The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and a leading advocate for canine welfare, is proud to partner with the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC®), Canada’s primary registry for purebred dogs, to recognize CKC titles earned in Conformation, Obedience, and Rally. Dogs that are AKC registered or listed and have earned eligible […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and governing body of dog sports, is thrilled to announce two exciting canine competitions coming to ESPN2 this Christmas Day starting at 2:30pm ET. The programming will kick off with the AKC Agility Invitational presented by YuMOVE® and will be followed by the AKC […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, wishes to acknowledge those individuals who have excelled at breeding dogs that have proven to be outstanding in AKC sports.  The AKC Breeder of the Year by Sport Award is given to those who have dedicated themselves to improving […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-profit organization, the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, 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. […]

Organization records over 3 million entries across Performance, Conformation, Companion and Family Dog events. The American Kennel Club, the world’s largest dog registry, advocate for dogs, and the governing body in the United States, continues to be the leader in the sport of dogs with a record setting increase to 3.3 million entries in 2019 […]

New York, NY — The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) recently recognized 12 breeding programs for their dedication and success in breeding purpose-bred dogs by awarding the inaugural AKC Breeder of the Year by Sport Awards.   The Award is given to those breeders who have dedicated themselves to improving the health, temperament and performance of […]

RACH Morgan Of Morris CD PCD BN RM2 RAE2 CA BCAT CGCA CGCU TKA FITS owned by Katie Horzmann of Opelika, AL Morgan was adopted at 2 years of age, by Katie, from the Cherokee County, GA Animal Shelter in November of 2020. Katie’s initial plan was that Morgan would be a scruffy couch companion […]

Hula Lula CAX  owned by Susan Lewis of Wildomar, CA Hula Lula is a mixed-breed that was adopted from a local shelter when she was about 3 months old. She was born at the shelter and came from a very large litter. “She is a very sweet girl but shy,” Susan said. “I try to […]

Woodacre’s Soidog Mali CAX (“June”) owned by Jackie Phillips of San Leandro, CA Jackie adopted June from Soi Dog Foundation, a Thailand rescue group, in February 2012. “She is a dog meat trade survivor and was on a large flatbed truck with 350 other dogs stuffed into tiny cages, bound for Vietnam,” Jackie said. “The […]

PACH Dudley Do Right CD PCDX RAE MXP3 MXPB MJP3 MJPB PAX OFP T2BP CGC owned by Elizabeth Ann Piper of Albuquerque, NM Dudley is Beth's very first dog. He was 2 years old when she adopted him from a local shelter and started basic obedience training so that he could be a well-behaved pet. […]

But luckily, there are numerous dog sports and activities to keep every age of dog happy and active. When Keller’s Toccoa Millie CAX CGC aged out of her favorite sport of AKC Coursing Ability, her owners Bob & Paulette Keller looked for other options that would keep the 9-year-old canine athlete engaged and focused. The […]

Toby’s Sister Shiloh RN CAA RATN owned by Joe Horne of Florence, SC Joe discovered lure coursing while researching ways to keep his Border Collie mix, Shiloh, entertained.  “I had never been involved in any kind of dog related events, but I started looking for any kind of sport to keep her busy so she […]

Mix a high-drive Labrador with an active 8-year-old boy, and you cook up a mother looking for an outlet. Lucia Pink found it when her eyes landed on a newspaper advertisement for a Kids and Dogs Day Camp at the Imperial Polk Obedience Club. The camp ran for a week and Lucia thought it would […]

Sherin Denny-Jenkins was out on a walk in Berlin in 2007 when she spotted someone coming her way with a dog. “All I could think was ‘Wow, that’s a beautiful dog!’ It was pretty and goofy at the same time,” she says. “I began talking to its owner and that was my introduction to the […]

Czarina Ellingson held her breath as she took the leash off her Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Gatsby, at an Agility trial. She had decided that if he didn't obey her, Czarina would pick him up and walk him out of the ring — therefore willingly disqualifying them from their favorite dog sport. Gatsby — named after […]

Some dog sports are only open to certain breeds, and others require intense dedication and time. Others are open to all breeds and can be tried by anyone.

If you've gotten started in dog shows and love it, you may be wondering how you can get more involved in conformation and purebred dogs.

The big, strong dogs of the Working Group always stand out in a crowd. Which dog sports are best to channel their energy, depending on the breed?

For siblings Ryan and Sarah Ford from Kentucky, Agility is a family sport. They compete in the AKC Agility League, and internationally, with their dogs.

Dogs quickly make their way into our hearts as our best friends, sports partners, and, sometimes, our greatest support system. At least that’s what Jennifer Lee found in Little Boo. Boo is 5.5-year-old, 12-pound Norwich Terrier who spends just as much time at home on an Agility course as he is on the living-room sofa. […]

Handlers participating in dog sports, especially agility, are prone to knee and back injuries. Strength and fitness training routines for handlers can help to minimize agility injuries. Ease into any fitness training slowly to avoid injury, and be sure to always warm up first. Competing in dog sports can be fun and physically challenging for […]

Dogs are incredibly diverse in size, appearance, energy levels, and temperament, and it's no accident. Dogs have been purpose-bred for generations to highlight this diversity. In times past, people relied on dogs to perform jobs and tasks. Different breeds were developed specifically to do for those working purposes. Today, most of our dogs spend a […]

If you're looking to do more with your sport-prospect puppy, there are games and activities that you can work on to build enthusiasm for learning.

The AKC Canine Good Citizen program gave Hemingway a strong training foundation. Now, the GSD is dominating dog sports from FastCAT to Barn Hunt, and more.

Bonding with your canine companion, meeting new people, keeping your dog physically and mentally active, and good, pure fun—just some of the reasons people participate in AKC dog sports. For people with disabilities, these benefits may seem inaccessible. AKC dog sports can be and are enjoyed by individuals with disabilities. Today, people of varying physical ability […]

Imagine this: You’re hiking up a mountain with your dog. You get halfway back down, and your dog just stops. He’s too tired to continue. What do you do? Or, how about another situation: You live in the city and want to take the subway with your dog. Your dog is too big and too […]

At 7 months old, Weimaraner “Gauge,” a Weimaraner, launched herself off the front of a pontoon boat into the water below. She jumped without hesitation, much to the delight of her owners, Anna and Chris Brown. “My husband always wanted a dog so he could jump off the boat and have the dog follow, and she did,” Anna says.   It wasn’t long before they started taking Gauge to dock diving events in […]

They grab some Z's on recliners, hog the bed, and circle the kitchen counters hoping for a handout. There's no question the seven, eight, or even ten German Shorthaired Pointers who routinely hang inside Dave and and Lee Walker's home in Forsyth, Georgia, live the good life. These liver-and-white dogs, along with other GSPs the […]

Donna Elizares is 88, yet she still embraces the mental and physical dynamics of dog-ring challenges. Since 1946, when she was a 16-year-old showing a Pekingese in conformation, Elizares, of Damascus, Ore., has competed in American Kennel Club (AKC) sports. She was inducted into the Papillon Club of America Hall of Fame in 2017 and […]