The highest prize in the world of conformation dog shows is Best in Show at the AKC National Championship, presented by Royal Canin. Out of the 5,500 dogs that competed in the competition's 25th year, only one was crowed Best in Show. After an intense weekend of breed, group, and Best in Show competition on […]

Susan S. Giles was presented with the 2025 AKC Breeder of the Year award for Ta Sen Lhasa Apsos at the 25th AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Saturday, December 13, 2025.  The annual award honors those breeders who have made an impact on their breed and dedicate their lives to improving the […]

The top dogs in the nation were crowned from an overall entry of 132 dogs this past weekend at the AKC Rally Champion (RACH) Invitational. Competitions were held December 11-12, 2025, in conjunction with the 25th AKC® National Championship Presented by Royal Canin at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The winners: AKC […]

Dash, a 10-year-old Silky Terrier and lifesaving cardiac alert dog, will compete at the 2025 AKC Agility Invitational in Orlando.

Parvo in puppies is unfortunately a common disease with deadly consequences. Here's what to know about parvo in puppies and protecting your dog.

The sight of fur on your clothes and furniture is inevitable when you have a dog. Shedding is part of your dog's normal cycle of hair growth.

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! AGILITY New AGCH (Agility Grand Champion) AGCH MACH4 Gorman's Athena MXB2 PDS MJS2 PJS MFG TQX T2B6 owned by Diane Fairfax Gorman of St. […]

Agility Journey Continues with a Friend’s Help When her friend Ron’s last agility dog passed, Heather Eckenrode stepped in and offered her young All American Dog, Franco, as his new partner. Ron was recuperating from losing his leg and learning to handle from a motorized scooter. The two quickly bonded and became an agility team. […]

Curious about the Doberman Pinscher? Learn about the breed's German roots, their incredible intelligence, and which activities they excel in.

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-profit organization that serves as the world’s largest registry of purebred dogs and a leading advocate for canine welfare and responsible ownership, is excited to announce the new season of its popular dog-centric lifestyle show, AKC Good Dog TV premiering the weekend of September 13th. The fourth season of […]

Fall is a busy time with many shows, national specialties, and other events scheduled around the country.  It’s important to remember that all those expenses – from facility rentals to last-minute Wal-Mart runs – can translate to a significant economic impact for those local communities. Reminding community leaders about the local benefits of dog events […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 25th AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, 2025. The 2025 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]

The American Kennel Club is opposed to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. In solidarity with Ukrainian people, judges from the Russian Federation will not be approved to judge at AKC sanctioned events. *UPDATE: Dogs born in Russia that have been exported to other countries, with registries recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and registered in […]

Dachshund Learn about Dachshunds [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] Dachshund Club of America Constance “Connie” Fisher, fshltd@wildblue.net Denver Dachshunds Rescue and Transport Denver, Colorado, 720-635-0723, Denverdachshunds@yahoo.com Tennessee Dachshund Rescue Leslie Crickenberger 931-881-7338, tndachshundrescue@gmail.com [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] Dalmatian Learn about Dalmatians [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] Dalmatian Club of America Rescue Chairman, Cindy Bowman, 317 850-7878 [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] Dandie Dinmont Terrier Learn […]

Titles Earned in AKC Activities, Organized by Sport and Title Progression the # symbol behind the title abbreviation indicates that title can be earned multiple times, and will carry a numeric designation [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Agility Titles"] Class Abbrev. Title Name Abbrev. Title Name (Preferred Track) Prefix or Suffix ACT ACT1 Agility Course Test 1 Suffix […]

The following are the group designations that AKC breeds have been assigned. There are currently 202 breeds and 9 breeds with 21 varieties.  The varieties are by size, color or group.   The varieties are marked by **(Revised 1/01/25) [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Sporting Group – 33 breeds"] Sporting Group Naturally active and alert, Sporting dogs make likeable, […]

[accordion] [accordion_panel title="2025"] Save the Date: AKC Patriotic Puppy Program Regional Seminar, August 2-3, 2025, Waterbury, CT The AKC Patriotic Puppy Program (PPP) is headed to CT State Community College Naugatuck Valley! The next In Person Regional Seminar will take place on Saturday, August 2nd & Sunday, August 3rd in Waterbury, CT.  This unique dog […]

Order AKC DNA + Health Kit Activate AKC DNA Kit DNA Resource Center All AKC DNA + Health Kits include: The AKC DNA Profile of 201 markers for genetic identity and parentage verification purposes 328 genetic variants for health and traits, including coat color Results are delivered by our trusted service provider (Neogen) with the […]

Each of the AKC registered breeds are assigned to one of seven groups representing characteristics and functions the breeds were originally bred for. Current as of June 17, 2025 [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Herding Group"] HERDING GROUP The Herding Group, created in 1983, is the newest AKC classification; its members were formerly members of the Working Group. […]

What do dogs dream about? While we don’t have all of the answers, scientists are taking steps to learn more about why dogs dream.