A newly created 2-day Advanced AKC Judge's Seminar for the Retriever Hunting Test will be held May 31-June 1 in Glasgow, Delaware. The first day will consist of classroom instruction with emphasis on areas such as Pre-test Responsibilities, Test Planning & Setup, Day of the Test, and Evaluating & Scoring. Day two will be held […]

The dangerous dog bill in Iowa has a new number, SF446 (formerly SSB1195), and the breed-specific aspects of the bill have been dropped. Unfortunately, the bill is so poorly written that it now puts all dogs in jeopardy. SF446 declares all unleashed or unmuzzled dogs dangerous and never addresses the behavior of the dog itself […]

Rottweilers, Dobermans and “pit bulls” would be declared vicious under a bill introduced this week in Iowa. The bill, SSB1195, was introduced by the Senate Committee on Government Oversight April 8th and was approved just two days later for consideration by the full Senate. Iowa fanciers must act now to stop this fast-moving bill. WHAT […]

  The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce that a National Tracking Invitational will be held September 20th and 21st, 2003 at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. All dogs that have earned the Champion Tracker (CT) title prior to June 23, 2003 will be invited to participate; however, entry is limited to 10 […]

The AKC Board of Directors, at its April 7-8, 2003 meeting, reviewed the cost of the Events Department and the necessity for the users and beneficiaries of AKC services to share in at least a portion of these costs. Effective for events held on and after January 1, 2004, AKC will collect a $1.50 AKC […]

  The Sunflower Cluster, held at the Kansas Coliseum Livestock Pavilion in Valley Center, Kansas, is truly a multi-faceted event. Fanciers and canine athletes gathered to compete in Conformation, Obedience, Agility, Lure Coursing, and Herding. The cluster is a fabulous opportunity for competitors in performance, conformation, and companion events to witness other types of events […]

The American Kennel Club is delighted with the announcement of the AKC Pet Healthcare Plan by Pet Partners, Inc. AKC Pet Healthcare Insurance, underwritten by State National Insurance Company, an A rated company by AM Best, which features two comprehensive plans for fanciers and pet owners: the “Premier Plan” and “Premier Plus Plan.”  The plan […]

In a letter to Secretary Ann Veneman, the American Kennel Club is urging the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make important and needed improvements to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The AWA requires that minimum standards of care and treatment be provided for certain animals sold at wholesale, used in research, and transported commercially. […]

The American Kennel Club is in the process of transitioning to a new registration system. This new system uses digital imaging technology to capture and preserve digital images of every document processed by the AKC. These digital images never degrade, are of much higher quality than our previous microfilmed images, and are available for use […]

The American Kennel Club today announced that 48 Junior Scholarships have been awarded to students from 25 states. The scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000 and winners include students from high school to graduate school. "The AKC recognizes the important role our young fanciers play in the future of the sport of purebred dogs", said […]

Washington would become the 10th state to preclude breed-specific laws if pending legislation passes. HB2043 amends the state dangerous dog law to include "the breed of dog shall not be a determining factor when declaring a dog potentially dangerous or dangerous." This important amendment supports the position of the American Kennel Club and numerous other […]

Ensuring that the AKC has a solid financial foundation in order to achieve our mission and fund important new programs--both now and in the future--is integral to the continuation of our organization and sport. This is a fundamental responsibility of the Board of Directors.  The Board has adopted a policy that it will evaluate all […]

Faced with strong opposition from New Jersey dog owners, Assemblyman John Burzichelli has vowed to withdraw his breed-specific bill (A2906) when the legislature reconvenes in May. In a statement made on March 21st, Asm. Burzichelli said he plans to introduce new, generic legislation that will strengthen the state's dangerous dog law without targeting specific breeds. […]

UPDATE (March 21, 2003)—Rhode Island dog fanciers had a productive meeting with House Leader Gordon Fox this week regarding the “animal protection” bill (HB5817) that contains many troublesome provisions. Fox, who is a sponsor of HB5817, listened to the concerns expressed by the fancy and appears committed to addressing their many concerns. He will take […]

