To celebrate the dogs who do extraordinary things in the service of humankind, the AKC Humane FundSM is seeking YOUR nominations for its AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE).  Nominations are now open and winners will be announced in the fall of 2019. Each year, the AKC Humane Fund pays tribute to five […]

Some people live by the motto "bigger is better," and it extends to their dogs too. There are many large dog breeds, each with different care and training needs. Exercise Most large dog breeds were bred for a purpose or function. Some breeds were meant to be hunters, others guard dogs. Dogs with great endurance […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 2019. The 2019 event will showcase the top national and international canine athletes […]

  Breeders Honored at AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Winifred Stout of Foster, Rhode Island was presented with the 2013 AKC Breeder of the Year Award for her Quissex Smooth Fox Terriers at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship on Sunday, December 15, 2013.  The annual award recognizes the hard work and commitment of breeders dedicated to improving the […]

New York, NY – The AKC® Humane Fund has announced the winners of the 16th annual AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE). These awards commemorate five loyal, hard-working dogs that have significantly impacted the lives of their owners and people in their communities. One award is presented in each of the following five […]

- Entries Open August 3rd- The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the second AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. This virtual conformation competition is open to all AKC recognized breeds including Miscellaneous breeds. Entries close on August 10th at 12pm ET. Heading the panel as Best in Show and […]

-Entries Open Today-  The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the third AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. This virtual conformation competition is open to all AKC recognized breeds including Miscellaneous breeds. Entries close on October 12th at 12pm ET.   Heading the panel as Best in Show and Best […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2020 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13, 2020. The 2020 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to recognize breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups as 2020 AKC Breeder of the Year group honorees. “We are proud to honor these esteemed breeders,” said Dennis Sprung, AKC President and CEO. “Each of them has made important contributions to the […]

We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles in Agility, Coursing Ability, Rally, Obedience, Tracking and Trick Dog, including the first and second All-American Dogs to become AKC Rally® Champions and two new AKC Champion Trackers! And many All-American Dogs had big success at the 2019 AKC National […]

In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were created and first awarded in 1999 to honor our best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national […]

Learning Objectives Students will tell basic facts gleaned from listening to conversations and stories about dogs. ELL Levels Emerging Materials Needed Two native English speakers (Canine Ambassador can assist) Lesson Introduction Students will listen to a conversation between two native English speakers about one person’s new dog. The Canine Ambassador can come in to facilitate […]

While the benefits of pet ownership far outweigh the costs, every responsible dog owner knows that along with love and companionship comes financial responsibility. An online survey of more than 1,000 visitors to www.akc.org determined what responsible owners can expect to pony-up for their pooch:  One-time costs such as a crate, spaying/neutering or emergency vet […]

This lesson is intended to be used as a review of word order for sentences and questions, not as an introductory lesson. Skills practiced Use of “do” Word order in statements vs. questions Word order of adjectives and nouns Using question marks and periods ELL Level Advanced/Bridging Materials Needed Sample sentences printed and cut apart. (see below) […]

“Lean on Me” by Mara Bovsun, AKC Family Dog Jan/Feb 2019 digital version Lean-on-Me-printable-article Directions:  Read and Annotate. Then answer the questions below.  Next to your answer, provide the paragraph number that supports each answer. 1. Define osteogenesis imperfecta. a) Imperfect bones b) Brittle bone disease c) Disease of older dogs d) Bone cancer 2. […]

AKC Canine Partners Turns 10 Years Old AKC competition for mixed breed dogs launched on April 1, 2010, in agility, rally and obedience. Since that date, nearly 400,000 dogs have enrolled in the program, and the number of sports and titling opportunities has more than tripled. All American Dogs also now compete in tracking, coursing […]

In 1960, the Poodle dethroned the Beagle as the AKC’s most registered breed and did it by the most decisive margin yet recorded in history. Its ascension could be largely credited to one 9.5-inch tall, 8-pound grey dog, claimed to have the highest appraisal value of any canine in history. This is the story of […]

