When it comes to love, dogs offer all of the devotion with none of the guile. They won't sign up for a secret dating profile or see another owner behind your back. And that flirtation with the pet sitter … well, it's harmless. After all, there's a reason dogs have a reputation for being faithful […]

The 2021 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Dec. 18 and 19 hosted more than 5,000 dogs who all competed for the coveted title of Best in Show. The competition began with each dog competing for best in their breed. Best of Breed winners then advanced to compete in the group competitions to […]

There are few things more beautiful than watching a dog running in a full-out sprint without abandon. On September 16, 2022, dogs from across the United States journey to Kannapolis, North Carolina to compete in the 2022 Fastest Dogs USA. Bolting down the field with the fifth fastest time was Salt, the No. 1 ranking […]

The AKC Veterinary Outreach Program welcomes the veterinary community to the AKC website. Did you know that the AKC is the only registry for purebred dogs that routinely inspects breeders using its registry, and eliminates from the registry those who do not meet AKC standards for humane care and canine welfare? Did you know that […]

Cancer is the leading cause of death in adult dogs. Approximately 6 million dogs will be newly diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, with senior dogs at particular risk. It's a diagnosis nobody wants for their beloved pet, but thankfully there are powerful new tools to detect cancer in dogs earlier and […]

After taking a training class three years ago, now 16-year-old Skylar Sowiecki swiftly got involved with dog shows. Sowiecki resides in sunny Florida and owns German Shepherd Dogs—but can also be seen showing Borzois and occasionally Beaucerons and Greyhounds. Sowiecki and her two GSDs compete in a variety of sports including Conformation, Rally, Dock Diving, Fast […]

When you and your dog reach the Elite Performer level, you'll need not only to perform high-level tricks, but also act out a story together. The same is true for the AKC Virtual Trick Dog Competition. So, is your dog ready to be the star of their own show? As a fiction author turned dog […]

At the 2022 National Agility Championship (NAC) in Ocala, Florida, hundreds of the nation's top canines compete with hopes of being named one of the best Agility dogs. Of the qualifying contenders, it's typical to see dozens of Border Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs. This year, there was even a Bulldog and a Borzoi! But a […]

Agility is one of the fastest-growing dog sports in the country. It’s challenging, great fun for dog and handler, and thrilling for spectators. For the dog-human team, agility requires athleticism, concentration, training, and, most of all, teamwork. The handler directs the dog through a predetermined pattern of obstacles, including jumps, tunnels, and weave poles, while […]

It goes without saying that in your house, your dog is the most popular. But what do the statistics say? The American Kennel Club has used registration data to compile the list of 2021’s most popular breeds. As always, the Labrador Retriever tops the list — this time for the 31st year!  The Lab's temperament […]

When Leah Graham, 9 years old, commented on the AKC's TikTok asking them to find her showing her Chihuahua in a bright lime green outfit during the 2021 AKC National Championship, she never imagined it would actually happen. Or that the video of her showing would be seen by more than 250,000 people on the […]

Emily Wentland, an 18-year-old from Ohio, got started training and showing her dogs through 4-H when she was just eight and began competing in AKC sports at 13. She and her Miniature American Shepherds and Borzoi (Woodridge's I Shot The Sheriff CD NAP OJP CGC TKE "Gunner," Shadowland's Designer Gucci Girl NAJ CGC TKE "Gucci," […]

It was an exciting first night of the 2016 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan® on Monday, Feb. 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York, as winners of the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding groups were named. CH Belisarius Jp My Sassy Girl, aka "Lucy," a 3-year old Borzoi won the […]

After two long nights of tough competition, GCH Vjk-Myst Garbonita's California Journey, a German Shorthaired Pointer, was crowned Best In Show at the 2016 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan® at Madison Square Garden in New York Feb. 16. Judge Dr. Richard Meen of Toronto selected the 3-year-old, also known as CJ. […]

Every year the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show comes to New York City to celebrate dogs, breeders, owners, handlers, and all others who are a part of a dog's journey. This year we had some wonderful moments, made some history, and crowned another champion. Come with us as we take a walk through a dog's […]

