The AKC will now offer two new entry-level agility classes. These classes, Agility Course Test (ACT) 1 & 2 will allow beginners an easier entry into the sport. The classes will have shorter courses with basic obstacles specifically designed for beginners. ACT 1 & 2 will serve as the graduation exercise for training classes and […]

The odds were stacked against Tamara Lazarus and her Scottish Terrier, Honey, of becoming a standout agility team. Both overcame serious medical disorders years ago and have progressed to the point they qualified for the third annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster last month. At the age of 4, Lazarus, of Stamford, Connecticut, contracted amegakaryocytic […]

More than 1,600 talented purebred and mixed-breed canines will jump, heel and retrieve their way to Tulsa, Oklahoma March 18-20, 2016 for a series of Championship events hosted by the American Kennel Club. Over the three days, these top dogs will compete in the AKC National Agility Championship, AKC National Obedience Championship and the AKC […]

by Faith Rogers, Junior Handler Agility is in every sense of the word a team sport, a combination of speed, consistency, and trust. This is a sport filled with magical runs, but also frustrating disappointments. Perseverance builds character when training plans don't succeed and the only choice is to try again. The dedication and commitment […]

The 2015 AKC Obedience Classic and the AKC Agility Invitational took place December 12-13, 2015 in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, demonstrating the highest level of training and teamwork between dog and handler. Obedience and agility competitions for junior handlers were held for the fifth year, and an AKC Rally® Junior competition was held […]

Tex, the Border Collie from Long Valley, New Jersey, was fantastic in winning the 2015 Westminster Kennel Club Masters Agility competition. Over 330 dogs competed at Pier 94 in New York City and the event was televised live on Fox Sports 1. "He doesn't have a foot out of place— he's amazing," owner and handler […]

While her daughter took a tennis lesson, jogger Vicky Kaseorg of Charlotte, N.C., put her wait time to good use with a run around the neighborhood. A lifelong animal lover, Vicky forced herself to look away when she spotted a skinny mud-covered dog lying in a parking lot. Surely some kind-hearted person would help, she thought. […]

The new AKC.org is here! Our website has been completely redesigned with special features just for dog lovers. Here's what's new on the site: New organization. Looking for information on finding the right dog for you? Or maybe you just want to read entertaining dog articles. Our new content organization makes it quick and easy to […]

If you have dogs, cats, or other pets in your family, you'll want to take their needs into account when you're looking to buy a house. Yes, really. Your furry roommates might seem easygoing, but certain homes, and neighborhoods, are more pet-friendly than others. Here are six questions to ask that often get overlooked; keep […]

It all started with Chompers, the Corgi, starring in a video to sell a San Francisco home in 2015. Then there was Tiffany, a 5-year-old Shih Tzu mix whose owner, a real estate agent in Australia, started placing the pooch in listing photos. The result? Nearly double the page views and a slew of sales. […]

How do you feel about a grand adventure, with a bit of challenge and surprise tossed in? If this appeals to you, the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen may satisfy that urge. With fewer than 400 in the United States, the rough-coated scenthound, a native of France, is one of two new breeds the American Kennel […]

These days, pet amenities offer a way to make living together more convenient ‚Äî for pets and for humans. Small home improvement projects aimed at your dogs or cats can add value to your home and quality to your day-to-day life. Check out these pet-friendly, DIY project ideas. Built-in Cabinet Built-in units can add resale […]

If you're like me, then the idea of going to one of the premier dog sporting events in the U.S. fills you with pure, unbridled joy. Buying tickets, however, can be complicated and a little frustrating. But not this year! At this year's AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, one ticket gets you into […]

The digging, the barking, the chasing: Welcome to Westie world. Don’t panic. There’s no need to sign him up for couch time with an expensive Park Avenue shrink. All you have to do is take a moment to consider what has been genetically hardwired into the spunky little critter. Once you know what drives your […]

One crisp fall morning in 1967, Anne H. Bowes arrived at the Ox Ridge Hunt Club in Connecticut to find that the polo field where she always rode her horse was engulfed in a sea of yellow-and-white-striped tents. The dog-show bug bit her that day – hard – and the following February Bowes found herself […]

At first glance, Razzberry the Bichon Frise and Henry the Spinone Italiano don’t appear to have much in common: Razzberry is a toaster-sized ball of snowy white hair with an unnatural hostility to leather footwear. Laidback Henry, by contrast, looks like the famous big dog Benji and swoons at the sight of beef jerky or pigeons. But what these […]

How much do you think your dog remembers about the day-to-day events in his life? Is his memory as good as yours, or is he only living in the moment? The ability to recall personal events and specific moments is known as "episodic memory," and it's up for debate whether dogs possess this type of […]

Has your senior dog developed health problems that make a trip outside to the toilet area challenging? Perhaps stairs are too difficult for his arthritic joints or he can no longer hold it through the night. There are many health conditions that can interfere with your older dog's bathroom routine, and in some cases, indoor […]

More than 60 All-American Dogs will compete in the 2018 AKC National Agility Championship, which is right around the corner. The event takes place March 23 – 25 in Reno, Nevada. There is a total of 917 entrants. To qualify, dogs must have earned seven double Qs, meaning they must have qualified in both Masters […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, announces the hiring of Alan Fausel as Director of AKC Cultural Resources. Mr. Fausel has an extensive background in the art industry, having worked at the Fine Arts Museums in San Francisco and the Frick Art Museum in Pittsburgh. […]