it’s always a pleasure to go over quality dogs. When you’re judging a televised show, you […]

By Betty-Anne Stenmark "Reprinted with permission from Dogs in Review and author Betty-Anne Stenmark, from the May 2015 issue of Dogs in Review magazine." Fifteen years ago I applied for a volunteer coordinator position at an animal shelter. Before my interview, I asked myself, "What do you know about being a volunteer coordinator?” Finally it dawned on me; I […]

Rick Yount, Founder and Executive Director, Warrior Canine Connection What is it about training a service dog for a fellow Veteran that makes it such an effective therapy for military Service Members and Veterans who are battling post-traumatic stress, or dealing with the effects of a mild traumatic brain injury received during deployment? The answers […]

The sounds of "Stars and Stripes Forever" were blaring from a CD player in the backyard and children splashed in the pool. Matthew and Susan were hosting their annual Fourth of July cookout. As guests arrived in festive red, white and blue attire, they would ring the doorbell and immediately hear a few quick barks […]

Embarrassing For Owners, But Not for Dogs – How to Deal with MountingIt's an embarrassing behavior...for the owner. Humping is a commonly seen response when dogs play together. Humping, or mounting, is typically seen when a dog is over excited, hence why it happens frequently when groups of dogs are playing. It's not an aberrant […]

Chew on This Anyone who has ever cared for a puppy knows and expects chewing; it goes hand in hand with puppyhood. But chewing can be a challenge for owners with adult dogs, too. Here are some tips on how to stop unwanted chewing: Dog-proof your house by putting away anything that your dog can […]

Is your dog pushy? If he wants something, will he stop at nothing to get it? Then you may want to try the Nothing in Life Is Free (NILIF) protocol with your dog. This is a very simple protocol that essentially means your dog needs to work for things of value in his life. Through […]

In 1990 I walked into an indoor arena at the CCA national specialty with my Collie Perry and tried something we’d never done before, we’d entered the Herding Test level of one of the very first AKC Herding Trials. Neither one of us had ever even seen sheep before! The judges helped us out, and […]

They participate in exciting adventures — from racing in the Iditarod to transporting explorers in the Arctic — so sled dogs hold a special place in our hearts and imaginations. It isn’t every dog breed that can run for miles across the tundra, surviving bitter-cold conditions, blizzards, and the rigors of long-distance racing, while also […]

There’s a story that nicely sums up the Boxer breed. One morning at the dog park, a group of neighborhood dogs were playing as their owners looked on. The life of the party was a male Boxer. With all the boisterous enthusiasm of a pup, the big fawn-coated bruiser was cavorting and careening, bouncing and […]

Got a minute? If so, you can learn the essentials of any breed. Not enough to call yourself an expert, of course. But in the time it takes to watch a TV commercial, one of our “60-Second Seminars” can provide you with just enough breed knowledge to bluff your way through a conversation at the […]

Francis Redmond’s “Totteridge” Smooth Fox Terriers were a famous British line of the late 19th century. Redmond was a master dog man who did much to standardize his breed, and the Totteridge kennel was pivotal in the creation of the modern Smooth. It was the custom to immortalize dogs of such renown on canvas. These […]

Sorry cat lovers, dogs are simply better snugglers. Here are nine reasons why dogs are the best cuddle buddies: 1. They will be the big spoon or the little spoon.   2. They manage to look cute when stealing your blanket. And because they look SO adorable, you don't even care that you're blanket-less.   […]

Fast CAT, a timed 100-yard dash where a dog chases a lure, is the newest AKC event. The event is a fun and healthy activity for dogs and their owners, and is open to dogs that are at least 12 months of age and are individually registered or listed with the AKC.  In competition, the dogs […]

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 federal district court in Arizona recently granted judgment in favor of the City of Phoenix and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in a lawsuit brought by the owners of a pet store.  At question in the suit was whether Phoenix’s ordinance that restricted pet stores to selling dogs and cats obtained […]

By Connie Koehler Connie Koehler is the Legislative Liaison for the Soft Coated Wheaten Club of America and the Legislative Coordinator for the California Federation of Dog Clubs. Connie is also a past president of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Southern California. She is an active breeder/owner/handler of her three Wheatens and lives […]

Monday, August 29, 2016In April, the American Kennel Club (AKC) adopted changes to its Canine Legislation Position Statements related to spaying and neutering.  The AKC Board of Directors, when considering the changes, took into account recent scientific studies that found that sterilizing a dog, particularly before it has fully matured, can lead to significant future […]

A Minnesota dog was reunited with her family earlier this week after she had been missing for 985 days. The Great Pyrenees, Betty White, ventured into the woods of her owners' 13-acre property on Nov. 16, 2013 and failed to return home, devastating her family. We had the opportunity to connect with Betty White's owner, […]

A recent warning by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) claims that the time-honored tradition of throwing a stick to your dog can put your pet at risk of getting hurt. Sticks, the veterinarians claim, can puncture the dog’s mouth or cause other problems, like obstructions, splinters, and infections. "Our message is that these injuries are […]

At only 33 years old, Christy Gardner has a lifetime of fighting behind her. But don't ever tell this national champion she's lost. Gardner, a double amputee, helped bring home a championship with the U.S. women’s sled hockey team, and she’s preparing to represent the United States at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio this September. […]

Starting next year, owners who expose their pets to extreme weather in Illinois could be facing a fine or up to a year in jail. The state’s Humane Care for Animals Act was amended this week to make it illegal for owners to “expose the dog or cat in a manner that places the dog […]

A couple was so frustrated with their Labrador Retriever eating things he shouldn’t that they shelled out almost $38,000 on a new dog-proof kitchen. The dog, named Rollo, had learned how to open cabinets and the refrigerator, the Daily Mail reported, and had even used a trampoline to get apples off of the apple tree […]

Bad news for people who love to hug their dog. While some canines, especially those trained as therapy dogs, can tolerate this interaction, in general, dogs do not enjoy it. Dogs rely on body language as a method of communication with humans and each other. Putting a limb over another dog is a way of […]