Before you get a dog, it's important that you're ready to be a responsible dog owner. From getting a properly-sized dog crate to setting up puppy vet visits, there's a lot of preparation to do. And if you have a female dog, that includes getting ready for your dog's "periods" — or more accurately, her […]

Trisha Brenner was shocked when her active 5-year-old Weimaraner named Charlie collapsed on a walk in November of 2018.  “Charlie had been healthy, except for some allergic dermatitis symptoms he experienced as a young dog,” says Brenner.   Those symptoms resolved after a diet change recommended by a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. Unfortunately, the same diet that helped his skin disease […]

Whether you learned about it in history class or, at the very least, from the iconic movie of the same name, there are very few people who don’t know the story of the RMS Titanic, the luxury ocean liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912. More than 1500 people died […]

Breed 2018 Rank 2017 Rank 2016 Rank 2015 Rank 2014 Rank Labrador Retrievers 1 1 1 1 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 2 2 2 2 Golden Retrievers 3 3 3 3 3 French Bulldogs 4 4 6 6 9 Bulldogs 5 5 4 4 4 Beagles 6 6 5 5 5 Poodles 7 7 […]

Big, brave, and beautiful, Great Danes hold a special place in our hearts. But despite their larger-than-life persona, this giant breed has a relatively short life span. Why Are Great Dane Life Spans So Short? For such big dogs, Great Danes sure get the short end of the stick when it comes to longevity. Great […]

Though we often don’t think about them in this way, dogs are really about people — those long-ago (or, sometimes, not so long-ago) figures who developed particular breeds for particular tasks. Some breeds — like the Doberman Pinscher, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, and Cesky Terrier — owe their existence to just one visionary person. Other breeds were brought into being […]

Summertime means parades, picnics, public events—and legislatures adjourning or going into recess.  Over the next few months, many state and federal legislators will be back in their districts. This is an excellent opportunity to let them know about the wonderful things you and your club do for dogs and the community, and perhaps even consider […]

Active, friendly, outgoing – the Labrador Retriever, or Lab for short, perfectly encompasses the state of Ohio’s slogan – ‘The Heart of it All.’ It’s no wonder that earlier this month, Ohio State Representative Jeffrey S. Rezabek introduced House Bill 539 to recognize the Lab as the state dog. The versatile Lab is often trained […]

Hoping to meet a specific dog breed when you visit AKC Meet the Breeds during AKC National Championship in Orlando? Or maybe you just want to meet them all! Don't miss a single wag or woof with this list of breeds that will be in attendance at the 2019 show. Get your tickets now. Dog Breeds […]

THE FOLLOWING DOGS HAVE EARNED VCD TITLES ON THE DATES LISTED BELOW:   4/29/2018 VCCH High Times Special Ed UDX8 OGM RA MXB MJB NF RET-GOLD. Owned by: Virginia Addington 1/6/2018 VCD1GCH CH CT Samamari N April's The Dark Knight VCD1 BN RN TDU OAJ OF CGC SPAN-CKR BLACK. Owned by: Colleen Keough/Randall Lake of SOUTH PASADENA, CA. 1/6/2018 VCD1Betruf […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge III. This virtual conformation event is open to all AKC-recognized breeds and Miscellaneous class breeds. Best in Show and Best Puppy Michael Canalizo   Regular and Puppy Groups SPORTING Mr. Douglas A Johnson HOUND Mr. Eugene Blake […]

Yesterday, the New Hampshire House Environment and Agriculture Committee took testimony on three dog bills and delayed testimony for two weeks on HB 1389.  AKC’s prior alert and details on bills scheduled for this hearing can be reviewed here. Updates from the Committee hearing:  American Kennel Club Government Relations (AKC GR) testified with the New […]

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 This bill has been removed from the February 5 agenda and AKC Government Relations will update when developments warrant. Monday, February 3, 2020 The American Kennel Club is concerned with Hawaii House Bill 2163.  The bill, introduced by Representative Roy Mitsuo Takumi, seeks to limit the practices of surgical births, debarking, […]