The Tupelo City Council and the Baldwyn Board of Aldermen will meet tomorrow, Tuesday October 3rd to discuss possible breed bans. The Mississippi Canine Coalition is organizing fanciers and concerned dog owners to oppose these proposals. For further information on how you can help, please contact the Mississippi Canine Coalition directly at 4aussie@bellsouth.net. Mississippi has […]

A bill labeling "pit bulls" and Rottweilers as "dangerous dogs" has been introduced in the New Mexico House of Representatives.  Under current New Mexico statute, any owner of a dog deemed to be "dangerous" must be spayed or neutered, microchipped and registered each year. Under House Bill 667, the definition of "dangerous dog" is expanded […]

Representative John Heaton's office has confirmed that HB 667 will be amended to remove the breed-specific provisions. The AKC Government Relations department thanks all those who called, wrote letters, and emailed their representatives about this important issue. We will provide additional information once the amended text is available.   Rottweilers and Pit Bulls Targeted in […]

Fanciers have worked hard and have made significant progress in the Illinois State Legislature, which is considering several dangerous dog and breed-specific bills. Fanciers are also working to oppose breed-specific legislation (BSL) in Chicago. Below is an update on current "hot" initiatives facing Illinois residents. In the General Assembly: As Illinois dog owners may recall, […]

Beginning Friday, May 1, any dog weighing over 25 pounds, including Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and  "pit bulls", among many others, will be prohibited in housing controlled by the New York City Housing Authority.  The American Kennel Club has sent a letter to the Housing Authority, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the New York City Council opposing […]

A panel of volunteers appointed by the Point Coupee Police Jury has recommended breed-specific changes to the Parish’s animal control ordinance, which it will consider at its meeting on May 25.  The American Kennel Club strongly opposes breed-specific legislation, and encourages all Point Coupee residents to contact the members of the Parish’s Police Jury listed […]

Last month, the Board of Aldermen of Moreauville, Louisiana, a village of approximately 1,000 residents in Avoyelles Parish, passed a draconian breed-specific vicious dog law that bans the ownership of "pit bulls" and Rottweilers. No exceptions are provided to the ordinance, including for service, therapy, or emotional support dogs. Little public notice was provided when […]

Yesterday, officials with the Village of Moreauville, Louisiana, repealed their recently-enacted vicious breed ban. The law had classified Rottweilers and “pit bulls” as vicious, and required owners to surrender their dogs to local authorities for “disposition” or to move their dogs outside of the town. Further, officials had previously approved the use of tranquilizer rifles […]

The Village of Moreauville will hold a public meeting Monday, December 1, 2014, to further discuss its recently-adopted draconian vicious dog ordinance. It is vital that all concerned dog owners contact Moreauville officials and express strong opposition to this drastic, unjust, and unnecessary ordinance. RECAP: Last month, the Moreauville Board of Aldermen passed a breed-specific […]

Another Sport for All Dogs: Drafting and Carting Drafting and carting are sports that are open to all breeds of dogs, including mixed-breeds, by several national breed clubs. Pulling carts to help transport items was a task that many dogs were – and still are – trained to do to help around farms. Dogs like to […]

Zeus is a Rottweiler-mix who was staying with a family friend in North Carolina while his military family was stationed in Korea. But the friend called the family to tell them the dog had passed away. It came as a huge surprise when they got a call this week from a good samaritan who found Zeus and […]

AKC Parent Club Performance Events Breed specific performance events administered by Parent Clubs that test the skills need to maintain and enhance the breed's historical function.   Belgian Sheepdog Drafting - Belgian Sheepdogs are able to earn drafting titles in Bernese Mountain Dog events - effective June 1, 2012   PBGV Hunt Test effective March 1, […]

In an effort to help the puppy-buying public find responsible breeders of AKC registered puppies, the Board has approved a program whereby clubs can easily and proactively promote the AKC brand, AKC registration and AKC breeder referral through local classified advertising. This initiative which we have dubbed, "Demand AKC Papers" asks clubs to place classified […]

Photo by Bethany Howell / Dogs in Motion Photography Snickers, formally known as The Joke’s On You AX AXJ OF DS AM, was a sad-looking young dog when Joan Kossaras of Phoenix, AZ, found her in the animal shelter and gave her a home.  Snickers turned out to be super smart and active and loved […]

June 2013.  I was settling in for the evening with my two Golden Retrievers who had just enjoyed a fun weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains at an obedience trial.  Before the night was over, I would find myself with one less golden as a result of bloat. That tragic loss began the journey that […]

-- AKC Celebrates 125th Anniversary with a Look Back at First AKC Registered Breeds in History -- For the 18th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America, according to 2008 registration statistics released today by the American Kennel Club® (AKC) But, while more than twice as many Labs were […]

They are two words that strike dread in many hearts (and pocketbooks): tax day. And for dog breeders, there’s good reason to be cautious. Dog-related deductions and other write-offs from activities that could also be hobbies can trigger a red flag at the Internal Revenue Service. But sound business practices will make tax season easier […]

Big dogs equal big love and loyalty. Here are the large dog breeds that earn their place at the top of the size chart. Most people will know the Great Dane but what about the lovely Leonberger? When considering getting a dog, size is a factor, but only one of them. The dog’s personality, activity […]

We all know that exercising is good for humans and dogs, but so much of it is so repetitive and boring that it becomes a chore. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here some alternatives to help you and your four-footed pal reach your fitness goals. Follow the Bouncing Paws Trampolines are not just […]

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 […]