-- AKC’s 125th Anniversary Filled with Celebrations -- Our anniversary year has been filled with celebration, the marking of milestones, and new opportunities. In 1884, the AKC began its all-breed purebred dog registry with just 9 breeds. As of December 30, we will recognize 164 breeds with the addition of the Bluetick Coonhound, Boykin Spaniel […]

-- Join With the AKC to Protect Responsible Small Breeders -- Outside the Johnson County Courthouse in Warrensburg, Missouri, stands a statue dedicated to a Foxhound named Old Drum - commemorating a famous trial held there in 1870. Old Drum was shot and killed when he wandered onto the neighboring farm. His owner’s only recourse […]

-- Making a Difference for Canine Health and Well-Being -- At the March Delegates meeting, Article III of the American Kennel Club Bylaws was amended to include the following: “The objects of the Club shall be to advance canine health and well-being…” Someone unfamiliar with the AKC might see this as a beginning. In fact, […]

Horton RAE ONYX CGC owned by Barbara Wojciak of Harpersville, AL Photo by Irene Cotter, Fur-Fetched Photography Horton has had a very exciting year of accomplishments. The formerly homeless dog earned his 20,000-point ONYX title in flyball in July 2014 from the North American Flyball Association (NAFA). Horton has been a member of the Dixie […]

Ally spends her days like a typical suburban canine. She watches for the squirrels and birds that wander into her yard. She plays with her favorite toy – a squeaky football. Occasionally she breaks into a run and makes speedy loops around her house, just to show those pesky squirrels that she could catch them […]

This article originally appeared in the March 2012 issue of the AKC Canine Partners News newsletter Cooper is an agility superstar. It barely took him a month to go from Novice to the most advanced level of AKC agility – Excellent. But then the then-8-year-old mixed-breed dog suffered a back spasm that took him out […]

Hailey Has Plenty of Tricks Up Her Paws Baseballs, basketballs, skateboards and Frisbees – most parents invest in plenty of these items for their kids. And in Karen Profenna’s case, that includes her four-legged family member. Hailey – a little black-and-white fireball – can swing a bat, dunk a basketball, ride a skateboard and soar […]

Then a hero, clad in a life jacket, appears, rips open the car door and --- licks the driver all over his face as the crowd goes wild. Meet Radar the Weather Dog, star of Tray’s Wild Weather Camp – a fun show with a very serious message – teaching children how to be safe […]

Donald Rakestraw of Wichita, KS, wrote this amazing story of a nearly feral dog who was found living in culverts in a neighborhood. Donald and his wife, Naomi, adopted the dog after her rescue and quickly realized that they had taken on a dog with many serious issues, including extreme fear that led to growling […]

Photo by Kathleen Schaffer/Pup Art PACH Cross Fire Copper Cricket, owned by Lydia Sharp of Gilbert, AZ, recently earned one of the highest honors in AKC Agility – the Preferred Agility Championship (PACH). But as a puppy, Cricket lived wild in the Arizona desert, just getting close enough to the Sharps’ business to grab an […]

Two-year-old Scout is a Basset Hound-Cocker Spaniel mix who keeps his owner, Sarah Rose, busy. “Scout loves to do things like dock dive, swim in the lake with friends, and chase the squirrels! He's pretty quick so he gives them a run for their nuts!” Sarah Rose said. He also often joins his owner and […]

Sheila Dempsey of West Virginia, owner and trainer of multi-talented All-American Dog - He's A PatchWork Puppy CD BN GN RAE OAP OJP OFP (also known as Patches) tells us how to teach your dog to Back Up – one of the exercises required at the AKC Rally Excellent level and one that many Rally […]

Money Penny,  a Cocker Spaniel puppy, really liked the taste of her bed – plus the hassock for a snack, but who could get mad at that cute face, says her owner Jackie Curr of Spring, TX. It is natural for dogs to chew, and puppies chew a lot when they are teething. Teething typically […]

We found Molly in a newspaper ad in Ohio; her mom was a Collie and her dad was an Australian Shepherd. I've had dogs all my life as just pets. Our vet suggested puppy classes and that led to obedience classes. She passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen test at just 6 months old that […]