After two long days of breed judging at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the best dogs came out to compete in their respective groups. A grand audience at Madison Square Garden watched closely as these beautiful dogs made their way around the ring. Here are the winners for 2018.   Hound Group Winner GCHG CH Belisarius JP My […]

Following two nights of challenging competition, GCHP CH Belle Creek's All I Care About Is Love, a Bichon Frise known as "Flynn," has been awarded the coveted Best in Show title at the 2018 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan® at Madison Square Garden in New York on Feb. 13. The decision was made by […]

You could call him the “Water Boy” based on his naming origin, but 2½-year-old Noah is already establishing an identity on the terra firma of the dog show world, too. The 36-pound Cardigan Welsh Corgi, co-owned by Dr. Peggy McCoy, of Ohio, and his breeder, Sherri Hurst, of Texas, already has four group wins and […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-profit organization, the world's largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, is pleased to announce the winners of the AKC Agility League Season 2. Champion and Reserve Champion Teams were named in three divisions: International (ISC courses), Regulation (Masters courses) and Limited (Shorter courses for smaller spaces). […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2022 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2022. The 2022 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2022 National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The NOHS Finals will be held […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to recognize its affiliated dog clubs which have been holding AKC events for over 100 years and are an essential part of the sport of dogs. Founded in 1884, AKC together with its affiliated organizations promote responsible dog ownership, conduct over 23,000 organized dog events per year, breed […]

Among the most impressively beautiful of all dogs, the aristocratic Borzoi is cherished for his calm, agreeable temperament. In full stride, he is a princely package of strength, grace, and glamour flying by at 35 to 40 miles per hour.

Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 Beagles 4 Bulldogs 5 Yorkshire Terriers 6 Boxers 7 Poodles 8 Rottweilers 9 Dachshunds 10 French Bulldogs  11 Doberman Pinschers 12 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 13 Siberian Huskies 14 Shih Tzu 15 Great Danes 16 Miniature Schnauzers 17 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 18 Pomeranians […]

Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 Bulldogs 4 Beagles 5 Yorkshire Terriers 6 Poodles 7 Boxers 8 French Bulldogs 9 Rottweilers 10 Dachshunds  11 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 12 Siberian Huskies 13 Doberman Pinschers 14 Great Danes 15 Miniature Schnauzers 16 Shih Tzu 17 Australian Shepherds 18 Cavalier King Charles […]

Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 Bulldogs 4 Beagles 5 French Bulldogs 6 Yorkshire Terriers 7 Poodles 8 Rottweilers 9 Boxers 10 Pointers (German Shorthaired)  11 Siberian Huskies 12 Dachshunds 13 Doberman Pinschers 14 Great Danes 15 Miniature Schnauzers 16 Australian Shepherds 17 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels  18 Shih […]

Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 Bulldogs 4 Beagles 5 French Bulldogs 6 Poodles 7 Rottweilers 8 Yorkshire Terriers 9 Boxers 10 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 11 Siberian Huskies 12 Dachshunds 13 Great Danes 14 Doberman Pinschers 15 Australian Shepherds 16 Miniature Schnauzers 17 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 18 Cavalier King […]

Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 French Bulldogs 4 Bulldogs 5 Beagles 6 Poodles 7 Rottweilers 8 Yorkshire Terriers 9 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 10 Boxers 11 Siberian Huskies 12 Dachshunds 13 Great Danes 14 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 15 Doberman Pinschers 16 Australian Shepherds 17 Miniature Schnauzers 18 Cavalier King […]

  Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 French Bulldogs 4 Bulldogs 5 Beagles 6 Poodles 7 Rottweilers 8 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 9 Yorkshire Terriers 10 Boxers 11 Dachshunds 12 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 13 Siberian Huskies 14 Australian Shepherds 15 Great Danes 16 Doberman Pinschers 17 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels […]

    Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 French Bulldogs 4 Bulldogs 5 Poodles 6 Beagles 7 Rottweilers 8 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 9 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 10 Dachshunds 11 Yorkshire Terriers 12 Australian Shepherds 13 Boxers 14 Siberian Huskies 15 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 16 Great Danes 17 Miniature […]