The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the 2022 AKC Trick Dog Competition winners. The overall winners were Muriel McMullen and her Australian Terrier, "Maddie" from Altoona, WI. In their routine, "Dogwarts School of Witchcraft," Maddie used her tricks to become a witch. This fourth annual competition was a virtual event open to […]

Recognized by the AKC in 2021, the Biewer Terrier has been a welcome addition. Standing less than a foot tall and weighing in at four to eight pounds, this dog is a tiny bundle of devotion and charm. 1. "Biewer" is pronounced "beaver." First, let’s get the pronunciation right. Biewer is pronounced "beaver," like the […]

The Toy Fox Terrier has a unique distinction in being the only breed whose AKC standard implies that a fondness for televi­sion viewing is a breed trait. Don’t believe it? The introduction to the breed standard states that not only is the Toy Fox Terrier an athletic, bold, lively pup who will happily go to […]

Salishan Tibetan Terriers, in Tolland, Connecticut, was founded by Gary and Susan Carr. They began exhibiting Tibetan Terriers in 1975 and breeding them in 1979. The Carrs became AKC Platinum Breeders of Merit, and their kennel has produced some of the top show dogs in the country. Their dogs have earned more than 300 AKC Championships and Obedience titles. In […]

Let’s just admit it: Getting started in showing purebred dogs can be intimidating. For newbies, it can seem like the other exhibitors have been given the steps to a choreographed dance that they execute with fluidity and flair, while you are left to lurch around the ring with two left feet. And if you happen […]

Peter Holson of McHill’s Border Terriers lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has been involved with Border Terriers for more than 20 years and has bred them for about that long. McHill’s is a brother/sister breeding program. Typically, Peter’s sister, Hillary Zimmerman, whelps and raises pups while Peter is more involved with showing class […]

In 2004, the multifunctional, even-tempered, and powerfully built Glen of Imaal Terrier became part of the AKC registry's stellar ranks. In doing so, this native Irish breed joined its cousins, the Kerry Blue, Soft Coated Wheaten, and Irish terriers, in the registry. A Tough Terrain, An Even Tougher Terrier The Glen of Imaal Terrier is […]

Before dog shows were established, a terrier’s primary credential to earn a place to live and regular meals was its ability to dispatch a wide variety of small vermin for work and sport. While most terriers devel­ oped slowly, some were created at the behest of an individual and assumed their familiar form and function […]

Purebred dogs are symbols of the people and places that brought them into being. Every year, they're celebrated on National Purebred Dog Day.

The story of “Woodbine, the Pandemic Puppy” starts with Christmas 2019 when James Canavan surprised his wife, Breedette Hayes, with a gift book, “The Curious History of Irish Dogs,” by David Blake Knox. “We live in New York City but are originally from Ireland, so we were keen to learn more about native breeds,” says […]

Partially shrouded by the mists of time, the history of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier sometimes reflects the Irish people's gift as storytellers rather than historians. Folklore persists that following the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, a dog swam to the shore of Ireland from a sinking ship. Supposedly, he then bred to […]

Natalia Backos, a 14-year-old from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, has never known a time when she didn't spend her weekends at dog shows. A proud third-generation breeder/owner/handler, Backos is following in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother, alongside her sister. Her dogs include her Parson Russell Terriers BISS GCH Panther Creek Stone Cold Sober "Boozer" and […]

Originally bred to kill rats and mice, Affenpinschers eventually charmed their way into German kitchens. Learn about the breed's history.

There is, carved into a Scottish Highlands farm wall, the image of a short-legged, longheaded, prick-eared, cobbily built dog barking on a wheelbarrow. The image appears to date from around A.D. 200, and is about three-eighths of an inch in diameter, small enough that the viewer cannot make out if the dog is double-coated or […]

For centuries, Flemish art has been celebrated for its technical skill, precise depiction of everyday life, and a particular aesthetic of fanciful exaggeration for sometimes humorous effect. The inimitable Brussels Griffon fits perfectly into that tradition. It’s no wonder the breed has been a favorite of painters, illustrators, and filmmakers. The first depiction in fine […]

Yorkies are famous for their human-like hair and show-worthy coats, and that's why learning how to groom your Yorkshire Terrier puppy will be an important part of welcoming your new dog into your home. "Grooming is a critical part of owning a Yorkshire Terrier," says Daron Newcomb, a professional groomer with 21 years of experience. […]

There's something irresistible about toy breeds. They pack so much personality into a small package. And that's especially true for the Toy Fox Terrier and the Miniature Pinscher. Whether it's the TFT's alert intelligence or the Min Pin's fun-loving fearlessness, these two dogs have a lot to offer. But do you know how to tell […]

There’s an old Czech saying, “Like dog, like master,” and this applies to no one better than Frantisek Horak, the creator of the Cesky Terrier. Horak persevered through World War II and a communist revolution with terrier-like determination to create his vision of a new hunting breed, the Cesky Terrier— perhaps the only breed with […]

The mahogany huntress leapt from one bale to the next in pursuit of her prey. Straw and dust swirled in the air as Beatrice, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, canvassed the barn with handler Ikuko Jones following briskly behind. Jones sidestepped the hay bales as she watched intently for her dog’s “tell”: a swift, heavy swat of […]

When shipwrecks have fantastical endings, they’re usually works of fiction. Think of Gilligan and friends, or the Swiss Family Robinson. But in our canine world, a centuries-old shipwreck is believed to have helped create a real-life dog breed – and one of the most eye-catching of the terriers, to boot. Now, full disclosure: This creation […]