“We both enjoy doing this because we like seeing how the residents light up when Max enters the facility,” Burn said.  “It provides joy to all involved in the encounters.” Steve rescued Max from the Arlington (TX) Animal Services Center in December 2009. He is a mixed breed and, according to a DNA test, he […]

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 […]

MACH Pancho Villa MXB MJB MXF T2B2 owned by Kacey McKinney of Princeton, TX Pancho is a Chihuahua-terrier mix who was just under 1 year old when he came to live with Kacey. Kacey had never trained a dog before, but Pancho and she clicked during agility training and became a great team. They went […]

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 […]

Owner Ignores Advice that Dog Can’t Compete and Takes Her All the Way to Rally Nationals When Lorena Padron spotted Tinker Bell in the Houston Humane Society shelter, the little dog immediately stood out. She was wagging her tail and doing her best to say “Look at me. I am so cute!” Lorena adopted Tinker […]

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, […]

A groundbreaking shelter study released today by the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) reveals that U.S. animal shelters are reporting an all-time low in the number of purebred dogs available.  The study finds that only about five percent of the dogs available in U.S. shelters are purebred; a significant departure from the 25% figure commonly […]

  A groundbreaking shelter study released today by the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) reveals that U.S. animal shelters are reporting an all-time low in the number of purebred dogs available. The study finds that only about five percent of the dogs available in U.S. shelters are purebred; a significant departure from the 25% figure […]

With a joyful bark and bound, Philo, a 5-year-old Samoyed, pressed his shoulders against his padded harness. Behind him, a cart loaded with gray concrete cinder blocks slowly moved forward, as his handler called out, “Work, work, work.” On that day, Philo pulled a load of more than 1,800 pounds—winning the event at Doggie U […]

On the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina wreaking havoc in the southeastern United States, Seattle Times journalist Ranny Green reflects on his time in Louisiana on assignment with Noah's Wish, an organization that helps animals affected by natural disasters. Read Ranny's diary of his trip below, which originally ran in The Seattle Times in 2005. -- […]

At a recent agility trial hosted by the Red Dirt Agility Club earlier this month, judge Cynthia Blanton (second row kneeling, far right) and the majority of the competitors wore blue to demonstrate their support for law enforcement officers. Red Dirt Agility, founded in March of 2009, is an AKC club located in the Oklahoma […]

Dachshunds are bound to pop up anywhere, doing anything. But who has time to keep track of all those Dachsie doings? As a public service, AKC Dog Lovers goes around the corner and around the world to bring you (cue deep-voiced announcer with lots of reverb) DACHSHUNDS IN THE NEWS! EL PASO, TEXAS—You never know […]

According to an article on Continental Toy Spaniels by Baron Albert Houtart, the spaniel family, regardless of size, belongs to the “braccoid” classification of the canine species, as defined by Pierre Megnin. One distinction that Houtart makes is that all spaniels characteristically have short hair on the skull, muzzle, and fronts of the legs with […]

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.

Gracie is a survivor. And now she is helping others going through cancer treatment. The long-hair Chihuahua-mix is a therapy dog who works with her owner Cheryl Tankersley at Planet Hair, a wig store for cancer patients in Virginia, and was recently featured on WRIC, a local ABC affiliate, in honor of October’s Breast Cancer […]

Canadian photographer Pete Thorne got the idea of using his camera to explore aging at his grandmother's 100th birthday party. He later decided to turn his lens toward dogs. "I was naive going into it. I was initially interested in photographing old dogs as caricatures of old guys and gals," he says. Then, as he […]

Your dog is fast asleep, when suddenly he starts whimpering, moving his legs or tail, or engaging in some other odd behavior. Could your dog be dreaming? Scientists think so—in fact, they believe that dogs not only dream as we do, but also that they dream similarly to us, meaning that they replay moments from […]

Michael Delgado’s family thought they lost everything when powerful tornados roared through the town of Rowlett, Texas, the day after Christmas. Their home and most of their belongings were gone, but they still have something to be thankful for—their yellow Labrador Retriever, Sawyer, and Chihuahua-mix puppy, Lucy. Both survived, even after being buried in rubble […]

For more than 30 years, Mike Woodson has bred pure-bred dogs. He is an AKC Breeder of Merit, and his dogs have won many honors in conformation and performance events. Woodson often gives advice to people getting started in the dog fancy. An educator by profession, he could easily teach a course on breeding quality […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and Royal Canin are pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2016 National Championship to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2016. The 2016 event will showcase the top national and international dogs and will also […]

In addition to the renowned conformation show, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan® hosted the third annual Masters Agility Championship and the inaugural year of the Masters Obedience Championship.   Masters Agility Championship Agility is an athletic event designed to demonstrate a dog's willingness to work in a variety of […]

BREED 2015 2014 2013 Retrievers (Labrador) 1 1 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 2 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 3 3 Bulldogs 4 4 5 Beagles 5 5 4 French Bulldogs 6 9 11 Yorkshire Terriers 7 6 6 Poodles 8 7 8 Rottweilers 9 10 9 Boxers 10 8 7 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 11 12 […]

As a breeder, you already know that when it comes to reproduction, the canine species is really unique. I have invested many hours over a number of years to help breeders develop a better understanding of how to be successful in the ultimate pursuit of producing healthy litters. Here is a short recap: Progesterone is secreted […]

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 […]

The winners of this year’s photo contest created unforgettable images by placing their models in vivid landscapes. A red barn, for example, provides a perfect backdrop to show the range of Newfoundland colors. Seagrass complements the straight, coarse coat of a tiny brown dog. A German Shorthaired Pointer stands on a rock, staring out at […]

Humans have much longer lifespans than dogs. This is a basic fact of dog ownership and one that many owners struggle with when the time comes to say goodbye. While we may wish our dogs could live forever, knowing how long dogs live helps prepare us for their needs as seniors, ensuring that we give […]

Each of the AKC registered breeds are assigned to one of seven groups representing characteristics and functions the breeds were originally bred for. Current as of June 17, 2025 [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Herding Group"] HERDING GROUP The Herding Group, created in 1983, is the newest AKC classification; its members were formerly members of the Working Group. […]

AKE 20.3 1889-1908 1.75 linear ft (in 2 flat boxes.) Processed by Brynn White, 2016   Click here for a printable PDF of the collection finding aid   The collection includes clippings of the 204 pen drawings by promiment dog painter and show judge Gustav Muss-Arnolt published between 1889 and 1908 in the American Kennel Club […]

GCH Lockenhaus' Rumor Has It V Kenlyn, a German Shepherd Dog known as “Rumor,” triumphed over more than 4,000 dogs to earn a $50,000 cash prize and the title of Best in Show at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, held this weekend in Orlando, Fla. “Rumor,” owned by Deborah Stern, Pamela Buckles, Patti Dukeman, Pam McElheney […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and Royal Canin are pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2016 National Championship to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2016. The 2016 event will showcase the top national and international dogs and will also […]