-- AKC’s True Fans -- If you’re anything like my wife and I, it all started the day you brought that one dog into your life. For us, it was Caesar - our first Bullmastiff.  Since there was no Internet back then, we found him through the classifieds in our local paper. He was a […]

-- A Summer of Positive Action for AKC -- New York, NY – It is back to school time across America and students are being asked that time-tested question – “What did you do over the summer?” For my wife and I, it’s a rather easy question to sum up in just five words – “We […]

Portia Rocks Alsup THDD owned by Kathleen Smiley-Aslup of Rockford, IL Portia was a stray, found wandering the streets, and was taken in by Bullmastiff rescue groups after her rescue. But even rescue did not know what to do with her after a foster home did not want her back and adoptive owners returned her. […]

  Riley peered through the tunnel, as if he were Alice about to tumble down the rabbit’s hole into Wonderland. Such a small space, such a big dog, it seemed impossible. Yet, on a bright, sunny Sunday morning in May, Riley’s trusted, well-loved human, Jay Cruz, was asking the 14-month-old Mastiff to squeeze his whole […]

  You and your dog can both enjoy working—and playing—together by participating in AKC agility trials. In these events, you will run alongside your dog, urging her on, as she does things like run through a tunnel, jump through a tire, leap over jumps and weave through poles. In order to participate, your dog needs […]

AKC Meet The Breeds When: February 10th, 2018 Where: Piers 92 and 94, New York, NY .video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden;}.video-container iframe,.video-container object,.video-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;}     From Akitas to Xoloitzcuintlis and everything in between, AKC Meet the […]

-- AKC Celebrates 125th Anniversary with a Look Back at First AKC Registered Breeds in History -- For the 18th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America, according to 2008 registration statistics released today by the American Kennel Club® (AKC) But, while more than twice as many Labs were […]

The only mentions of pigment or color of mask in the Bullmastiff breed’s AKC standard are “ears darker in color than the body,” “a dark muzzle is preferable,” and “nose black.” There is actually no mention of “mask” in our standard. However, what mask would imply technically would be the “spectacles” around the eyes, which should […]

The 1880s was the only decade that the English Setter reigned as the number-one breed and it remained in the top ten for four decades, but hasn’t been in the top ten since the 1910s. Irish Setters, the number-two breed of the decade, fell to number seven in the 1890s and then did not make […]

Big dogs equal big love and loyalty. Here are the large dog breeds that earn their place at the top of the size chart. Most people will know the Great Dane but what about the lovely Leonberger? When considering getting a dog, size is a factor, but only one of them. The dog’s personality, activity […]

By Bruce T. PaddockIt’s a well-worn cliché that dogs are “man’s best friend,” but surely there can be no greater act of friendship than to save a person’s life. Two different breeds, the Saint Bernard and Newfoundland, were developed to do just that. Rescuer of the Alps: The Saint Bernard There is only one pass […]

There are certain situations where it’s ok and actually preferred to have more fluff.For example:More fluff on your peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich? Yes! More fluff for your favorite pillow—Please!More fluff all over your black dress pants—No, thank you! Fortunately, regular bathing and grooming can keep even the most fluffy furballs at bay. Here are the top six […]

We often hear dog shows accused of being nothing but “beauty contests.” In reality, they’re organized more like job fairs. At AKC shows, dogs are exhibited in seven groups organized by the original work the breeds were created to do. The dog judged best in each group becomes one of the final seven to vie […]

The Westminster Kennel Club recently announced that Mr. Thomas H. Bradley III is scheduled to judge Best in Show at the club’s 141st dog show Feb. 13–14, 2017. A lifetime participant in the dog sport, Mr. Bradley competed in his first dog show as a teenager in 1955, showing his German Shorthaired Pointer at the […]

Our pack is getting bigger and bigger! The American Kennel Club has given four additional breeds AKC recognition, bringing the total number of recognized breeds to 184.Allow us to introduce you to:Cirneco dell’EtnaThe Cirneco dell’Etna hails from Italy and joins the Hound group. The Cirneco is a hunter that works by scent, sight, and hearing. The breed has […]

Alan Kalter and Dr. Chris Lezotte were presented with the 2016 AKC Breeder of the Year award for their HappyLegs Bullmastiffs at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin on Saturday, December 17, 2016. The annual award honors those breeders who have made an impact on their breed and dedicated their lives to improving […]

July 14 is Bastille Day, when France and Francophiles the world over commemorate the start of the French Revolution in 1789. The AKC joins the celebration in just the way you’d expect—with dogs. Here’s a roundup of some AKC breeds developed in France, plus a few that are French by tradition if not by birth. […]

Swarms of setters, hordes of herders, oodles of Poodles— with the seemingly endless variety of dogs gaiting around AKC show rings, you might assume every breed in creation is represented. Actually, hundreds of breeds from around the world are outside the AKC orbit. Here are just a few:   ESTRELA MOUNTAIN DOG Birthplace: northern Portugal Job […]

Those who watched the 2008 Westminster Dog Show will fondly remember Best in Show winner Uno prancing around the ring bellowing the trademark Beagle sound, “A-roo!” Each breed has its own distinctive bark (or in the case of the the African Barkless Dog, the Basenji, more of a yodel). To highlight each of those unique […]

All anyone has ever seen is a glimpse of these creatures, and there have been many different accounts, but there are two constants in all Bigfoot sightings. They are "as big as a man, and covered with hair from head to foot," one newspaper reported in 1884. Hmmmm. That could easily describe any number of […]