American Kennel Club and Cat Fanciers' Association Uncover the Inner Dog & Cat of Connecticut   Old money, steady habits and home to one of the oldest institutions in the country. Connecticut is associated with many things, both good and bad.  The state has an official insect (the European Mantis), hero (Nathan Hale), and even […]

History Made With Same Dog Winning Both Stakes For the first time in the history of the event, one dog, the German Shorthaired Pointer FC Slicks Cuttin Wild, won both the Retrieving Championship and the Non-Retrieving Championship stakes in the 17th annual American Kennel Club® Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship, sponsored by Purina and Tri-Tronics. […]

The American Kennel Club® is pleased to announce the winners of the AKC® Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championships, sponsored by Purina and Tri-Tronics. The event was held April 28 - May 6 at the Red Rock Field Trial grounds north of Reno, Nev. This was the 15th running of this event, which has become the […]

The American Kennel Club® is pleased to announce the promotion of Doug Ljungren to Assistant Vice President of Performance Events. Doug joined the AKC as Director of Performance Events in March 2007. He has been responsible for all facets of AKC Field Trials, Hunting Tests, Herding, Lure Coursing and Earthdog Events since taking over for […]

  New York, NY – The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce that Linda Hurlebaus has been hired as an Executive Field Representative. Linda will join the staff on June 4, 2007 and will be assigned the Southeast region. "Linda brings a broad, hands-on experience with many breeds, valuable judging experience and extensive experience […]

  -- Kenneth A. Marden Elected; Dr. Patricia H. Haines and Patti L. Strand Re-Elected; Ronald H. Menaker and David C. Merriam Re-Elected as Chairman and Vice Chairman Respectively -- The Annual Meeting of the AKC Delegates took place on March 13, 2007. Kenneth A. Marden, Delegate from the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America, […]

- Labrador Retriever Continues to Reign Supreme - New York, NY - The American Kennel Club® announced today that the Yorkshire Terrier, fondly called the “Yorkie” by millions of enthusiasts, has overtaken the beloved Golden Retriever and the iconic German Shepherd Dog to become the second most popular purebred dog in America according to AKC® […]

The American Kennel Club® is pleased to announce the hiring of Doug Ljungren, Director of Performance Events. Ljungren will join the staff in Raleigh, NC effective March 1, 2007. He and his wife, fancier Judy Cheshire, will relocate from Washington State. Ljungren has extensive background in both the sport of purebred dogs and in business […]

  New York, NY -- The American Kennel Club® announced today the winners of the 2007 AKC® Lifetime Achievement Awards. The awards will be presented to the winners by AKC President and Chief Executive Officer, Dennis B. Sprung, at the December 5, 2006 Delegates Meeting in Long Beach, California, held in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba […]

  New York, NY – Highlights from the August 2006 meeting of the AKC Board of Directors as follows: The Board appointed members to all of the Trial Boards, effective September 1, 2006. The full list is included in the minutes for the August 2006 meeting. The Nominating Committee, which is to nominate candidates for […]

  New York, NY – Whether you're a pooch parent looking for tips on training, grooming and health or are currently considering adding a precious pup to the family, be sure to circle the month of September on your calendar to mark "AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day." This month-long celebration involves hundreds of organizations around […]

  New York, NY -- The American Kennel Club (AKC®) announced today the winners of the 2006 AKC Lifetime Achievement Awards. The awards will be presented to the winners by AKC President and Chief Executive Officer, Dennis B. Sprung, at the January 17, 2006 Delegates Meeting in Tampa, Florida, in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National […]

New York, NY — The American Kennel Club ( AKC ® ) announced today that Julie Slobodnjak of Virginia Beach , Virginia , has been named a recipient of the AKC Community Achievement Award for her therapy work, promoting responsible dog ownership and safety around dogs in her community. Slobodnjak was nominated by the Virginia […]

  AKC® Chief Operating Officer John Lyons today announced the appointment of John Rabidou to the position of Director of Performance Events. Rabidou received the AKC Lifetime Achievement Award for performance in 2004. He has been involved in the sport for more than 40 years, primarily distinguishing himself with German Shorthaired Pointers. John Rabidou replaces […]