Jesse Belle and Cindy Stewart-Mackes of  Pedricktown, NJ, placed third in the large dog agility competition. Tack and Rhonda Koeske  of The Villages, FL, placed third in the small dog agility competition. The event took place July 11-12 in Boston, MA, and is a preliminary event for the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge finals that are […]

MACH Sir Tucker MXB MJG MXF MFB T2B3 CGC owned by Scott & Denise Beaumont of Granite Falls, WA In November 2010, Scott & Denise helped “socialize” a litter of 8-week-old Aussie mix puppies at Lil’ Waif Puppy Rescue, not intending to bring one home. “But Tucker chose us that day.  Thankfully he did,” Denise […]

Karen Powell of Frankfort, KY, fostered two littermates eight years ago and never dreamed that both of them would end up living with her permanently and having successful careers in AKC dog sports. Cody recently earned his AKC Preferred Agility Championship (PACH) through the AKC Canine Partners program for all dogs, including mixed-breeds and rescues. […]

In summer 2009, Shelley stopped by her local shelter in Princeton, NJ, in search of a new companion. “I had just lost my dog and was looking for a large, friendly dog to adopt,” she said. “The staff showed me the dogs they thought I might like, but there wasn't a match. Then they brought […]

This training tip offers great advice on teaching and building desire to play the “touch” game – a great way to get your dog’s attention even in distracting situations. It is brought to us by Shannon Jones, AKC Rally Judge. She also teaches basic obedience, competitive obedience and rally obedience at two training centers in […]

When kids go on a campaign to get a dog, they’re in it to win it. They’re not going to let up until they’re zooming around the back yard or curled up on a club chair with a furry four-legged fido. So you may come to realize that it’s time to add a canine to the […]

General ConcernsWinter's cold air brings many concerns for responsible dog owners. Keep the following precautions in mind: Don't leave your dog outside in the cold for long periods of time. Wind chill makes days colder than actual temperature readings. Be attentive to your dog's body temperature, and limit its time outdoors. Adequate shelter is a […]

by Ranny Green via the Seattle Kennel Club. You can’t blame 9-year-old Luke Gonzalez, of Yelm, if he feels like he’s on overload some days. He attends physical and speech therapy classes once and twice each week, respectively, takes guitar lessons weekly, attends a church youth class weekly and is home schooled along with his […]

by Sandra MurrayReprinted from: Essential Elements, ShowSight Magazine Any animal that lives within a tightly knit social group of its own kind has a “language.” Given that dogs are by nature pack animals, they have a rather extensive language that they use to communicate among themselves. Their language contains both physical and verbal components which […]

Like young children, dogs often learn best when playing games and having fun.  Playing is not only fun for you both, but you can also use games for training and reinforcing important behaviors, like “Come.”  Remember to keep your recall command happy and light, not an authoritative tone.  Here are a few games to help […]

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, […]

Capturing Your Dog's AttentionYou might not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, as the cliché says, but you can teach almost any dog to obey basic commands, trainers and handlers agree. It's best to begin training a dog at the puppy stage. Start when the puppy is about seven weeks old and […]

The AKC Board of Directors recently discussed problematic new “pet leasing” schemes in which prospective owners make hefty monthly payments for a pet, but are not given legal ownership of the pet. In response to this concerning trend, the Board has updated the AKC Canine Legislation Position Statement on Protection for Puppy Purchasers to include […]

On the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina wreaking havoc in the southeastern United States, Seattle Times journalist Ranny Green reflects on his time in Louisiana on assignment with Noah's Wish, an organization that helps animals affected by natural disasters. -- It’s been decade since my life took a dramatic change and the Gulf Coast endured […]

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 […]

For years her Vizslas’ successes in dog sports have produced many smiles and good vibes for Cathy Cline, of North Hollywood, Calif., but those memories don’t compare to the unshakable happiness triggered by Friends and Vets Helping Pets (FVHP), the foundation she started in 2012. Yes, there have been plenty of hand-wringing, frustrating moments, too, […]