Nexpa and Holly Webb had a busy week at the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog of America National Specialty in Loveland, Colo., in September 2015. On this day — the Independent Specialty — she was awarded the second highest award for female champions in the ring in a field of over 100. During the week, the […]

  A Conformation dog show...in a mall?! Who's ever heard of such a thing? We hadn't until we learned about "Match in the Mall" held by the Abilene Kennel Club in Abilene, Texas. The club held this small "match" to bring the wonder and excitement of the sport of purebred dogs to the public, and […]

In the mid-1800s, an exotic-animal dealer combined Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, Great Pyrenees and other breeds to create the Leonberger. Some say the idea was to make a dog that looked like the lion on the seal of the town of Leonberg, today in Southern Germany. While developed as all-around working dogs—equipped for everything from water […]

Dog show ribbons and event titles are major accomplishments that dog owners and breeders proudly acknowledge when talking about their kennels. But for one breeder with many title-decorated dogs, there’s something else that keeps her in the game. “The single biggest achievement that just makes me happier than happy... is the people who have my […]

Driving with your dog in the car is great: you love taking them to the dog park, to the beach, or to a puppy playdate. What isn't so great...is all the hair that gets left in your car post-doggie ride. We know the struggle. If your dog's a shedder, like a Corgi or a Samoyed, […]

What’s better than owning a top-winning show dog? Simple: Breeding one. In theory, anyone can purchase a canine competitor: All you need is a checking account with enough zeroes in it. But it’s far more challenging to produce quality purebred dogs that are consistently sound, well tempered and typey — that is to say, that […]

Kathy Clayton lives on 867 acres of wooded land in South West City, MO, at the corners of Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. She is an AKC Breeder of Merit - Gold and has bred Chitawee French Bulldogs  for 28 years and is a National French Bulldog Club of America nominee  for the AKC Sportsmanship Award. […]

The Doberman Pinscher has the distinction of being one of the only breeds in the AKC's Working Group that was bred specifically to be a companion to humans. The breed was created in the nineteenth century by German tax collector Louis Dobermann to accompany him in his thankless daily work. Drawing upon this breed legacy, […]

Harvest season is upon us and that means we are well into autumn. “Old Man Winter” is just around the corner. I am not a cold weather kind of a person, so I am already wishing for spring. With spring in mind, let’s look at a couple of fall tasks that will make a difference […]

Once the loyal companions of Chinese royalty, today's Pugs live to please their owners. With their friendly, fun-loving personalities, it's no wonder that this largest member of the Toy Group makes the ideal companion. Prepping a Pug pup to follow good behavior guidelines isn't tricky. Forget intense training, as a little planning and consistency will […]

After three decades sharing my life with Bernese Mountain Dogs, I had developed clear expectations about the breed. Each energetic puppy would turn into a less energetic young adult, who would gradually become an adult couch potato who loved everyone. These biddable dogs would do their best for me in the obedience ring and gladly […]

The smallest of the three Schnauzers, the Miniature Schnauzer, turns heads wherever it goes. The breed's bushy eyebrows and thick-fringed beard give the Mini the look of a distinguished gentleman that's hard to miss. Highly intelligent, muscular, and outgoing, this sturdy terrier-type dog is a fast learner. With a bit of planning, patience, and persistence […]

"100 percent permanently and totally disabled." That's how 75-year-old Jack Cotter is classified by the Navy. The veteran served on submarines from 1965-1970 and over the years, he suffered multiple serious injuries. Once, another crew member opened a hatch and the pressure broke the vertebrae in his upper back. In a later accident, he fractured […]

Magnus is one of five 2021 AKC Awards for Canine Excellence recipients. He won the Search and Rescue category. This category recognizes dogs certified to assist in wilderness and urban tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and locating missing people. In May 2014 Sinead Imbaro, of Miami, said goodbye to Marcus Aurelius, her endeared German Shepherd […]

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 […]

Thank you to Abby, and Darin for sharing their experiences. Have your own story? Submit it to juniors@akc.org. [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Abby Engler"] My name is Abbey Engler from New Palestine, IN and I am 11 years old. My adventure into dog sports began when I was 9 years old and I received an early Christmas gift; […]

WINNER Leslie Gelesh & Eli (Miniature Poodle) Batman FURever SEMI-FINALISTS Muriel McMullen & Maddie (Australian Terrier) The Grrrinch Faye Roche & Brio (Miniature Poodle) My Olympic Gold Medal Star: Brio Outstanding Performances from the 2021 AKC Trick Dog National Competition In addition to the competition winners listed above, here are some outstanding performances from 2021 (in random order). Many […]

The AKC works with several non-AKC service and sports organizations to recognize the titles that AKC-registered dogs earn in their programs. This includes the AKC Therapy Dog titling program and the AKC Search & Rescue title program. AKC also recognizes titles of the Barn Hunt Association (BHA); North American Diving Dogs (NADD); the North American […]

A set of arbitrary and harmful federal breeder bills, H.R. 2840 /S. 1385 that would mandate new requirements for certain hobby and professional dog breeders are continuing to gain support in Congress.  We urge all responsible dog owners, breeders and enthusiasts to contact their lawmakers about the harmful consequences of the bills. While certain aspects […]

National Champion Beats Out More Than 5,000 Dogs GCHG CH Lagniappe's From The Mountains To The Bayou, a Giant Schnauzer known as “Bayou” triumphed over more than 5,000 competitors to earn a $50,000 cash prize and the title of Best in Show at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, held December 18-19, 2021 […]