Here at the AKC, we believe in honoring responsible breeders who have gone above and beyond on health issues, temperament, and genetic screening, as well as to the individual care and placement of puppies in responsible homes. That’s why we started the AKC Breeder of Merit Program: To give breeders a way to prove [...]

  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 […]

On Tuesday, the Lafayette, Colorado, City Council agreed to not proceed with a ban on the private sale of dogs in the city at the recommendation of the proposal’s sponsor. The council decided to continue discussions at a future meeting on how to proceed with addressing concerns and developing alternative solutions. AKC thanks the Colorado […]

Preparing to welcome a French Bulldog puppy into your home for the first time? Plan on making time for puppy-proofing, training, playtime, and other key activities. We turned to Sharon Dykes, who is an AKC Breeder of Merit with 25 years of experience, an AKC judge, and a board member of the French Bulldog Club […]

Karen Moureaux, of Contact Point Border Collies in Fillmore, CA, is the first and only AKC Breeder of Merit- Platinum in Border Collies and was named the AKC Breeder of the Year for Agility in 2014. She is a Southern California native who started in dog sports in 1989 with her first Border Collie, Dallas. After competing […]

Hadley George of Utica, Ohio took third place junior handler at last year's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. As a third-generation dog person Hadley...

From the day she was born almost seven years ago, Pieces has served up a mix master of surprises. First, it was blindness—which wasn’t ascertained immediately—then a propensity for Scent Work, and lastly, a perfect psychological pathway. The result? A sightless Belgian Malinois puppy with a keen sense of smell and uncanny ability to find […]

Salishan Tibetan Terriers, in Tolland, Connecticut, was founded by Gary and Susan Carr. They began exhibiting Tibetan Terriers in 1975 and breeding them in 1979. The Carrs became AKC Platinum Breeders of Merit, and their kennel has produced some of the top show dogs in the country. Their dogs have earned more than 300 AKC Championships and Obedience titles. In […]

The AKC Breeder of Merit program was introduced in October 2010. Since that time, almost 16,000 breeders have been enrolled. The program was developed to recognize those breeders who are the foundation of our sport through their participation in various AKC events and dedication to selective breeding of healthy purpose-bred purebred dogs. The basic requirements are Minimum […]

 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 […]