  The AKC Lifetime Achievement Awards honor those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of purebred dogs on a national level. The recipients are selected by votes cast by AKC member clubs for nominees in the categories of Conformation, Companion Events, and Performance. The awards, engraved Tiffany and Co. sterling silver bowls, […]

  In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were established in 1998 to honor our Fancy’s best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national level. […]

  The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to welcome the ten students who have been chosen to participate in the AKC Internship Program. The program--open to college students with a background and interest in purebred dogs--is designed to further their professional development as well as help the AKC identify potential employees with experience in […]

  Many of the donations to the CA wildfires relief efforts have been made possible by the AKC-CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund. The permanent charitable fund has among its goals to provide resources, support and other assistance to not-for-profit animal shelters and similar not-for-profit organizations providing care for domestic animals orphaned or displaced as […]

  The official drawing of Champion Trackers that will exhibit in the first AKC National Tracking Invitational took place Thursday, July 24th at the American Kennel Club office in Raleigh, NC. President and CEO, Alfred Cheaure along with Senior Vice President and COO, Dennis Sprung pulled little "tracking feet" from a paper gift bag to […]

  At the AKC Delegate Meeting on March 11, Dr. Patricia H. Haines was elected to the AKC Board of Directors, Class of 2007, and Dr. Carmen L. Battaglia and Mrs. Patti L. Strand were re-elected. Ronald H. Menaker was re-elected Chairman of the Board and David C. Merriam was re-elected Vice-Chairman.   Dr. Patricia […]

  The Outdoor Life Network (OLN) will be airing six American Kennel Club performance events in January and February of 2003. These events are sanctioned by the AKC and demonstrate the natural ability of dogs in the field. AKC performance events demonstrate what purebred dogs were bred to do more than any other activity, commented […]

Labrador Retriever Leads the Pack as Most Popular for 27th Year - French Bulldog Leaps into Top Five, Knocking Out the Beagle - New York, NY – The Labrador Retriever continues to break records!  The American Kennel Club (AKC®) announced at a press conference today that the loveable Lab once again is the number one […]

Michel Berner, owner of Mira Vizslas, near Fairchild, Wis., moved from Milwaukee to the Eau Claire area a little more than 10 years ago. She is active regionally and nationally and has donated hundreds of hours to various Vizsla clubs, doing everything including serving as an officer and a director, judging hunt tests, editing newsletters, creating web […]

In the last 27 years, things have changed dramatically. Facebook launched, Apple took over the mobile world, the United States has gone through four different presidents, and the AKC launched agility, Scent Work, Trick Dog, and more. One thing, however, has remained the same. Since 1991, the Labrador Retriever has been the most popular dog breed in […]

Much about dogs can translate from one breed to another. Soundness and basic structure is not that different among many breeds. Structural soundness in a Dalmatian is not that different from structural soundness in a German Shorthaired Pointer, for example. Type, outline, breed personality, and all of the little things that make each breed unique […]

When a dog visits my home, whether a puppy or a guest, I immediately go into pool safety training mode. It goes without saying that dogs should be supervised in the pool area at all times. But there’s always the possibility that they could get into the pool area undetected. Falling in the pool could […]

The Super Bowl and World Cup have referees. The World Series has umpires. When it comes to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan®, the second-longest-running sporting event in the United States, there is a different type of officiating crew. Judges are given the difficult task of choosing the crème de […]

Showing dogs is a fun sport where the thrill of competition is combined with the joy of seeing beautiful dogs. Dog shows, or conformation events, originated as a way for breeders to evaluate their breeding stock. While the purpose remains, dog shows are a great opportunity to socialize with people in your breed and develop […]

Photo Coverage Day 1 -- April 1, 2014 The first day of the Championship began under mainly cloudy skies and a very chilly 20 degrees. There was a strong north wind. As the day progressed the temperatures rose into the 50's, the skies cleared, and the winds diminished making for pleasant conditions. Humidity was very […]

Education is paramount to the AKC’s mission. Through education, we preserve history, stay relevant to the needs of today’s dog owners and fanciers, and invest in the future health and well-being of dogs, dog sports, and the human-canine relationship. The AKC recognizes and appreciates the enormous contributions that Parent and All-Breed Clubs give to the […]