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

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

-Entries Open Today-  The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the third AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. This virtual conformation competition is open to all AKC recognized breeds including Miscellaneous breeds. Entries close on October 12th at 12pm ET.   Heading the panel as Best in Show and Best […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

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

- Entries Open August 3rd- The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the second AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. This virtual conformation competition is open to all AKC recognized breeds including Miscellaneous breeds. Entries close on August 10th at 12pm ET. Heading the panel as Best in Show and […]

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.

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2021 National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The […]

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, […]

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 […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2022 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2022. The 2022 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]

  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 […]

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 […]

Do you suspect your dog is having vision trouble? Perhaps they're nervous in dimly lit spaces or bumping into things in unfamiliar environments. Although many conditions could be responsible for your dog's vision loss, one possible cause is progressive retinal atrophy, also known as PRA. This is a genetic disease of the retina in the […]

Recently I helped a breeder friend compile a package of handouts to send to prospective owners. This was her first litter so she was new to the process. I was surprised to learn that her bitch’s breeder had not sent her anything comparable when she was shopping for a puppy. I used to think these […]

Preparing the sweet, gentle Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to follow good behavior guidelines isn't tricky. This graceful, fun-loving toy spaniel only wants to please you. With some planning, persistence, and a positive outlook, your puppy quickly takes to training. Sandy Harrison, Recording Secretary of the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, acquired her first Cavalier […]

The AKC Museum of the Dog will feature Constance Bannister's work starting July 9. The new exhibit is titled "Women & Dogs in Art in the 20th Century" and will highlight several female artists. That great comedian and curmudgeon, W.C. Fields, warned of the perils of sharing the stage with animals or children. Both, he […]

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 This bill has been removed from the February 5 agenda and AKC Government Relations will update when developments warrant. Monday, February 3, 2020 The American Kennel Club is concerned with Hawaii House Bill 2163.  The bill, introduced by Representative Roy Mitsuo Takumi, seeks to limit the practices of surgical births, debarking, […]

There just seems to be no stopping the Labrador Retriever! For a record 29th year (2019), the versatile sporting breed reigns supreme on the American Kennel Club registry list, a run like no other breed has seen in the record books. Changes in the top ten Little changed in the top ten standings from 2018. Following […]

Laurie Green has been breeding English Springer Spaniels for 40 years and Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens for six. She adores these people-loving dogs.

Life may be a box of chocolates, but after you’ve nibbled enough bonbons, you know which flavor you like best. Over the past four decades, Nancy Edmunds of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, has owned quite a Whitman’s Sampler of purebreds, including Cocker Spaniels, Manchester Terriers, Whippets, Brussels Griffons, Poodles, and Afghan Hounds. But in 1985, she finally came across her forever breed: the Vizsla. After almost 30 years breeding those Hungarian […]

"100 percent permanently and totally disabled." That's how 75-year-old Jack Cotter is classified by the Navy. The veteran served on submarines from 1965-1970 and over the years, he suffered multiple serious injuries. Once, another crew member opened a hatch and the pressure broke the vertebrae in his upper back. In a later accident, he fractured […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) hosted a U.S. Detection Dog Conference February 28 – March 1.  The purpose of this conference was to discuss the pressing need for a U.S.-based national breeding program for explosives detection dogs.  A majority of dogs procured by government agencies come from Eastern Europe, and the increasing global demand for […]

Meet Reagan Wallace: Dog Training Is the Best Part of Her Day Name: Reagan Wallace Age: 15 Grade: 9th Hometown: Saint Peters, MO Family: Parents, Traci and Britt; brother, Hayden Reagan got her start in training from her aunt, who is active in a rescue organization. Things really took off when she got her All […]

13-year-old Border Collie Jive might be the oldest competitor at the 2023 Premier Cup and have complete hearing loss, but that's not stopping her success.

Learn more about blue tongue dogs. Which breeds have them (its not just Chow Chows) and why, and when it's something to see your veterinarian about.

Imagine a mild sedative before leaving home, a bandana sprayed with calming scents, a bunch of bacon snacks, and skipping the hour-long frenzy in the waiting room. From classical music wafting across the sign-in desk to licking peanut butter off the wall to act as a distraction from getting a shot, your dog’s typical freak-out […]