If you think you're the only one who sees a litter of puppies and falls in love with the one with the most heart, guess again. Janie Haworth, the AKC 2019 Breeder of the Year for Spaniel Field Events, selects her future field trial stars for precisely the same reason. Her goal focuses on producing […]

Dog sports offer herding breeds a fun outlet to redirect their instincts, expend physical energy, challenge their intellect, and bond with their owner.

Canine athletes come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of physical abilities. When people think of dog sports, they often think of the highest energy...

The world of dog sports has grown rapidly over the past few decades. Training for dog sports can create a great bond between an owner and their dog through improved communication and trust.  As a bonus, puppies can learn to channel their excessive energy into something useful, rather than into unwanted behaviors. As a breeder, […]

Karen Powell of Frankfort, KY, has three rescued mixed-breed dogs that compete very successfully in AKC Agility, AKC Rally, and Barn Hunt: Stella CD RAE7 AXP AJP NFP RATN Biggie RAE2 MXP MJP XFP RATN Cody RAE MXP3 MXPB MJP4 MJPB OFP T2BP RATO She started taking classes with her dogs in 2006 because of […]

  Dogs experience the world differently than humans do. With a sense of smell that is between 10,000 and 100,000 times as acute as ours, they get the majority of their information about their environment from smell, rather than sight as we humans do. But in our busy human world, we don’t often let dogs […]

Shelters have many dogs with sad stories. But Roger was the one of the most heartbreaking cases Vicki Brown had ever seen.

Kori Bevis and her Golden Retriever, 'Baker,' have had an incredible obedience career together as a team. Upon Baker's retirement, they made history.

Rio Grassle Rozzi TD CA DCAT SWM CGC TKI owned by Mariana & Cory Rozzi of Westfield, IN The Rozzis rescued Rio in November of 2021 and at the time, they knew nothing about dog performance sports. They began private lessons with their dog trainer, John Krasich, shortly after getting Rio. “Starting those lessons turned […]

Eek’s formal name is MACH Ellie Ellis Kim MXB MJB, and she is owned, loved and trained by Narae Kim and Ron Ellis of Concord, CA, who operate an agility training center. Her housemate and friend, Fergie, is flying high in agility this week too, with her own set of wings as she works the […]

Mischief Managed RN CAX CGC owned by Shaylyn Kelleher of Hampton, VA Lily is a 3 year old lab mix who was adopted from a shelter in South Carolina. “Once we started taking obedience classes, we thought it'd be fun to try some dog sports,” Shaylyn said. “Coursing Ability Tests are her all-time favorite. Lily […]

Drafting and carting are sports that are open to all breeds of dogs, including mixed-breeds, by several national breed clubs. Pulling carts to help transport items was a task that many dogs were – and still are – trained to do to help around farms. Dogs like to pull – and this gives them an acceptable […]

Rosemary Strasser of Omaha, NE, was not looking for a new dog, but a friend with Midwest Rescue Network kept telling her she had just the dog for her. “For two weeks she kept saying, ‘You have to come meet him; he’s just your type of dog,’ “, Rosemary said. “We fostered him, and I […]

Medendorps HooDoo By Barribeau CD RAE2 NA OAJ NF CAA FMX owned by Billie Medendorp of Decatur, AL Daisy was an emaciated stray found wandering in a busy street before she was rescued and then adopted by the Medendorp family.   “Daisy only weighed 13 pounds, had mange and was full of parasites,” Billie said. “With good […]

If your dog is constantly on the prowl for squirrels, moles and any other critters that appear in your backyard, then they should be a natural for the fun sport of Barn Hunt.   As of April 1, 2013, the American Kennel Club recognizes titles earned at events sanctioned by the Barn Hunt Association (BHA). […]

Another Sport for All Dogs: Drafting and Carting Drafting and carting are sports that are open to all breeds of dogs, including mixed-breeds, by several national breed clubs. Pulling carts to help transport items was a task that many dogs were – and still are – trained to do to help around farms. Dogs like to […]

Vera’s first owner left her to die in a box beside a busy road. A family discovered the puppy and rescued her until their landlord discovered the new addition. Vera had to go. The family found her a home with a teacher who had a soft heart for homeless dogs. But ultimately, the teacher had […]

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club wishes to acknowledge those individuals that have excelled at breeding dogs that have proven to be outstanding in AKC sports. The commitment to preserve, protect and improve a breed represents the very essence of the AKC. The AKC Breeder of the Year by Sport Award is given […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-profit organization that is the world’s largest registry of purebred dogs, and a leading voice for canine welfare and responsible ownership, is proud to announce the AKC Breeder of the Year by Sport honorees. Consistent with its mission of promoting the breeding of purebred dogs for type and function, […]