Proud to Be Purebred 10 Reasons I'm Going to Buy a Purebred Dog Breed Standards, the Breeder’s Blueprint The Retrievers: Ever Talented and Willing to Please Breeds Who Enjoy Drafting Just for the Haul of It Herding Dogs: Awe and Wonder Meet Today’s Sled Dogs Spaniels: Always by Our Side The Rescuers: Breeds Who Save […]

The following are the group designations that AKC breeds have been assigned. There are currently 205 breeds and 9 breeds with 21 varieties.  The varieties are by size, color or group.   The varieties are marked by **(Revised 3/10/26) [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Sporting Group – 33 breeds"] Sporting Group Naturally active and alert, Sporting dogs make likeable, […]

We welcome all breeds, including All-American Dogs, to enroll in the AKC PupPals Program. Our goal is to have each breed represented. This allows us to fulfill special requests from children seeking a specific breed. It also allows us to introduce these wonderful, and sometimes rare, breeds to children. We are especially in need of […]

The AKC currently registers 205 dog breeds. The chart below lists all AKC recognized breeds and the year they first became registrable with the AKC.  (last updated 1/1/26) DATE – BREED 1878 – Pointer  1878 – Retriever (Chesapeake Bay)  1878 – Spaniel (Clumber)  1878 – Spaniel (Cocker)  1878 – Setter (English)  1878 – Setter (Gordon)  […]

Wondering how popular your pooch really is? Now you can find out. The most popular dog breeds of 2019 were released on May 1, 2020 (also National Purebred Dog Day) based on 2019 AKC registration statistics. It may come as no surprise that the Labrador Retriever takes the top spot for the 29th year in a row, […]

Through the years, many different breeds have won Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show, including the 2024 winner, "Sage" the Miniature Poodle.

The 1880s was the only decade that the English Setter reigned as the number-one breed and it remained in the top ten for four decades, but hasn’t been in the top ten since the 1910s. Irish Setters, the number-two breed of the decade, fell to number seven in the 1890s and then did not make […]

For the most updated statistics, check out the latest rankings of America's most popular dog breeds. Is your dog’s breed winning popularity contests this year? Now you can find out! The most popular dog breeds of 2020 were released on March 16, 2021, based on American Kennel Club registration statistics. America continues its love affair […]

Happy Father's Day! To celebrate all things paternal, we are featuring eight great sires in AKC history. These studly champions did some of their best work outside of the show ring. Standard Poodle: Ch. Nunsoe Duc de la Terrace of Blakeen Ch. Nunsoe Duc de la Terrace of Blakeen, the 1935 Westminster Best in Show […]

 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 […]

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, […]

It goes without saying that in your house, your dog is the most popular. But what do the statistics say? The American Kennel Club has used registration data to compile the list of 2021’s most popular breeds. As always, the Labrador Retriever tops the list — this time for the 31st year!  The Lab's temperament […]

Thousands of dogs compete at the Westminster Kennel Club Best in Show. Check out some statistics on the breeds and groups who've taken the trophy.

Deep in the AKC Gazette photo archive is a battered old Kodak film box. It contains several rare—and extremely fragile—glass negatives taken by Rudolph Tauskey. They date to the early 1920s. Canine photography buffs have assumed for years that all of Tauskey’s glass negatives were lost, but six survive. Using a sophisticated scanner, the AKC Publications […]

Breeders and handlers are a study in contrasts. Breeders are big-picture and behind-the-scenes, planning and studying for the future. Handlers, meanwhile,  are front and center, focused on the competition at hand and those split-second moments that can make or break a win. And of course, we all know what dog owners do. Sometimes, those three […]

At the 144th iteration of the famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held in New York City's cavernous Madison Square Garden, judge Robert H. Slay pointed to “Siba" the black Standard Poodle for Best in Show. That win — in an entry of almost 2,600 dogs — marked the fifth time one of these elaborately […]

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 […]

The AKC uses registration data to collect the most popular breeds of the past year, and for the first time in history, the French Bulldog takes the #1 spot

AKC Gazette breed column, Wire Fox Terriers: There is no reason that an owner-handler cannot compete with professional handlers and do some winning. You have a lovely dog who should be shown. You are not sure you can afford a professional handler, and you wonder if you should show him yourself. There is no reason that […]

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 […]

You have whelped your dream litter and watched over them amid numerous cups of coffee and several sleepless nights, and now they are almost 8 weeks old. By this age a pup will be looking like a miniature of what he or she will be as an adult. It is now time to decide which […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2022 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 NOHS Finals will be held […]

- 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 […]

-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 […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2024 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 (AKC®) is pleased to recognize its affiliated dog clubs which have been holding AKC events for over 100 years and are an essential part of the sport of dogs. Founded in 1884, AKC together with its affiliated organizations promote responsible dog ownership, conduct over 23,000 organized dog events per year, breed […]

Dr. Klein brings with him over 35 years of experience in the Veterinary field. Currently, he is the Supervising Veterinarian at the Chicago Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center. He is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Veterinary Medical Association, Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society, […]

  Find more information on all the different breeds of puppies. Not sure which puppy is right for you? Take a short quiz to Find a Match. A | B | C | D | E |  F | G | H | I | J |  K | L | M | N | O |  P | R | S | T | V |  W | X | Y A. Breed Group Affenpinscher Toy Afghan Hound Hound Airedale Terrier Terrier Akita Working Alaskan Malamute Working American English Coonhound Hound American Eskimo Dog […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to recognize its affiliated dog clubs which have been holding AKC events for over 100 years and are an essential part of the sport of dogs. Airedale Terrier Club of America Japanese Chin Club of America Airedale Terrier Club of New England Kennel Club of Buffalo American Chesapeake […]

WINNER Leslie Gelesh & Eli (Miniature Poodle) Batman FURever SEMI-FINALISTS Muriel McMullen & Maddie (Australian Terrier) The Grrrinch Faye Roche & Brio (Miniature Poodle) My Olympic Gold Medal Star: Brio Outstanding Performances from the 2021 AKC Trick Dog National Competition In addition to the competition winners listed above, here are some outstanding performances from 2021 (in random order). Many […]