AKD 6.18 1971-2005 5.25 linear ft in 11 boxes Processed by Norma Rosado-Blake and Kari Dalane, 2006; revisions by Brynn White, 2016 Click here to the view complete inventory and/or to search all AKC archival collections Click here for a printable PDF of the collection guide The Löwchen Club of America records contains materials created by, collected […]

Members of the P Litter puppies (Labrador Retrievers) move about on their first day of training at the center. The P Litter (TSA/Penn Vet Working Dog Center) was whelped by a foster family and began their training at 8 weeks of age. Each member of this litter is named after a victim of the 9/11 […]

Check out the Winter 2017 edition of AKC’s In Session newsletter, the quarterly legislative policy newsletter for members of Congress, state legislators and their staff! In this issue, we highlight the difference between animal welfare and animal rights.  We also highlight the good works being done by AKC Reunite and the AKC Canine Health Foundation […]

  More and more people are traveling with their pets and bringing dogs into the United States from overseas. Although a pet doesn’t need a passport to enter or re-enter the United States, you are required to provide certain documentation attesting to the health of your dog or cat. These rules serve to protect the […]

  After a one-year hiatus, the Detroit Kennel Club dog show returns to the Motor City this weekend with events Saturday and Sunday, June 20–21, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in the Detroit suburb of Novi, Michigan. This year’s show features a number of special attractions, including obedience and rally trials, demonstrations, AKC National Owner-Handled […]

  Dog lovers had the chance to see teams of police K-9s show off their skills at the second annual Western Connecticut Police K-9 Challenge. This family-friendly event, held on Saturday, October 8th, was hosted by the Newtown Kennel Club as a fundraiser for Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard (2GHG). The charity event raised funds […]

Barking…chasing..rushing..splitting…gripping…overflanking…ignoring…not stopping…these are just a few of the negative things our dogs may exhibit on occasion during the training process. Running…hollering…pushing…repeating…allowing…grudging…Well, folks, these are just a few of the negatives things handlers may exhibit while in the training process! And, if you haven't guessed it by now, these things are, more often than not, closely […]

(c) 2007 Ernest Hartnagle and Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor Some historians propose Basques and their sheepdogs from the Pyrenees played an insignificant role in the history of the Australian Shepherd breed. Secondly, Basques did not to go Australia with their "little blue dogs" and then come to the U.S. with boatloads of sheep. Thirdly, the Basque […]

By Joyce Norris I have been raising and leasing ducks for herding trials for about 6 years. Most judges and exhibitors say "They are the best ducks they have ever seen." This does take some work. My ducks work well in groups of 5. If a duck gets split off by a dog it will […]

As 's breeder, owner and handler, I was thrilled to hear that he is the first dog to earn a Master Herding title! He finished his AKC Herding Championship in June of 2010 in two weekends with five 3 point major wins on both sheep and ducks. In 2011, I decided to try Advanced A […]

Clinic by Lori Herbel "My dog has become really pushy lately. We seem to be in constant battle all the time. I can't figure out why!" "I've never started a dog in herding before. I have no clue what to do. Help!!" "Why does my dog quit when I try to teach him new things? […]

by Joy Sebastian-Hall A factor that influences every facet of our daily lives is attitude. How well a thing is accomplished, how quickly it gets done, how a person feels about it, all boils down to attitude. Herding is a dog sport that can have radically different results depending on the attitude of a handler, […]

by Lori Herbel Judging a herding trial is a tremendous responsibility. Consistency and fairness are the top priorities of the day, and the ability to comfortably make sensible split second decisions under pressure is a necessity. In order to help carry out this responsibility, a judge needs a trustworthy assistant by his side that he […]

by Lori Herbel We've all had those great moments in herding when our own outstanding handling expertise and our dog's natural, God-given talents have put us in awe and made our hearts swell, and given us cause to be proud to be herders. But why, oh why do those moments seem to be much fewer […]

by Tammie Rogers I am amazed at a herding dog's courage. We often ask our dogs to control and pilot animals that can weigh hundreds of pounds more than they do. We ask them to manage ewes with baby lambs and cows with newborn calves. We ask them to move livestock that doesn't want to […]

by Lori Herbel Planning a herding trial involves club members bringing a lot of small details together to form a complete and total package. Planning starts months in advance to hopefully ensure that the event runs smoothly and according to plan. There are, of course, the most obvious items that need to be lined up […]

