Competition & Title Updates  We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles in Agility, Coursing Ability, Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, and Tracking. AGILITY Congratulations to the winners at the 2019 AKC Agility Invitational AKC Canine Partners congratulates the All-American Dogs and their owners who competed and won honors at the AKC […]

Whether you’re breeding your first litter or next Best in Show winner, we offer invaluable resources for dog breeders, including up-to-date information, ongoing educational programs and more: Litter Registration Show you are a responsible breeder and that your puppies meet breed standards! When you register your litters with the AKC, you get a Registration Certificate […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) honored recipients of the AKC® Lifetime Achievement Awards at the annual Delegates Meeting Luncheon, in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. The winners received an engraved silver Revere bowl. A larger Tiffany and Co. bowl, engraved with the names of all recipients past and present, will remain on permanent display […]

Meet Dallas-based disc dog team Daniel Suda and Beauceron "Fat Tuesday," who will compete at the 2025 AKC UpDog Invitational for Freestyle.

When the music starts Elizabeth McKibben and her Australian Shepherd Harper and her Border Collie Fanta come alive. The 16-year-old from Dayton, Ohio, and her dogs are active competitors in Musical Freestyle competitions. McKibben and Harper have earned their fourth Musical Freestyle Championship and Fanta is about to earn his first Musical Freestyle Championship. Bringing […]

After starting at 10-years-old, Junior Handler Delana Eschenbach is a 13-year-old from Ohio, who will be participating in the 2023 AKC Rally National Championship.

Natalie Van Tassel, a junior handler from Washington, has found a passion in dog sports. It's also made a huge impact on the 17-year-old's mental health.

When Emily Johnson first got involved in dog sports, she knew she needed a dog that would keep up with her after initially working with an Australian Cattle Dog and an adamant Maltese. Eventually, she settled on a Belgian Tervuren named Helo, now 5 years old. “I wanted something with a little bit more drive. […]

Regular exercise and keeping your dog in good physical condition is important for all canines, and essential if you are thinking about participating in any dog sports together. Human athletes prepare their bodies before hitting the court or field, and it's the same for canine athletes. Well-conditioned dogs are less likely to be injured than […]

How do Juniors who don't own dogs show? The AKC Junior Pilot Program allows Junior Handlers to show dogs they or their immediate family members don't own.

It’s good to be King. On Feb. 12, the Wire Fox Terrier Grand Champion Kingarthur Van Foliny Home was crowned Best in Show at the 143rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, presented by Purina® Pro Plan® at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The victory was nothing if not dynastic: Wire Fox Terriers are the […]

In each of the seven groups, one dog from one breed is chosen to represent their group going into Best in Show at the 147th Westminster Kennel Club Show.

Every year in December (or January for a few years) since 2001, dog owners from around the world come together for the American Kennel Club National Championship presented by Royal Canin. This year, the event takes place in Orlando, Fla., with a nearly week-long series of events culminating in the Best in Show finale. Starting December […]

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 […]

There are many types of nose work for dogs, from scent work to various sports like tracking, earthdog, search and rescue, or barn hunt.

If your child is interested in dog shows, they don't need to wait until they're an adult to compete. Get involved with Junior Showmanship and special attractions!

With closures and stay-at-home orders emerging every day, it’s a tricky time to be breeding or raising puppies. But in 2020 the options for online learning are endless so take advantage of the time to sharpen your skills. While not everyone enjoys distance learning, it’s a necessary part of life for most of us right […]

Robin Kletke, an AKC Agility judge and handler, and his wife Robin Cohen are challenging the norm with their senior Afghan Hound “Dazzle.”

When you think "water dog," you may not think "Whippet." But Sounders is here to show you that anyone can be a diving dog, and he's good at it.

Sophia Feid Junior Handler Feature Sassafras Patterdale Thirteen-year-old Sophia Feid of Apex, NC, is proof that you don't have to have a show dog of...

Moderator Laura Reeves points to an audience member ready to ask a question at a Del Monte Kennel Club Friday Night Forum in Carmel, Calif., last month. Panelists are, from left, Pat Trotter, Dorothy Macdonald, and Kimberly Meredith-Cavanna. Photo by Cook Dog Show Photography.   Bridging the gap is defined as connecting two things — […]

You may not have heard of the Carolina Dog, but that doesn't mean you can count them out of dog sports like Fast CAT. Bones, a Carolina Dog, is participating in AKC Fastest Dogs USA on his second birthday, showing just how fast he is.

Connor Wooton is an 18-year-old from Bel Air, Maryland. Wooton became an active dog sports competitor as a junior handler and has just aged out of...

The phrase "go for the gold" certainly applies to Jada Sawhney. The 12-year-old junior handler has earned dozens of awards in dog sports with her two Golden Retrievers: Four-year-old Bentlee and 18-month-old Tallee. While she competes in Agility, Obedience, Rally, and Junior Showmanship, Agility is her favorite. "It's really fun to run with your dog […]

How do you support a blind dog or pet who's lost their vision? Here are key ways to help your dog adjust while keeping them active.

Scent work takes a skill that all dogs are great at, sniffing and turns it into a challenging and competitive sport! AKC Scent Work mimics the jobs that detection dogs do to locate hidden scents and communicate the location to their handler. Dogs have a keen sense of smell estimated to be 10,000 to 100,000 […]

Thank you to Luke, Lexi, Rachel, Savanna and Rebecca for sharing their experiences. Have your own story? Submit it to juniors@akc.org. [accordion]   [accordion_panel title="Luke Edmonson"] Yesterday Luke and Apple competed in the MN State 4-H Dog Show. Here they are at the end of their day. The got Reserve Champion in Foundation Obedience grades […]

Want to know what to expect if you’re a Junior participating at the Poodle Club of America’s National Specialty? Walk through the week with me. They’ll be soooo much more you’ll experience, but we can at least hit the highs. The Poodle Club of America (PCA) Junior Education Program was established in 2013 by Dennis […]

AKC Canine Partners is re-printing this story that originally appeared in the spring 2012 issue of the Canine Partners News newsletter in loving memory of Magi, also known as MACH Magic Carpet Ride and who passed away at age 12 in 2013. photo by Karen Moureaux Magi was one of the first mixed-breeds to earn […]

Meet teenager Sayward Kemp of Morgantown, WV, and her Beagle-mix, Keira, who compete in agility. We know you will enjoy the story of how Sayward committed to never giving up on her formerly scared, shy rescue puppy. It takes less than a minute for Sayward Kemp to run Keira through an agility course. The 18-year-old […]