There’s a story that nicely sums up the Boxer breed. One morning at the dog park, a group of neighborhood dogs were playing as their owners looked on. The life of the party was a male Boxer. With all the boisterous enthusiasm of a pup, the big fawn-coated bruiser was cavorting and careening, bouncing and […]

Swarms of setters, hordes of herders, oodles of Poodles— with the seemingly endless variety of dogs gaiting around AKC show rings, you might assume every breed in creation is represented. Actually, hundreds of breeds from around the world are outside the AKC orbit. Here are just a few:   ESTRELA MOUNTAIN DOG Birthplace: northern Portugal Job […]

Got a minute? If so, you can learn the essentials of any breed. Not enough to call yourself an expert, of course. But in the time it takes to watch a TV commercial, you can pick up just enough breed knowledge to bluff your way through a conversation at the dog park. The average adult […]

Got a minute? If so, you can learn the essentials of any breed. Not enough to call yourself an expert, of course. But in the time it takes to watch a TV commercial, one of our “60-Second Seminars” can provide you with just enough breed knowledge to bluff your way through a conversation at the […]

The most infamous moment in the long relationship between dogs and presidents occurred on an April morning in 1964. While walking on the White House grounds with a group of visitors and his Beagles Him and Her in tow, President Lyndon Baines Johnson decided to encourage Him to bark for his guests. To do this, […]

Francis Redmond’s “Totteridge” Smooth Fox Terriers were a famous British line of the late 19th century. Redmond was a master dog man who did much to standardize his breed, and the Totteridge kennel was pivotal in the creation of the modern Smooth. It was the custom to immortalize dogs of such renown on canvas. These […]

Dachshunds are bound to pop up anywhere, doing anything. But who has time to keep track of all those Dachsie doings? As a public service, AKC Dog Lovers goes around the corner and around the world to bring you (cue deep-voiced announcer with lots of reverb) DACHSHUNDS IN THE NEWS! EL PASO, TEXAS—You never know […]

No velvet pillows, hair ribbons, or French pedicures for these big bruisers. These are the no-nonsense, punch-the-clock-and-get-it-done dogs of the AKC Working Group, the Ford pickups of the canine kingdom. Many factors go into breeding dogs that work hard for their feed. Let’s consider a few, and then watch some well-bred workers in action. Physical […]

Given the lifesaving work he does, his name seems ironic. "Killer" is a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois who works in South Africa's Kruger National Park tracking and apprehending armed (and very dangerous) rhino poachers operating in this massive 7,500 sq. mile park. With his handler, Amos Mzimba, Killer's success rate is astonishing: Over the last four […]

It's the moment we've all been waiting for: Now that all of the Best of Breed Group Winners have officially been named, we're one step closer to crowning this year's AKC National Championship Best in Show winner. In case you missed our livestream on AKC.org, here's a recap of all of the commendable canines who […]

Kelly and Alfred Schaefer were devastated when their dog Tabitha went missing earlier this month. Alfred, who has Alzheimer’s, wandered outside his Missouri home with the Bichon Frise–Poodle mix. Kelly was able to find her husband, but there was no sign of Tabitha. She created and posted hundreds of flyers, catching the attention of a […]

If you’re planning to travel by air this year, except to see more four-legged officials working the security lines at the airport. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is more than doubling the number of canines they’ll have working at U.S. airports, the Washington Post reports, adding that currently, the agency has more than 140 Golden […]

It's been an exciting weekend so far at the AKC National Championship. The competition is only heating up as the big prize, Best in Show, will be decided Sunday Dec. 18. Check out the results from Saturday's group winners, who will compete tonight for the coveted title. Best of Breed Group Winners from Saturday Dec. […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and Royal Canin are pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2016 National Championship to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2016. The 2016 event will showcase the top national and international dogs and will also […]

Mom, Elizabeth Hoettels, and her best girl, Rio, are inseparable after work and on weekends. Photo courtesy Sweet Ventures by Nichole DuPont. Picture this for a moment. You're a military critical-care nurse, with a surgical team stationed in East Africa for several months, away from family, friends, and everything familiar. But the wonderful world of […]

A friend recently posted a short video on Facebook that warmed my heart. If we could all follow her example in the coming year, it would make our dog show world a better, more welcoming place. A young girl visiting the prestigious Kennel Club of Philadelphia dog show the week before Thanksgiving made her way […]

There's a special event at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin in Orlando, Fla. where the only competition may be for which dog breed you fall in love with first. AKC Meet the Breeds® gives dog lovers, adults and children, alike, a unique chance to meet and play with dogs of more than […]

If you need a few little somethings for your dog-loving friends and family, our stocking stuffers cover everyone on your list. Choose from apparel, home goods, and more for small gifts that bring lots of good cheer. Ornaments Christmas trees shine a little bit brighter with these dog breed ornaments. These festive seasonal accessories make […]

What do Lindsey Dicken, Victor Rosado, Mackensie Murphy, Michelle Breen, Cat Opson, and Cheryl Purcell have in common with Michael Phelps? Well, while this U.S.A. team may not be breaking records in the 100-fly, they are winning gold medals . . . in grooming! On Oct. 1, the AKC-sponsored U.S.A. team participated in the World […]

This portal to the AKC Marketplace enables breeders to showcase their litters. You can search by breed, gender, and zip code. Puppies from AKC Champion bloodlines are identified by blue ribbon icons on their classified ads, which also show which breeders have them. You can select an ad for more information about the puppies in […]