The Golden Retriever, an exuberant Scottish gundog of great beauty, stands among America’s most popular dog breeds. They are serious workers at hunting and field work, as guides for the blind, and in search-and-rescue, enjoy obedience and other competitive events, and have an endearing love of life when not at work.  

The Karelian Bear Dog is an eager hunter and very independent, yet works cooperatively to mark game by barking. Their senses, especially smell, are sharp, thus the breed is suitable for big game hunting. They have a very good sense of direction, are balanced, courageous and persistent. This breed has a highly developed spirit for […]

The Samoyed is a substantial but graceful dog standing anywhere from 19 to a bit over 23 inches at the shoulder. Powerful, tireless, with a thick all-white coat impervious to cold—Sammies are perfectly beautiful but highly functional. Even their most delightful feature, a perpetual smile, has a practical function: The upturned corners of the mouth […]

Competition/Titles Update Fall 2021 We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles and honors in Agility, Coursing Ability, Fast CAT Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, Tracking, and Trick Dog. Many dogs are also having success in AKC’s Virtual Titling programs! AGILITY Agility Grand Champion (AGCH) AGCH MACH3 Day's Katie […]

The AKC works with non-AKC service and sports organizations to recognize the titles that AKC-registered dogs earn in their programs. This includes the AKC Therapy Dog program and the AKC Search & Rescue program. AKC also recognizes titles of the Barn Hunt Association (BHA); North American Diving Dogs (NADD); the North American Flyball Association (NAFA); […]

**Message from AKC Public Education: Thank you for your interest in the AKC Canine Club Program; this older program currently has many broken links. We plan to update the AKC Canine Club program by the summer of 2025. in the meantime, you can use many of the wonderful resources we offer on our teacher pay […]

Trying to simplify Impacts of Anthropomorphism What is a working dog? Theory and practicality (a short review) How training frequency impacts learning Clickers, Verbal Markers, and Treats Citizen Science Understanding operant conditioning without physical control Understanding reinforcement in detection dogs Resilience and Epigenetics Resilience and Core Affect Space Resilience Possession, possession, possession! Development and social […]

Photos by Katherine Martucci I adopted Chance from Ani-Care Animal Shelter in Ontario, OR, in December 2012. He was a 10-month-old Flat-Coated Retriever mix named "Zip" and had already been in  five different homes in that short span of life. He was more of a cuddly teddy bear than a zippy boy so I decided […]

Turbo-Nadir UD BN GN RAE3 AX AXJ NF CGCA TKP owned by Kimberly Ann Hoeppner of Welsh, LA Turbo earned his Utility Dog title at the Tallahassee Dog Obedience Club on Jan. 13. It was a proud moment for this little mixed breed rescue dog, who had been adopted and returned to the shelter three […]

This training tip is brought to us by Brian Burton, a co-founder of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training LLC in New York City. He’s currently a master’s candidate in Animal Behavior at Hunter College (CUNY) and is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Brian’s rescue mixed-breed dog, Sammy, is […]