Love puppies? Love to see them strutting their stuff? Then you’ll really love a new event at this year’s show, the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes. The event is open to all AKC-registered breeds, including Miscellaneous Class breeds and is divided into classes by age. You’ll see puppies as young as six months up to 18-month […]

Searching for your first-ever dog? Once you've determined you're ready for a puppy, one of the breeds below might be perfect for you and your family. Find a responsible breeder and discuss what you're looking for in a pet. This will help you figure out if the breed is a good fit for you. Cavalier King […]

Puppyhood is a lot like human childhood. There are phases and stages, and some youngsters seem to mature faster than others. We can set some parameters for puppies. For instance, as a rule, smaller dogs tend to mature more quickly than larger breeds. Small breeds reach their adult size at about 12 months old, while […]

Each year, we are proud to recognize and celebrate the men and women who dedicate their lives to improving the health, temperament, and quality of purebred dogs. These breeders are the heart of our organizations and they deserve to be recognized for their incredible work. One breeder is chosen from each of the seven groups […]

“Most Popular Dog Names” is a common search term, with lists going out almost as regularly as your dog does. But we don’t usually come across ones that connect popular names to their specific breeds. Based on 2015 data sourced from members who included pet information in their profile settings on a social network called […]

There was a time not long ago that nearly every advertisement featuring a child with a dog seemed to include a Lab or a Golden Retriever, consistently among the most popular dog breeds in America. Today, there’s a bit more variety in the breeds being photographed with children for commercial advertising. Perhaps the public perception […]

Alexis Chism is a third-generation breeder of Afterhours German Wirehaired Pointers in Reddick, Florida. She has spent her entire young life of 17 years with the breed, attending dog shows with her mother from a very young age.  AKC: How did you get started in breeding dogs? Alexis: My grandparents acquired their first German Wirehaired Pointer after raising Boxers and […]

In the early 1950s, a stunning Doberman Pinscher came charging out of California to vanquish the best show dogs the East Coast elites had to offer. In the process, he became an international superstar. Among the treasures of the AKC Library & Archives is the Len and Shirley Carey collection of photos, clippings, scrapbooks, correspondence, […]

By Flo Laicher, Putnam Kennel Club Delegate  By Flo Laicher, Putnam Kennel Club Delegate Wanting to serve the pets and pet owners in our community, members of the Putnam Kennel Club, Inc. (PKC) started a project to donate rescue mask kits to the fire departments in Putnam County, New York. This kit gives the fire […]

  Purebred dogs are purpose-bred dogs and come in all shapes and sizes. The characteristics that make each of these dogs unique also help them perform the function for which they were bred. The physical appearance of the dogs illustrates this, and is also an important part of the breed’s history. For example, the thick […]

On December 16, English Springer Spaniel Foxboro Tiffany Running Down A Dream was named AKC/Royal Canin National All-Breed Junior of the Year. The AKC/Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy & Junior Stakes event took place in Orlando, Florida, in conjunction held with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The 10-month-old, known as “Earl,” beat out […]

  On a very busy and stressful day at the State Capitol, North Carolina legislators and staff, were thrilled to once again welcome the American Kennel Club for the annual AKC Canines at the Capitol event.  The AKC invited them to “come hug a dog on your lunch break” and they did just that – […]

The regal Chow Chow has a fascinating history and many unique features. But did you know that they have blue-black tongues? Read on to learn more about this breed.

Louis Murr was a renowned Borzoi owner, breeder, exhibitor, and judge. Most authorities of the time considered Murr's Ch. Vigow of Romanoff to be the greatest Borzoi ever bred on American soil A tragic event cut Vigow's career short Murr died in 1978, two years after retiring from judging, at age 84 Never mind Rasputin's […]

At the 2018 Brittany National Specialty, Paige Giebel and her Brittany, Turbo, were awarded the People's Choice award. "I was so honored to know that Brittany breeders and Brittany lovers chose Turbo as their 2018 People's Choice winner," says 16-year-old Paige. That moment was the highlight of the teenager's dog show career so far. Half […]

The Greenwich Kennel Club (GKC), one of the oldest all-breed dog clubs in the tri-state area of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey which held its first annual all-breed dog show in 1930, is in the final preparation stages for their 2015 annual outdoor dog show that is taking place on June 6th. This well-established […]

For first-time breeders, the memories of whelping a litter and caring for puppies lasts a lifetime. Breeding a beloved female and raising healthy pups...

Article Complements of Purina Pro Plan Agility competitors who are eager to sprint to the start line to put titles on their dogs are finding that being on an AKC Agility League team eases the journey. The team agility sport, which began its third year in May 2025, offers an amazing transformation in skills and confidence via […]

Late Start in Agility Does Not Slow Down Joelle Joelle, formally known as Ma Belle Joelle MX MXJ MJB XF T2B CA BCAT DM CGC, is an 8-year-old rescue dog who did not start taking agility classes until she was nearly 4 years old. Her owner, Ali Park of Williamsburg, Virginia, thought she was getting a laid-back Mastiff when she […]

Canine Good Citizen®, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® and/or AKC Community Canine℠ An AKC club near you can provide you and your dog with training classes and testing for AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, CGC and AKC Community Canine. You will be able to earn official AKC titles in Canine Good Citizen (the "CGC" title) and AKC Community Canine […]