Tifani King of Spring Lake Park Minnesota could technically still compete as a junior. But after a successful Juniors career, she made the decision to start not just competing against adults, but to become a professional handler, where she is hired to show other people's dogs in the breed ring. For someone with a lifelong […]

Natalia Backos, a 14-year-old from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, has never known a time when she didn't spend her weekends at dog shows. A proud third-generation breeder/owner/handler, Backos is following in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother, alongside her sister. Her dogs include her Parson Russell Terriers BISS GCH Panther Creek Stone Cold Sober "Boozer" and […]

Linda Brady has been involved in dog training since 1978 but nothing quite prepared her for what she dealt with in early December. A resident of Oxford, Michigan (population 3,586), she was alerted shortly after the shootings at the town high school on November 30. “You always think something like this is never going to […]

Emily Wentland, an 18-year-old from Ohio, got started training and showing her dogs through 4-H when she was just eight and began competing in AKC sports at 13. She and her Miniature American Shepherds and Borzoi (Woodridge's I Shot The Sheriff CD NAP OJP CGC TKE "Gunner," Shadowland's Designer Gucci Girl NAJ CGC TKE "Gucci," […]

Cassidy Hayes first stepped into the ring as a toddler—and this year she'll be competing at Westminster for the second time. While she still might be considered young, this 16-year-old from Indiana is already deeply committed both to the sports of purebred dogs and to making dog shows welcoming for newcomers. Family Fun "My parents […]

Sisters Lian Chase and Jade Chase from Peyton, Colorado, are powerful competitors in the show ring—and they're still teenagers. Lian, who is 18, got involved with showing dogs through 4-H when she was 9 years old, and began with AKC shows when she was 11. Younger sister Jade, 15, also began showing dogs through 4-H […]

We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles in Agility, Coursing Ability, Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, Tracking, and Trick Dog. Moreof you continue to enjoy success taking advantage of AKC’s Virtual Titling programs too! AGILITY AGCH (Agility Grand Champion) AGCH MACH4 Sassy RAE2 MXB2 PDS MJC PJS MFG TQX T2B6 CGC owned by […]

Sarah Brown is only nineteen years old but in a relatively short time she and her Nederlandse Kooikerhondje dog Charlie (BISS CH Foothills Charlie Brown CGC TKP “Charlie") have already accomplished a lot. Nederlandse Kooikerhondje might have a hard name to pronounce, but these animated orange and white dogs are easily recognizable in the Sporting […]

AKC Canine Partners Turns 10 Years Old AKC competition for mixed breed dogs launched on April 1, 2010, in agility, rally and obedience. Since that date, nearly 400,000 dogs have enrolled in the program, and the number of sports and titling opportunities has more than tripled. All American Dogs also now compete in tracking, coursing […]

First AKC Agility Grand Champion: AGCH MACH4 PACH2 Greer’s Ellie MXB2 MJS2 MXP6 MXPS PADP MJP6 MJPS PJSP PAX2 MFB TQX MFPC TQXP T2B4 T2BP RATS CGC & Carol Greer of Mineral Bluff, GA Carol had never heard of agility when an obedience instructor suggested that she enroll her mix, Luke, in a beginner agility course. “I […]

The Golden Retriever may be America's third most popular dog breed, but Tammy Tomlinson is not your average Golden owner. From her Ligonier, Pennsylvania-based Hillock Goldens kennel, Tomlinson has bred, owned, and handled the adored Sporting Group breed for over 40 years, and produced scores of conformation champions and dog sport athletes across the spectrum. […]

For the past eight years, I have been fortunate to serve on the Board of this great American Kennel Club, the world’s strongest and most effective champion for purebred dogs and our Sport. It has been a privilege to play a role in the advancement of AKC’s mission and to be a part of so […]

You could call him the “Water Boy” based on his naming origin, but 2½-year-old Noah is already establishing an identity on the terra firma of the dog show world, too. The 36-pound Cardigan Welsh Corgi, co-owned by Dr. Peggy McCoy, of Ohio, and his breeder, Sherri Hurst, of Texas, already has four group wins and […]

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 […]

Eleven-year-old Audrey Boyer goes by another name: Whippet Girl. For people that know her, this isn't surprising. Not only does she have three Whippets (Disco, Yoshi, and Major) but they are her passion. She competes with her dogs in Conformation, Rally, Obedience, and Dock Diving. Her Facebook page, Whippet Girl, is dedicated to helping educate […]