  At the AKC Delegate Meeting on March 11, Dr. Patricia H. Haines was elected to the AKC Board of Directors, Class of 2007, and Dr. Carmen L. Battaglia and Mrs. Patti L. Strand were re-elected. Ronald H. Menaker was re-elected Chairman of the Board and David C. Merriam was re-elected Vice-Chairman.   Dr. Patricia […]

In an ongoing effort to improve customer service, the American Kennel Club has launched the new AKC Registration System. This state-of-the-art system will significantly expand our data processing capability and result in much improved customer service. Some of the key features of the new system are:   Integration of registration records with competition records Previously, […]

Ensuring that the AKC has a solid financial foundation in order to achieve our mission and fund important new programs--both now and in the future--is integral to the continuation of our organization and sport. This is a fundamental responsibility of the Board of Directors.  The Board has adopted a policy that it will evaluate all […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is urging the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make important enhancements to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) that will improve the enforcement of the AWA and the overall welfare of purebred dogs. In a letter to USDA Secretary Ann Veneman the AKC urged the USDA to: Close a loophole […]

  On Thursday, February 27, 2003, The Appellate Division, New York Supreme Court published its decision in the case of Jon Hammer vs. The American Kennel Club, finding in favor of the AKC. Mr. Hammer filed suit against AKC and the American Brittany Club alleging that the official Brittany standard calling for dogs to be […]

Help is needed immediately to defeat legislation that has been introduced in Maryland to severely restrict debarking of dogs. The bill (H355) is currently awaiting a vote by the House Committee on Environmental Matters. Debarking of dogs is a commonly misunderstood practice. When performed by a veterinarian, debarking is an acceptable medical procedure that is […]

  The Board of Directors is considering some changes to the procedures and policies for approval of judges. It requests your comments on them. Your written comments should be addressed to: Mr. James P. Crowley Executive Secretary American Kennel Club 260 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10016. All comments must be received by Mr. […]

  The American Kennel Club (AKC) was disturbed to learn that Nike, Inc., a major competitive sports and fitness company, has recently begun airing a national television ad promoting a new basketball shoe, which depicts a dog fight-like scene between a Rottweiler and a mixed breed. The dogs are leashed but are clearly seen baring […]

Basic obedience training is the foundation upon which all canine activities are based, whether it be competition in conformation, conquering the obstacles on the agility course, sniffing out a suspect in law enforcement work or a service dog guiding a visually impaired person safely across the street. In 1933, when AKC Obedience competition began, the […]

JUDGES INSTITUTE This year’s judges Institute will take place in Portland, Oregon from July 31 through August 4, 2003. Since 1991, the AKC has been at the forefront by offering courses of instruction that are of particular and practical value to those who wish to become better judges. The AKC is committed to offering challenging […]

  The American Kennel Club (AKC) and the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) have agreed to relocate the seven-year-old AKC Canine Health Foundation to Raleigh, North Carolina with the Foundation offices to be located in the American Kennel Club building. "This is a major step forward and the American Kennel Club is pleased […]

Immediate help from New Jersey dog owners is needed to defeat legislation that would severely restrict ownership of "pit bulls" and possibly Rottweilers. A2906 was introduced in October 2002 and fanciers immediately rallied to educate lawmakers about the ineffectiveness of breed-specific legislation. An identical Senate bill, S2381, was introduced in late February. We must act […]

  The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce enhanced features for pet owners. Visitors to the web site can now easily find an AKC club that holds classes in their area as well as other information on training their puppy or adult dog. Located on the home page under the drop down menu "Life […]

Basic obedience training is the foundation upon which all canine activities are based, whether it be competition in conformation, conquering the obstacles on the agility course, sniffing out a suspect in law enforcement work or a service dog guiding a visually impaired person safely across the street. In 1933, when AKC Obedience competition began, the […]

The Honorable David C. Merriam will receive the 9th annual Skarda award at the Pedigree banquet tomorrow night, February 8th, in the Grand Ballroom of New Yorks famed Plaza Hotel. Making the presentation, at the black tie affair that honors the years top dog in each breed, will be Merriams nominator, longtime friend and editor […]

  The American Kennel Club was disappointed to learn about the mistrial in the animal cruelty case against defendants Jon Harman and Athena Lethcoe-Harman in Shelby, MT, involving more than 150 Collies. Along with dog lovers across the country, we hope the case will be resolved and that justice will be served in the impending […]