In summer 2009, Shelley stopped by her local shelter in Princeton, NJ, in search of a new companion. “I had just lost my dog and was looking for a large, friendly dog to adopt,” she said. “The staff showed me the dogs they thought I might like, but there wasn't a match. Then they brought […]

Looking for the perfect name for your new puppy? Consider some of the most famous dog names from movies, TV shows, and history.

By Bruce T. Paddock Sometime back in the last century, I was living in New York City with my then-fiancée, a lovely woman who used to breed and show English Cocker Spaniels. She was no longer doing that, though, for two reasons. First, in moving to our ridiculously tiny apartment she could bring only one […]

Struggling over what to name your new male puppy? Check out the most popular boy dog names based on AKC registration and enrollment data.

By Robin Tingley, English Cocker Spaniel Club of America Are your dogs protected? Of course they are, you are thinking—you keep up with all vet checks, vaccinate according to best practices, microchip, and do health testing. You are careful with whom you place your puppies, and you follow their welfare. But what if something happens to […]

  December 2022 Welcome to the first in a new series of quarterly bulletins for those who want to learn more about the breeding, development and training of dogs needed for detection work. Our goal with these newsletters is to keep you apprised of advances and opportunities in breeding, development and training of detection dogs […]

We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles and honors in Agility, Coursing Ability, Fast CAT, Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, Tracking, and Trick Dog! AGILITY Master Agility Champion (MACH) MACH George G RN MXB MJB XF TKP owned by Sophie Janavs of Studio City, CA George is Sophie’s […]

As 2024 moves quickly through the first quarter of the year, it’s easy to get focused on the next big thing.  Afterall, AKC is hosting the Detection Dog Conference again in July, which requires significant effort and focus to ensure a quality event.  However, 2023 was a banner year for the AKC Detection Dog Task […]

Every sport has had its great ones. And the sport of dogs had Alva Rosenberg. Excruciatingly modest and correspondingly revered, Alva Rosenberg was, and arguably still is, the most respected judge in the history of dog shows in America, and perhaps the world. Even the British, who invented the conformation game and have no tendency to […]

The AKC now works with several non-AKC service and sports organizations to recognize the titles that AKC-registered dogs earn in their programs. This includes the AKC Therapy Dog titling program and the AKC Search & Rescue title program. AKC also recognizes titles of the Barn Hunt Association (BHA); North American Diving Dogs (NADD); and the […]

AKC Breeder Spotlight: Amy Shaffer of Crivitz Standard Schnauzers Each month the American Kennel Club profiles breeders to hear how they got started and learn about their breeding program and their experience with AKC Marketplace. We recently spoke with AKC Breeder of Merit Amy Shaffer of Crivitz Standard Schnauzers. Amy originally started with Irish Setters […]

Homegrown terrorism and mass shootings have sadly become everyday news in the United States. As a result, the demand for explosives detection dogs as a deterrent against such crimes is on the increase with one major problem: there are not enough dogs to meet the growing need. The US Government purchases 80 to 90% its […]

These champion show dogs took the top prize in conformation at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin.

The Greenwich Kennel Club (GKC), one of the oldest all-breed dog clubs in the tri-state area of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey which held its first annual all-breed dog show in 1930, is in the final preparation stages for their 2015 annual outdoor dog show that is taking place on June 6th. This well-established […]

The AKC works with several non-AKC service and sports organizations to recognize the titles that AKC-registered dogs earn in their programs. This includes the AKC Therapy Dog titling program and the AKC Search & Rescue title program. AKC also recognizes titles of the Barn Hunt Association (BHA); North American Diving Dogs (NADD); and the North […]

This program has been helping people to raise detection dogs since February of 2019. That means that we have people now with adult dogs who want to know what the next step is for them to have the dog looked at for purchase. The how of it is a little complicated. It is complicated by […]

The AKC Detection Dog Task Force (DDTF) is pleased to introduce a new video that shares AKC’s continued efforts in addressing the shortage of domestically bred, -raised and -trained explosives detection dogs in the United States. The video highlights interviews from terrorism experts, law enforcement officials, academia, and current AKC DDTF Patriotic Puppy Program (PPP) […]

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's medium-long luscious coat and silky, feathery ears signal royalty. Here's how to groom a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Most large breeding programs that raise service puppies are philanthropies with pretty deep pockets. Government programs are similar in excess spending, but with very myopic vision for the future. With a steadily rising need for working detection dogs and current emphasis on a domestic supply of these dogs, and economy of time and resources are […]

The American Kennel Club is the world's largest registry of purebred dogs, and uses these statistics to rank the most popular breeds — and the rarest breeds. The numbers are in: these are the rarest dog breeds according to AKC registration statistics. In 2025, 202 total breeds were counted in the registration statistics. In 2026, […]

Most large breeding programs that raise service puppies are philanthropies with pretty deep pockets. Government programs are similar in excess spending, but with very myopic vision for the future. With a steadily rising need for working detection dogs and current emphasis on a domestic supply of these dogs, and economy of time and resources are […]

This article originally appeared in the March 2012 issue of the AKC Canine Partners News newsletter Cooper is an agility superstar. It barely took him a month to go from Novice to the most advanced level of AKC agility – Excellent. But then the then-8-year-old mixed-breed dog suffered a back spasm that took him out […]

From the Emerald Isle to presidents' homes, Irish Setters are a striking breed. Learn more about the breed with these Irish Setter fun facts.

For the first three to four weeks of puppies’ lives, meal time is not a hard job for breeders. But once those puppy teeth erupt, many Moms avoid nursing, plus growing puppies need more nutrition. Breeders must decide when to start weaning litters and what to feed them during the transition from Mom’s milk to […]

In November 2015, a 2-ounce Cocker Spaniel named Jordi was born. Her breeder, Kathy Korab, was not only shocked by her small size but by her leg as well. Her front right leg was deformed, folded in toward her body. On top of that, the mother had rejected the entire litter and all three puppies needed to […]

  Purebred dogs are purpose-bred dogs and come in all shapes and sizes. The characteristics that make each of these dogs unique also help them perform the function for which they were bred. The physical appearance of the dogs illustrates this, and is also an important part of the breed’s history. For example, the thick […]

[caption id="attachment_113469" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Skinner in the lab[/caption] This blog is designed to be used as a resource. We have categorized the posts so that you can review what is important to you. Here are some past posts that I hope everyone considers every time they work with their dog. The most important blog posts […]

[caption id="attachment_113469" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Skinner in the lab[/caption] This blog is designed to be used as a resource. We have categorized the posts so that you can review what is important to you. Here are some past posts that I hope everyone considers every time they work with their dog. The most important blog posts […]

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 […]

When it comes to communication, dogs are significantly better at interpreting our body language than we are theirs. Humans rely on verbal language more heavily than body language, whereas dogs are just the opposite. Unfortunately, this often means we are left scratching our heads, wondering what our dogs are trying to tell us. Shaking is […]