After months of negotiations, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has learned that American Airlines is reversing its ban on Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, and any mixed breeds containing one or more of those breeds. Effective May 17th, 2003, all dog breeds will once again be accepted for […]

The AKC has learned that Massachusetts's budget bill was sent to conference committee late last week. Thanks in large part to lobbying efforts by purebred dog fanciers, the Senate version of the bill does not appear to contain any language that will impact breeders. However, the House version does still include an amendment that would […]

The Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners reports that the Budget Conference Committee has approved the final version of the state budget, and it does not include a House-approved amendment requiring regulation of those who breed and sell more than five litters of puppies or kittens per year. This development is welcome […]

UPDATE: HB2927 was stricken from the docket on February 2nd. Many thanks to the Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and the countless Virginia dog owners who helped make this victory possible! Please continue to watch our Web site for information about other pending legislation in Virginia.    [Monday, January 24, 2005] Immediate help is needed […]

Hobby breeders could soon be considered "dealers" in Tennessee if H148 or its companion S1686 are enacted. Both bills would require anyone who breeds and sells more than one litter of puppies per year to be licensed as a "dealer." In Tennessee, dealers must be inspected by the state and pay anywhere from $125-$1000 annually […]

-- Click here for more information about PAWS -- The following is an interview with AKC's federal government relations consultant Jim Holt in response to dog owners' questions about PAWS. The article originally appeared in Dog News June 10th, 2005. Who is regulated under current law and how would PAWS change that? In simple terms, […]

The City of El Paso's Health and Public Safety Legislative Committee will hear a new animal control ordinance at its October 12th meeting. The proposal - a complete rewrite of the city's animal code - contains a $75 litter permit and restricts breeders to only one litter per year. Additionally, owners will be required to […]

Late Friday the US Senate passed their version of the 2007 Farm Bill. Below is a summary of provisions affecting dogs. Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) has announced that his amendment to the Senate Farm Bill to protect the health of puppies imported into the United States has been accepted. The measure will require that […]

The New Hampshire House Environment and Agriculture Committee is scheduled to hear House Bill 337 on Wednesday, February 11. This measure would prevent any dog owner from selling more than one dog or cat per year without a temporary license, which expires after 60 days. The AKC urges all responsible dog owners, fanciers, and breeders […]

Senate Bill 2494 is scheduled to be heard by the Hawaii Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor on Wednesday, February 29, 2012. This bill would require owners of ten or more intact dogs to pay a $500 biennial license fee, allow unannounced inspections of their private homes, limit their ability to make decisions about breeding […]

New Hampshire House Bill 1624, which seeks to impose many unreasonable and unnecessary restrictions on responsible dog breeders and owners, will be considered by the House Environment and Agriculture Committee on Thursday, January 21.  The American Kennel Club and our New Hampshire federation, the Dog Owners of the Granite State, both oppose this measure as […]

House Bill 1332, which seeks to regulate Oklahoma dog breeders, is likely to be heard in conference committee in the next week. This is the last chance for this bill to be amended prior to being given a final vote.  While a number of AKC’s concerns have been addressed, there are still some provisions we […]

The Neptune Beach City Council will discuss but not vote on a proposed ordinance which will define hobby breeders and will prohibit those who own a certain number of pets from selling ANY animals. The AKC urges responsible dog owners and breeders to attend the meeting and oppose this burdensome and ineffective ordinance before a […]

The Santa Fe County Commission is holding the first of two public hearings on Tuesday, September 13, on a proposal that would impact all dog owners residing or participating in events in the county. Those who reside or participate in events in the county are strongly encouraged to contact the committee, and if possible, attend […]

Gander Raises Awareness of Service Dogs’ Healing Magic     When the 2014 winners of the AKC Humane Fund Awards of Canine Excellence (ACE) were presented at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships, the roll call included a former shelter dog who almost lost his life and a military veteran who nearly took his own life. Gander […]

Danny & Jeannette Templeton of Roanoke, VA, shared this story with the AKC Canine Partners News about the work their rescue dog, Buddy, does to help veterans. In 2005, we rescued our second dog, Buddy, a Beagle mix puppy, from a campground we frequent.  My husband, Danny, discovered him while riding around the lake. Buddy […]

