Thousands of dogs put their best paw forward for the title of National Champion The AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin® will air on ABC as a three-hour special on Sunday January 2, 2022 at 2 p.m. ET. The show features thousands of dogs from around the country and the world competing for the […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) wishes to acknowledge those individuals who have excelled at breeding dogs that have proven to be outstanding in AKC sports. The commitment to preserve, protect and improve a breed represents the very essence of the AKC.   The AKC Breeder of the Year by Sport Award is given to those who […]

Two years after his Pekingese "Wasabi" was the first Toy dog to win Best in Show at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, David Fitzpatrick walked away with two more huge awards. At the 2021 AKC National Championship, Fitzpatrick received the award for AKC Breeder of the Year for Pequest Pekingese and won […]

Everyone agrees that the worst thing about dogs is that they don’t live long enough. But these easy, common-sense tips can help extend the time we have with our canine pals. 1. Find the Right Breed What’s your perfect dog? Like a spouse, a dog is a partner who will be with you for a […]

2021 is rapidly drawing to a close. This year, I achieved a few of the things on my 2021 New Year’s resolution list! My first pledge for 2021 was to walk into the year with an open heart, mind and spirit of kindness towards every person and to do it with my dog by my […]

Each year, The American Kennel Club recognizes and celebrates an outstanding purebred dog breeder with the Breeder of the Year Award. The award honors those breeders who have dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament and quality of purebred dogs. At a special presentation held during the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, […]

The 2021 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin was held December 18 and 19, 2021 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. This event is the only all-breed dog show organized and presented directly by the AKC, the nation’s oldest and only not-for-profit purebred dog registry. Thousands of dogs from throughout the […]

–Award Presented at AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin – David Fitzpatrick was presented with the 2021 AKC Breeder of the Year award for Pequest Pekingese at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Sunday, December 19, 2021.  The annual award honors those breeders who have made an impact on their breed […]

News from the State Capitols Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. Connecticut – Deputy Speaker Mushinsky has met with two state agencies regarding legislation for therapy dog recognition. A bill is expected to be re-drafted and re-filed for next year. Connecticut – In an October 28 Connecticut Post opinion, […]

Here are some highlights of state and federal regulatory issues AKC GR recently addressed.  Visit AKC’s Regulatory Resource Center for more information on these and other significant regulatory issues addressed by AKC Government Relations. Federal – CDC Temporary Ban on Dog Imports: In June, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a temporary suspension of the importation […]