Susan Smith of Bordentown, NJ, shares this special story of her mixed-breed, Charm, who has overcome many obstacles to earn the highest honor in AKC Rally. Today, Charm Princess Jewell Smith RAE THD CGC, is healthy, happy and also making others happy through her work as a therapy dog. Charm is a  member of the […]

A great look at early tricks and sports training for this then 15-month-old mixed-breed dog. Mixed-breed dogs can compete in AKC sports through the AKC Canine Partners program for all dogs, including rare breeds and rescues.

Watch this great canine freestyle performance by junior handler and 4-H member Claire Wilcox of Wichita Falls, TX, and her Chihuahua mix, Shadow. Canine freestyle is also known as "dancing with your dog" and requires off-leash control, obedience training and tricks. Shadow is a member of the AKC Canine Partners program for all dogs, including […]

Ferris,a mixed-breed dog in the AKC Canine Partners community, went to his first AKC Rally trials in September and on his second try, he earned a score of 95 out of a possible perfect score of 100 in the Rally Novice A class for beginning handlers and dogs. Rally is a very fun sport in […]

This is the final profile in a series on the six top mixed-breed dogs that received the invitations to compete in the 2015 AKC Agility Invitational. The annual event takes place Dec. 11-13 in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships in conformation and the AKC Obedience Classic. Mixed-breed dogs, known as All-American Dogs, […]

Make Next Year Your Dog’s Best Ever: 5 Great Dog Training Resolutions AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Breanne Long says don’t forget your dog when you are making your New Year’s resolutions for 2016, like try something new and fun with your dog. Kurtis of Kingfisher CAX DJ RATN CGC, (pictured) a member of the AKC […]

Kumala CAX owned by Michelle Jung of Daly City, CA Michelle adopted Kuma from the San Francisco SPCA in 2014 when he was around a year and a half. He was a stray dog from a neighboring county before being picked up and turned into a shelter. “I've had him for about two years now, […]

Coconut THDD CGC spent his first three years of life in a basement until his owner turned him over to a shelter. Dr. Elizabeth Lynch of Greenwich, CT, saw something special in Coco and took him home. With a lot of love, training and trust building, Coco has become a wonderful therapy dog and recently […]

  Coppertone was near death when California residents Heather & Lori Sims rescued her as a young puppy. They spent nights feeding the Miniature Dachshund with an eye dropper because she was too weak to eat on her own. The veterinarian gave her little chance of survival, but the puppy pulled through. The Sims say […]

Gra’Nola Doodle CDX RAE OA OAJ AXP NF OFP THDX owned by Ingrid Schillebeeckx-Rice of Barnegat, NJ Nola’s career started as an animal assisted therapy dog in the ​ Little Egg Harbor School District. Nola worked with both the general and special education population, serving as a catalyst for therapists, teachers and counselors to accomplish […]

This is the final profile on the six mixed-breed dogs that received invitations to compete in the 2016 AKC Agility Invitational. The event takes place Dec. 17-18 in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC National Championship and AKC Obedience Classic. Name: PACH5 Harvey’s Casper AX AXJ MXP19 MXPG2 MJP21 MJPC2 PAX6 CGCA Call Name: Casper […]

KOKO HERZ ... JAN. 3, 2003 - FEB. 19, 2015 Steven Herz of New Jersey wrote this moving memorial for Koko Herz who was the first All-American Dog to earn the AKC Therapy Dog title and who passed away from cancer in February at age 12. We are honored to share it with you. "I […]

Debbie first saw Lexi as a puppy at an adoption event in front of a pet store. “We had just lost our previous dog to cancer and did not plan to get another one for a while. But Lexi captured our hearts with her happy face, easy-going attitude, and obvious intelligence.” Debbie started training Lexi […]

Brittany adopted Sammy from the Humane Society of Northeast Iowa in the summer 2013. “Although sensitive, Sammy has a high drive and passion for learning,” Brittany said. “Her shy nature is always overtaken by her will to learn and compete.” Training helped Sammy gain confidence. Sammy now competes regularly in obedience, rally, agility, and barn […]

Milo's owner, Megan Yaroll of Ridgefield, WA, has taught him dozens of tricks, using a target stick and clicker. Above, he demonstrates pushing a grocery cart and he can even put the groceries in the cart! Milo puts his tricks to good use. Megan is an elementary school teacher so Milo often goes to school […]

Hailey Has Plenty of Tricks Up Her Paws Baseballs, basketballs, skateboards and Frisbees – most parents invest in plenty of these items for their kids. And in Karen Profenna’s case, that includes her four-legged family member. Hailey – a little black-and-white fireball – can swing a bat, dunk a basketball, ride a skateboard and soar […]

Then a hero, clad in a life jacket, appears, rips open the car door and --- licks the driver all over his face as the crowd goes wild. Meet Radar the Weather Dog, star of Tray’s Wild Weather Camp – a fun show with a very serious message – teaching children how to be safe […]

Pogo was adopted by Wendy from an animal shelter on April 2, 2010, when he was 4 months of age, and they started agility training three months later. Wendy said she resisted any formal obedience training, thinking it was too strict and tedious, but after much encouragement from her trainer, she finally decided to try […]

“I used to live in California and have friends there.  One friend fosters dogs for a local rescue group and she was instrumental in finding Minnie for me,” Rosemary said. Minnie had been a stray and was picked up and taken to the San Bernardino Animal Shelter, a busy shelter that can only keep dogs […]

June 2013.  I was settling in for the evening with my two Golden Retrievers who had just enjoyed a fun weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains at an obedience trial.  Before the night was over, I would find myself with one less golden as a result of bloat. That tragic loss began the journey that […]