Nicole Carazo of Riverside, CA, wrote this compelling story of a little shelter dog that she rescued with no intention of keeping. The dog had so many issues that no one would adopt her so Nicole started training her and realized that she had something really special. Today, that dog is MACH2 She’s a Keeper […]

Jethro Leroy Kromer RAE owned by Brenda Kromer of Punxsutawney, PA Jethro is a 5-year-old Border Collie/ Cocker Spaniel mix. He and his brother Bo came to live with Brenda as puppies, and Jethro began obedience training when he was 5 months old. “We enjoyed it so much that we have continued ever since,” Brenda […]

By AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Elizabeth Sandling A therapy dog can bring much comfort and joy when visiting people in places such as retirement homes, nursing homes, hospitals, schools to help children with special needs, and visiting those who have experienced a stressful or crisis situation. A therapy dog's job is to make people feel […]

Foster Puppy Returns & Jumps into Agility Ring Karen Powell of Frankfort, KY, fostered two littermates eight years ago and never dreamed that both of them would end up living with her permanently and having successful careers in AKC dog sports. Cody recently earned his AKC Preferred Agility Championship (PACH) through the AKC Canine Partners […]

Spotacular Lil Jazz Hands MXP2 MXP MJP4 MJPB CGC, also known as Sammie, is one-half of a great agility team with his owner Sue Thompson of Raleigh,  NC. At 10 years old, Sammie is running better than ever and closing in on the AKC Preferred Agility Championship through the AKC Canine Partners program. Sue tells us […]

Emberly CA RATS DM owned by Kathryn Smiley of Kingsport, TN Emberly is a mixed-breed dog also known by Kathryn as “The Very Rare Spotted Dog.” Kathryn first met Emberly as an 8-week-old puppy at Young Williams Animal Shelter in Knoxville, TN, and says “our futures changed forever. With her heart, stamina, and a boundless […]

1976-2007 2008:003 AKD 6.5 6 Cubic Feet Collection Processed by Andrew D'Ambrose Click here for inventory Provenance A gift from Karen Kleinhans, President (2007) for the Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America. Arrangement The collection is arranged into one series with two sub-series consisting of: Publications The Barker Stud book Registries The publication sub-series consist of […]

The AKC is committed to maintaining the freedoms we deserve and are fortunate to enjoy when it comes to owning, breeding and showing dogs. We are firmly opposed to any unreasonable infringement on the rights of hobby breeders who are dedicated to nurturing our beloved breeds and responsibly enjoying our sport. With this in mind, […]

Being truly unique in our mission and having a history spanning more than 120 years, there are few organizations with a heritage anything like ours. However, in recently learning more about the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), I have been struck at the many parallels it shares with the AKC. Both the AKC and AVMA […]

The American Kennel Club is the only purebred dog registry which mandates both registration as well as care and condition quality control standards enforced through ongoing rigorous inspections of AKC Breeders. In 1991, the AKC’s Compliance Department came into its own, going beyond the complaint-based system of investigations to mandatory inspection for certain AKC breeders.  […]

As the year comes to a close I’d like to review what the AKC has accomplished. The Board and Staff have worked diligently to ensure the continued success of our club and the sport. The Fancy has played a major role in our success. They were effective in defeating the proposed mandatory spay and neuter […]

Recently, AKC's Communications Department’s public relations initiatives and the Marketing department’s branding program were honored by some of the top industry organizations in their respective fields. Our PR campaigns, which focused on responsible dog ownership, the popularity of purebred dogs in America, and how to avoid online puppy buying scams as well as AKC-licensed product […]

-- Canine Health Always A Top Priority -- For more than a century the American Kennel Club®, its parent clubs, and responsible breeders have been dedicated to canine health. The very existence and continuation of breeds in this country depends on a foundation of healthy, sound and good tempered breeding stock. AKC takes very seriously […]

-- Responsible Breeders Part of a Long Tradition of Presidential Pets -- Yesterday, America finally got their first peek at the Obama family settling in with their new AKC-Registered Portuguese Water Dog, Amigo's New Hope, affectionately known as "Bo." Since the first mention of a potential "first" dog many months ago, the Obamas have taken […]