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 […]

A writer for the Daily Mail has caught the attention of dog lovers around the world after confessing in an article that she has given up four dogs in four years.Shona Sibary’s article, published last Friday, describes the writer giving away her Husky-mix, Juno, as her daughter sobbed. She admits, “Over the past four years I […]

From Washington's Foxhounds to Obama's famous Portuguese Water Dogs, presidential dogs are as traditional as baseball and apple pie. Almost all of our presidents have shared the White House with a dog, and often more than one. These presidential dogs became as much a staple of the capitol as the rest of the First Family […]

English Springer Spaniels are energetic, friendly dogs that are game for hours of playtime. Here are some interesting facts about this exuberant breed.

The best dog for you depends on your lifestyle, not age. Learn more about dog breeds that can make great companions for older adults

When you see dogs with cloudy eyes, it may be a natural part of the aging process. But cloudy eyes in dogs can also be a symptom of eye problems.

Susan Kustrup, owner of Tallie Farms Beagles in Manahawkin, NJ, has lived in New Jersey all her life. She is an AKC Breeder of Merit, having bred and shown dogs since 1977, and has bred and shown Tallie Farms Beagles for the past 15 years. She is a past board member of the Central New Jersey Hound Association.   AKC: How did you get started in breeding dogs? Susan: I started […]

Every year, football fans look forward to seeing the year's Super Bowl commercials. But when dogs join the most significant sports event of the season, the clever canines always blitz the views. For this big-time contest, two breeds will appear for the first time in a major pigskin promotion. "Saz" Ch de Rafale Reve de […]

Andrew Butkiewicz of Darboy, WI, got started in dog agility when he was only 2 years old. Now, he competes not only in agility, but multiple dog sports.

The 2025 AKC Diving Dogs Premier Cup was held in collaboration with North American Diving Dogs on April 5, in Mississippi at Mississippi State University.

A tail-wagging crowd of well-trained dogs showed their skills at the Twin Ports Dog Training Club’s three days of AKC rally and obedience trials at the Four Seasons Event Center in Carlton, Minnesota, Friday through Saturday, July 10–12. The fun began on Thursday evening, with “5 for 5” run-throughs, a casual get-together where owners can get in some […]

  The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes Breeders of Merit for their dedication to breeding purebred dogs with the appearance, temperament, and abilities that are true to their breed standard and for their commitment to health screening and 100 percent puppy registration. The AKC celebrates their success in and passion for canine sports. They are […]

WINNER Tracy Dulock & Gryff SEMI-FINALISTS Laura Morefield & Carly Sharon Page & Dash Outstanding Performances from the 2019 AKC Trick Dog National Competition In addition to the competition winners listed above, here are 20 other submissions (in random order). Each of these has something special about the performance. Some of the performances included fabulous […]

By Penny Leigh (This article first appeared in the May/June 2024 issue of AKC Family Dog magazine). The purchase of a new puppy and the promise of a new sport had Sarah Kolath excited about the future. She trained dogs for 4H obedience competitions as a teen-ager and was ready to re-launch her dog training […]

The AKC Rally National Championship will be held at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, OH on July 9, 2021. The event will be livestreamed on AKC TV. AKC Canine Partners wishes the best of luck to the All American Dogs and their handlers who qualified and will compete there: Rally Novice Wise's Coco Chanel RN owned by Heidi […]

We built an outdoor scent/search area. A ten by twenty pop up with a raised deck floor with astro turf. Then the storms came and the pop did well, but needed a little repair. Its now set up and we have done about two weeks of training with Trip and Task inside it. Task is […]

Beth Kirven of West Columbia, South Carolina, has always had Sporting dogs — her first dog as an adult was an English Cocker. But once she married and had children, she decided to ditch the grooming and go for some smooth operators: namely, Pointers, acquiring her first from the late Susan Thompson of Solivia Pointers […]

Competition/Titles Update Winter 2022 We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles and honors in Agility, Coursing Ability, Fast CAT Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, Tracking, and Trick Dog. Many dogs are also having success in AKC’s Virtual Titling programs! AGILITY Agility Grand Champion (AGCH) AGCH MACH3 Up&Running A […]

In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were created and first awarded in 1999 to honor our best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national […]

Test for what is recommended for your breed. Order AKC DNA + Health Kit The AKC DNA Program recommends that breeders perform DNA tests that are relevant to their breed. The AKC DNA + Health Kit includes over 328 markers for health and traits, and every dog receives results for all tests. However, not all […]