Don’t let stress keep you from doing your best By Jordan York This issue’s training tip is from Jordan York, who lives in Southern Indiana with three dogs: a 9-year-old All American, Moses; a 4-year-old Border Collie rescue, Nile; and a 7-month-old Border Collie puppy, Capture. Jordan is a registered nurse and works as an […]

We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles in Agility, Coursing Ability, Rally, Obedience, Tracking and Trick Dog, including the fourth All-American Dog to earn the new AKC Agility Grand Championship, the fifth All American Dog to earn the AKC Champion Tracker title, and another CAX for the […]

The Kennel Club of Beverly Hills Dog Show in Pomona, California will be televised Easter Sunday on NBC affiliates nationwide. Almost two years old, Tallulah is just as much at home in the high-octane show ring as patrolling her 400-acre ranch in Sonoma County, California, for coyotes, mountain lions, or bobcats. Whether it’s the glitz […]

Thousands of dogs will start 2019 off by traveling to the Kennel Club of Palm Springs Dog Show at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, California. Whether you’re attending in person (it’s free!) or watching from your home, here are three competitors on why they started showing dogs. Make sure to tune in to the […]

  This is part of a series of profiles on the six top agility mixed-breed dogs that received the invitations to compete in the 2018 AKC Agility Invitational. The annual event takes place Dec. 14-16 in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC/Royal Canin National Championship and the AKC Obedience Classic. Name: AGCH MACH12 Moses […]

Competition/Titles Update We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles in Agility, Coursing Ability, Rally, Obedience and Tracking, including the second and third dogs to earn the new AKC Agility Grand Championship! AGILITY Agility Grand Champion (AGCH) – Two more All-Americans have earned this prestigious new title! AGCH […]

When Drs. Carole Schuster and Philip Abessinio, of Locust Valley, N.Y., bought their West Highland White Terrier four years ago, the duo set some ambitious goals. They hoped their new canine companion, Max, would be a therapy dog, Canine Good Citizen, and a successful conformation competitor. The dynamic, 20-pound pup hasn't disappointed. "I was looking […]

Wiki is an American Kennel Club Grand Champion, but it’s not just his titles that impress everyone. This smart, spirited, and distinctive Australian Shepherd, owned by Elissa and Tim Phillips of San Diego, willingly meets each new challenge with enthusiasm. For instance, he dances, opens doors, turns on lights, poses for selfies, bows, and says his […]

When facing a job or career change, some struggle with the transition and others thrive. For Josey, a six-year-old Clumber Spaniel, it was the latter when she switched from search-and-rescue work to the Junior Showmanship ring. “She has an incredible work ethic and exemplifies a breeder’s goal of a sound mind in a sound body,” says […]

Competition/Titles Update We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles in Agility, Coursing Ability, Rally, Obedience and Tracking. This past quarter delivered the first Agility Grand Champion and the first Rally Master title holders! There is also a new Champion Tracker and lots of exciting news about All […]

It’s been said that every dog-owner relationship is unique. Well, welcome to Chester and Steve Garcia’s world, which can best be summed up: better late than never. Westminster 2018 will be the pair’s first trip to America’s most iconic dog show, February 10-13, 2018, in New York City. And amazingly, they are the only entry […]

Click below to see titles and abbreviations for: Prefix Titles Suffix Titles Parent Club Titles Working Dog Titles Other Recognized Titles Other Title Lists: Titles Sorted by Sport Titles Sorted in Alphabetic Order   Prefix Titles Title Title Name AFC An Amateur Field Trial Champion title can be earned in either Beagle Field Trials, Pointing […]

They call themselves "The Joy Team," but when you see the Rogers girls at a dog show venue, you know it's all about commitment, competition, and character. And that's exactly what the audience will get with Sophia, 19; Emma and Faith, 13; and Julia, 9, at The National Dog Show presented by Purina on Nov. […]

Nexpa and Holly Webb had a busy week at the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog of America National Specialty in Loveland, Colo., in September 2015. On this day — the Independent Specialty — she was awarded the second highest award for female champions in the ring in a field of over 100. During the week, the […]

Shari and Kevin Curran have a very busy lifestyle in rural Texas, but somehow a charismatic Pug, named Lionel, has managed to become the centerpiece of their lives. The couple, who live on 80 acres in Canton, Texas, 60 miles east of Dallas, own horses, miniature horses, a pot-bellied pig, alpaca goats, chickens, and, of […]