Most herding dogs are naturally fetching dogs. That is, they always want to bring the sheep towards the handler. Some herding dogs are naturally driving dogs. That is, they move sheep in any direction without regard to the location of the handler. A very few herding dogs are both naturally driving and fetching dogs. You'd […]

It looks so innocent. Three sides...a swinging gate....a quiet, empty, beckoning space... and a six foot rope. Why is it then, that sheep often hit an invisible barrier as they approach this inanimate object we call the free-standing pen? Why do they stop, lean back, then shy away and hesitate to enter? Could it be […]

The sheep stand side by side in the back of the three-sided pen, appearing as one large body with three heads, twelve legs, and one mind. Their heads are held low, their gaze intent on the dog who lies quietly 20 feet in front of them. The ears of the sheep flick momentarily, from straight […]

Gripping can be a very controversial subject. I believe the answer is reflected in the kind of work the handler needs to complete and the urgency of the job. For example, some people may have a small herd or flock that has been trained to respect dogs. If a problem arises, they may have time […]

The Stop will be one of the most important commands a handler can teach their dog. The dog stopping in an exact spot can make the difference in accomplishing a chore correctly, winning or losing in a trial situation, or even saving a dog's life. Introduce the stop command to a dog away from stock. […]

I remember the first time I put a shepherd's whistle in my mouth--a silent little bubble dribbled out one side while my eyes nearly popped from the unreleased pressure behind the instrument. By day two, a reedy pitiful note would moistly eek out on occasion if I held my mouth just right. A few days […]

One of the most important elements of a trial revolves around the quality of the livestock. The AKC rulebook is very specific as to the suitability of stock and provides an in-depth description of the proper type of livestock for tests and trials. Livestock should be comfortable in the presence of both dogs and people, […]

The phrase "written standard" is a familiar one to those who are affiliated with the breed ring. In conformation, it is well known that a judge must be extremely knowledgeable about each breed standard before becoming approved to judge that breed. It is the judge's duty to compare each entry with the written breed standard, […]

First, you have to have a mental image of a perfectly correct "square flank". This involves the relationship between the dog and SHEEP not the handler. Dogs do not square flank off the handler, they square flank off the sheep. As the dog runs in half circle or part of a circle around the sheep […]

"Lie down..." "...Lie down." "Lie down!!" "Joe, I said lie down!" Dogs are gifted with an incredible sense of hearing. Research has proven that fact. Thousands of independent home studies have proven it too ask anyone who has accidentally bumped the 'cookie' jar lid and they'll tell you that even sleeping dogs three rooms away are […]

Good dog handling isn't an accident. It is a learned skill. It requires a good working relationship with the dog, proper training, clear and consistent commands and the ability to read the livestock. You must know what the stock are doing and what they are about to do. There is only one way to know […]

by Lynn Leach When can I start teaching my pup to herd? Can I enter this clinic - my pup is five months old? I know she isn't ready, but is there something I can start working on? These are all very good questions I hear repeatedly. I also hear many incredibly varied answers. Herding […]

The AKC Grand Championships application is your online reference for the top dogs in every state, sorted by breed and by the number of points accumulated annually. Dogs are ranked by their points totals, and may appear in the listings for more than one state if their owners of record reside in multiple states. The […]

FAST CAT is a 100-yard dash for dogs. The FAST CAT Ranking is a list of handicapped speed standings for the top 20 dogs in each breed based on FAST CAT races for a given year. It's a performance-driven way of answering questions about how fast a dog is or can be. FAST CAT is […]