Shedding happens. It's a fact. You can always count on locks losing their grip when spring or early autumn rolls around and dogs shed their seasonal coats. Environmental factors like temperature, nutrition, and stress can also affect canine coat loss. But while some loose hair occurs routinely during a dog's hair growth cycles, thinning hair […]

Historically, small terriers and Dachshunds were used to find and drive away predators that destroyed livestock and compromised the food sources of early farmers. To do their job, these original earthdogs would chase quarry into their underground tunnels – a daunting mission that required persistence, bravery, intelligence, and independence. Today, small terriers and Dachshunds can […]

If you're feeling ill, there's nothing better than cuddling with your dog to improve your spirits. But what if your symptoms include a sore throat, and you're diagnosed with strep? Can dogs get strep throat? If so, is strep throat in dogs contagious to people? Strep throat, an infection marked by swollen tonsils and difficulty […]

When dog lovers hear the phrase “mountain dog,” their thoughts naturally turn to the big guys: Saint Bernards, Great Pyrenees, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and other large, immensely powerful breeds created to guard flocks and rescue luckless travelers amid the world’s great mountain ranges. But dogs specially bred to thrive in high altitudes come in all […]

  Welcome to the AKC . We have put together definitions for dog words that you may not be familiar with. If you have additional questions regarding the glossary, please contact our Special Services Department. A Abdomen The belly or under surface between the chest and the hindquarters. Acetabulum The concave lateral portion of the […]

Heart murmurs in dogs can be harmless or represent serious health conditions. Learn about the different types and how they're diagnosed and treated.

Barking, pawing, whining, jumping up, and mouthing are all examples of attention-seeking behavior in dogs. Learn why it happens and how to stop it.

No doubt spurred on by the famous Best in Show wins of My Own Brucie in the early 1940s, accompanied by this handsome dog’s likeness appearing on the cover of Life, the Cocker Spaniel became the country’s number-one dog. The breed enjoyed the number-one ranking for sixteen years, from 1936 to 1952. Although the Pekingese […]

The only breed to rank in the top ten breeds every decade since the founding of the American Kennel Club became the nation’s top breed in the 1950s—the Beagle. Not coincidentally, Charles Schultz’s pet Beagle, Snoopy, made his illustrious first appearance in national newspapers on October 4, 1950, and swiftly became a pop phenomenon. The […]

You may think of puppies when you think of dog daycare, but daycare for adult dogs can be just as rewarding. Learn more about the different benefits of daycare for your dog!

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 […]

Puppy strangles (or juvenile cellulitis) is an uncommon idiopathic skin disease. It's believed that a hereditary autoimmune issue, and is not contagious to humans or other dogs.

Every year, the AKC releases the list of most popular breeds. But which breeds were top 10 from 2000-2009? Find out here!

The AKC® National Championship presented by Royal Canin has a new record-breaking entry. A grand total of 5,762 dogs will compete for the title of America’s National Champion on December 16 and 17, 2023 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Combined with the other weekend events, including the AKC®/Royal Canin National All-Breed […]

Selecting a dog is an important decision that plays out for families every day. Here's how to know if you should get a purebred or mixed-breed dog.

Seborrhea in dogs can cause flaking skin, oily skin and coat, and odor. Learn to recognize and treat this skin condition.

If your dog suddenly develops aggressive, bloody diarrhea, they could have hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (also known as acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome).

The popular Yorkshire Terrier or 'Yorkie' is often confused with the rarer Silky Terrier or 'Silky,' a breed for which it played a part in the development.

Toast, the two-year-old Beagle, beat the odds when he got parvovirus as a puppy. Now, he's one of the highest-ranking Fast CAT Beagles.

Pica is a condition where your dog eats non-food items like stones or dirt. Learn about the many causes and treatments for this dangerous behavior.