Lacey and Luisma Benítez, of LBK American Staffordshire Terriers, are the first and only Platinum Breeders of Merit of the American Staffordshire Terrier. They are a married couple, navigating life between Spain and St. Augustine, Florida, and have been deeply involved in this breed for 20 years. Luisma, who is from Spain, is a software […]

Karen Moureaux, of Contact Point Border Collies in Fillmore, CA, is the first and only AKC Breeder of Merit- Platinum in Border Collies and was named the AKC Breeder of the Year for Agility in 2014. She is a Southern California native who started in dog sports in 1989 with her first Border Collie, Dallas. After competing […]

The AKC DNA Program is proud to announce the official launch of a new DNA test, AKC DNA + Health. This test combines the original AKC DNA profile with genetic health and traits testing for a powerful breeder tool. The goal of this new test is to satisfy all the needs of breeders with just […]

Golden Retriever breeder Denise Hoyt of Granbury, TX, shares two good tips for stud dog owners – on maintaining a confident attitude and a good grip! It's natural for male dogs to attempt to mount females who are not in heat, to mount other male dogs, and even mount a friend's leg or a sofa […]

Talk about a three-peat – just make sure you spell it with a capital “P.” A winning family trio for more than four decades, David and Pamela Peat of Scottsdale, Arizona, along with their daughter Maggie first made a name for themselves in the sport with Longhair Dachshunds. Their Pramada kennel has produced more than […]

Joseph and Brenna Carlisle are AKC Breeders of Merit Bronze and AKC Bred with HEART breeders. Their kennel, Heritage Hounds, is located on about 80 acres just outside of Birmingham, Alabama. Brenna has bred and shown Standard Longhaired Dachshunds her whole life, and Joseph has bred Treeing Walker Coonhounds and competed in competition hunts with […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the launch of AKC Marketplace with enhanced form and functionality to better serve responsible breeders with the opportunity to promote themselves directly to potential dog owners. Through interactive profile pages, unlimited listings and a user-friendly experience, AKC Marketplace helps breeders get in front of more dog owners, showcase all […]

  You want to add a new dog to the family and have decided on the breed. You are excited about bringing a puppy home, but now a different search begins — for the right breeder. Adding a puppy to the family is a big decision to be made carefully, not impulsively. Selecting a responsible […]

Each month the American Kennel Club profiles breeders to hear how they got started, their breeding program, and their experience with AKC Marketplace. We recently spoke with Success Kennel’s Nancy Sedlacek, who breeds Portuguese Water Dogs. Nancy is an AKC Breeder of Merit and her dogs are among the top ranked in the country with […]

Mary Falls, an AKC Breeder of Merit, has bred and shown Giant Schnauzers for 28 years under the kennel name Classic Giant Schnauzers of Easentaigh (Gaelic for “Falls House”). She lives on the Bluffs of Baraboo in Wisconsin. She began her work life as a certified veterinary technician and now holds a doctorate in nursing practice. She also bred, raised, trained, and showed Morgan Horses for 20 years.  AKC: How did […]

The Swedish Vallhund is relatively new to the United States, but the breed has a long history in Scandinavia. SVs, as they are sometimes called, are small, strong, energetic, and fearless. Here are some more fun facts about the Swedish Vallhund: 1. He Was Previously Known as "Viking Dog" The Swedish Vallhund breed is at […]

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 […]

A Bolognese Breeder for over 10 years, Ikuko Hisaka fell in love with the breed as soon as she first held a Bolognese puppy in her arms.

