On October 22, the Ojai City Council voted 4-1 to adopt a first-in-the-nation law that prohibits the breeding of dogs and cats with “congenital anatomical features” that are likely to cause the animal or its offspring to suffer pain, deformity, or difficult expressing natural behaviors, difficulty breathing, difficultly with physical exertion or exercise, or difficulty […]

Mary-Kay Schroeder of Bayswater Portuguese Water Dogs is an AKC Breeder of Merit who has been breeding PWDs since 1993. She lives in Cicero, Indiana, which is about 30 miles north of Indianapolis and on Morse Lake. Mary-Kay shows her dogs in conformation, agility, water, obedience, and scent work.   AKC: How did you get […]

Lacey and Luisma Benítez, of LBK American Staffordshire Terriers, are the first and only Platinum Breeders of Merit of the American Staffordshire Terrier. They are a married couple, navigating life between Spain and St. Augustine, Florida, and have been deeply involved in this breed for 20 years. Luisma, who is from Spain, is a software […]

Luke and Diane Ehricht were presented with the 2023 AKC Breeder of the Year award for Hallmark Jolei Shih Tzu at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Saturday, December 16, 2023.  The annual award honors those breeders who have made an impact on their breed and dedicate their lives to improving the […]

Virtual monthly webinar learning experiences created by breeders for breeders. Join renowned experts in these educational opportunities for breeders! 2025 Schedule Wednesday, January 15, 2025 7:00 pm (EST) – Dr. Marty Greer, DVM. JD “Neonate Navigation: Is that normal?” Dive into the critical first two week of puppy raising. Discover the immediate needs of newborns, […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to recognize extraordinary breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups as 2023 AKC Breeder of the Year group honorees.   “We are proud to honor these knowledgeable and responsible breeders,” said Dennis B. Sprung, AKC President and CEO. “Each of these individuals are […]

Beth Kirven of West Columbia, South Carolina, has always had Sporting dogs — her first dog as an adult was an English Cocker. But once she married and had children, she decided to ditch the grooming and go for some smooth operators: namely, Pointers, acquiring her first from the late Susan Thompson of Solivia Pointers […]

AKC Breeder of Merit William Buell, III grew up in Western North Carolina. His mother and her mother always had a Chow Chow. Bill has, since he can remember, almost always had a Chow Chow in the home. When he was young, he had two that would find, hold point and flush grouse. Although he […]

Karen Moureaux, of Contact Point Border Collies in Fillmore, CA, is the first and only AKC Breeder of Merit- Platinum in Border Collies and was named the AKC Breeder of the Year for Agility in 2014. She is a Southern California native who started in dog sports in 1989 with her first Border Collie, Dallas. After competing […]

 Traci Mitchell is an AKC Breeder of Merit Bronze, who breeds Black and Tan Coonhounds and an occasional Smooth Fox Terrier. The name Carlin is Irish Gaelic, meaning Little Champion in honor of her first Smooth Fox Terrier. She splits her time between southern California and southwest Iowa. She has lived in California all her […]