Dori Anderson, an AKC Breeder of Merit and preservation breeder of Outbackred Australian Terriers, lives in Hartford, Wisconsin. Established in 1983, Outbackred produces show quality Aussies with a focus on temperament, conformation, and structural soundness for future generations. They have produced many AKC Champions.     AKC:  How did you get started in breeding dogs? Dori: […]

Just like the beauty-pageant queen who is a member of Mensa, the Poodle sometimes gets swept away in an unfair stereotype: These perfectly coiffed show dogs are also amazingly smart and versatile. Nicole Sugai of Targa Poodles in Saline, Michigan, knows that firsthand: A second-generation Poodle breeder together with her mom Patti Jason and sister […]

(AKC Breeder of Merit Buffy Stamm was co-breeder of the 2010 Westminster Best in Show winner, GCh. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot. In 2008, She was named AKC Terrier Breeder of the Year.) A few years ago, our most promising young stud dog had already sired the Best of Winners at two national specialties. One of […]

Most dog owners have experienced those frustrating moments when, despite all the training and practice, their dog simply doesn't listen to them. As you and your puppy get to know each other, it's important to remember that listening is a two-way-street: he's learning what you expect just as you're learning to tune into his signals. […]

The annual AKC Breeder of the Year award honors exceptional breeders who have made an impact on their breed and dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament, and quality of purebred dogs. On December 14 at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, Elizabeth and Daniel Karshner were selected as winners of the 2019 AKC Breeder of […]

AKC Breeder of Merit Debarah Billings hails from Bristol, Tennessee. Her breeding program and Windsong Biewer Terriers began in 2009. Her goal was and continues to be breeding for improvement as well as promoting the Biewer Terrier.   AKC: How did you get started in breeding dogs? Debarah: After retiring in 2008, I started my […]

 Traci Mitchell is an AKC Breeder of Merit Bronze, who breeds Black and Tan Coonhounds and an occasional Smooth Fox Terrier. The name Carlin is Irish Gaelic, meaning Little Champion in honor of her first Smooth Fox Terrier. She splits her time between southern California and southwest Iowa. She has lived in California all her […]

We can help to educate prospective owners before they get a new puppy or dog—likewise, breeders can be educated too about ways they can properly screen their buyers. We must help spread the word to the public about responsible dog ownership—and that message includes educating people about the homework that should be done before they […]

AKC Breeder of Merit Oksana Fagenboym, of Rock ’n Rolla Poodles, was born in Ukraine and has lived with dogs all her life. As a little girl, she picked up puppies and kittens from the street and brought them home. Unfortunately, her family could not keep them because they lived in a hostel. So, they […]

Header photo courtesy of Christina Phillips, AKC Breeder of Merit The Irish Red and White Setter is not as well known as his dazzling cousin, the Irish Setter, with only about 500 dogs in North America. Even in Ireland, the breed nearly went extinct during World War I. It took the dedication of a handful […]

New York, NY- The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-profit organization that is the world’s largest registry of purebred and mixed-breed dogs, and a leading voice for canine welfare and responsible ownership, is pleased to recognize extraordinary breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups as 2025 AKC Breeder of […]

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the appointments of Mari-Beth O’Neill to Vice President of Sports Services and Keith Frazier to Vice President of Optimization and Support Services. “Through their years of dedication and demonstrated leadership they have helped us make strides in the sport and support services […]

Adrienne Scott is an AKC Breeder of Merit who has realized a lifelong dream in her small hobby kennel, Prairie Crest Beaucerons, of Maysville, Missouri, devoted to preserving the centuries-old Beauceron breed. She has produced many champions and, through health testing, improving temperaments, and structure, she strives to produce the best Beaucerons possible. Adrienne has traveled […]

If we wish to achieve our goal of breeding quality dogs in fewer numbers, we must set our sights on producing and rewarding dogs with correct front-end assemblies. In a previous Gazette column I discussed front-end assembly and the problems associated with incorrect, upright shoulders. Because so many world-class dog people are concerned about the […]

The Doberman Pinscher has the distinction of being one of the only breeds in the AKC's Working Group that was bred specifically to be a companion to humans. The breed was created in the nineteenth century by German tax collector Louis Dobermann to accompany him in his thankless daily work. Drawing upon this breed legacy, […]

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 […]

Our Beginnings On September 17, 1884, a group of twelve dedicated sportsmen, responding to a "meeting call" from Messrs. J. M. Taylor and Elliot Smith, met in the rooms of the Philadelphia Kennel Club in that city. Each member of the group was a representative or "delegate" from a dog club that had, in the […]