Many people get involved in the dog world because they grew up around conformation, or competed in Juniors, or a family member or friend convinced them to try it out. But ultimately, it doesn't matter how you get involved, everyone is welcome and it's never too late to start. We had the opportunity to […]

Fidelio means faithful in Italian. In English, it’s Fido. And, oh, how appropriate that tag has proven to be for this 6½-year-old, 75-pound Bergamasco show dog. No flash and flair here. More substance and survival. Remember sportscaster Al Michaels’ terrific call in the waning moments of the U.S. hockey team’s epic win over the Soviet […]

Leo Roar gives his best friend some loving. Their love affair is mutual and seemingly nonstop. Tiny road warrior Mara Rose attended her second American Kennel Club National Championship last month in Orlando, Fla. But there was a big difference and an entirely new perspective for her this time around. In 2015, she was still […]

With a registered name like DC Jewels Peridot & Pearls MLC SAR-W, the dog you'd expect to see might be a prissy homebody that lavishes attention on people and strolls about in elegant attire. Not this little blonde dynamo, believed to be the first of her breed to earn an AKC search and rescue (SAR) […]

The short-legged but muscular Cesky Terrier is relatively rare in the United States, with less than 600 dogs to be found in the country. These fairly small terriers are sensitive and full of energy, but are not quite as excitable as some other terrier breeds. Cesky is pronounced "chess-key" after the breed’s country of origin, […]

“Love me, because I’m beautiful,” Floppybear seems to be telling breed judge Judy Daniel at the 2015 Conejo Kennel Club Dog Show in City of Industry, Calif.  He’s a show dog—and he knows it! When Floppybear struts his stuff with swagger and verve—the wow factor kicks in! At last month’s Kennel Club of Beverly Hills […]

Twenty-four exceptional students from 16 states have been awarded the AKC Junior Scholarship for 2017. The scholarships are offered to high school, college and graduate school students, and range from $500 - $2,000. “These young men and women are dedicated not only to the sport of purebred dogs, but to their academics as well,” said […]

AKC President and CEO Dennis B. Sprung presented the Award to United States Capitol Police Chief Matthew R. Verderosa, Assistant Chief Steven A. Sund, Deputy Chief Fred P. Rogers and Technician Shawn Haynes, who were accompanied by Will, a black Labrador Retriever. “I am honored to present this award,” said Sprung. “It is a token […]

  The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and advocate for all dogs, continues its commitment to students pursuing veterinary studies with the announcement of the 2017 AKC Veterinary Outreach Scholarship recipients. This scholarship is designed to support individuals with a background in AKC events and programs, who seek to promote […]

  The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes Breeders of Merit for their dedication to breeding purebred dogs with the appearance, temperament, and abilities that are true to their breed standard and for their commitment to health screening and 100 percent puppy registration. The AKC celebrates their success in and passion for canine sports. They are […]

  Each month, the American Kennel Club (AKC) profiles breeders to hear how they got started and learn about their breeding program and experience with AKC Marketplace. We recently spoke with Karen Hanson of Labyrinth Brittanys in Maidens, Va. Karen began breeding Brittanys when she was a teenager, and today she is an AKC Breeder […]

This is the first of a series of features on 2017's AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence Winners. She's only 2 years old, and Amber is already an American Kennel Club (AKC) Bronze Grand Champion on paper but more important, an inspiration and a lifeline for her 54-year-old owner, Sonja Benavidez, of Geneseo, Ill. […]

Bonnet started as Horton's Novice A dog. The pair competed successfully all the way to a UDX title. The Norwegian Elkhound survived a stroke and was "truly a hero," showing her owner "what was important in life that I did not already know" he says. While he doesn’t have an iconic Superman "S" on his […]

Ever wonder how handlers get into conformation? Well, many of them start out in Junior Showmanship. And it turns out the kids have a lot to say! We chatted with 12 youngsters ranging from the ages of seven to 16 years at the annual Seattle Kennel Club (SKC) Dog Show at Centurylink Field on March […]

As all dog breeders know, you’re only as good as your latest generation. After all, those promising newbies are the ones on which you build your future. The sport of dogs is governed by the same principle: Newcomers in all venues — from conformation to obedience to agility, not to mention breeding — are vitally […]

Native New Yorkers tell it like it is, and Elliott B. Weiss — the Best in Show judge at this year’s AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin — is no exception. “I was a teenager, and I grew up without a dog,” he explains about how he got involved in the sport of purebred […]

From the time he was three weeks old, curled up with his littermates in a Minnesota breeder’s whelping box, Nathan made quite the impression on Janis Dibert, who had recently lost her husband Dennis. A Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever owner for 17 years, Dibert says, “Usually puppies are matched to you based on the information you […]

Sit down and stay awhile. That porch-rocker philosophy used to be prevalent at dog shows, which for the first half of the 20th Century were all-day affairs for exhibitors. Back then, shows were benched, meaning that dogs were required to stay on elevated wooden benches so they could be viewed by the public. Captive audiences […]

Brielle Duprat was two-and-a-half when her grandmother Karen took her to her first dog show. She remembers watching all of the different breeds, and the grooming prior to competition. Then, at four years old, her aunt Lori had Brielle show her Havanese, Maggie, in the Pee Wee Juniors class. "That started my handling career," says […]

Step lively, stand and stay put, and allow the judge to scrutinize every inch of you. Shimmy the tail, act dignified and thoughtful, but exude enthusiasm. Such is the job of a show champion. Grand Champion Riley, a 5-year-old Clumber Spaniel bred by Sarah Beaird and Dennis FitzPatrick, is a top-10 champion who finds winning […]

The 2019 Greeley Kennel Club Dog Show takes place August 17-19 at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley, Colorado. Want to watch or stream? Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the Greeley Kennel Club Dog Show. Greeley Kennel Club Dog Show - What to Expect This year's event includes the National Owner-Handled […]

The 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Dec. 14 and 15 had a record number of dogs in its 19th year. The competition began with 5,284 dogs each competing for best in their breed. Best in Group Best of Breed winners then advanced to compete in the group competitions. Each AKC-recognized breed falls […]

A young family I know recently made a commitment to quality time by banning cell phones at the dinner table. It started as more of a dare than a serious lifestyle change. The husband is a marketing maven, the wife a high-powered lawyer, and the two kids own every electronic device on the market. One […]

The 2019 AKC National Championship marked one of 18-year-old Caroline Clegg's last shows as a Junior Handler, after aging out in April. Although Junior Handlers must be 17 or younger, they are invited to the AKC National Championship based on having at least five first-place wins in Open Class with competition present between Oct. 11, […]

What do you think of when you hear the word Poodle? For many, it’s an overdone diva—big hair, polished toenails, and a phony French accent. Poodles are often described as “froufrou” dogs, a slur that means prissy and high-maintenance. The image has been widely embraced, even in the wonderful world of Disney, where dogs are […]

Spanning four days in Derby city, the Kentuckiana Cluster of Dog Shows in Louisville, Kentucky includes four days of dog shows hosted by the Mid-Kentucky Kennel Club, Evansville Kennel Club, Greater Louisville Training Club, and Louisville Kennel Club. More than 3,000 dogs will be shown during the four days of all-breed conformation shows. In addition […]

For Riley Capton, the best part of Junior Showmanship and the hardest part are the same. Riley loves her Russell Terrier — Indy — but she admits showing a terrier comes with some difficulties. “They're little, headstrong dogs and they know what they want, and they'll do what they want when they feel like it," […]

At just nine years old Tatum Duvall was catapulted into dog sports when her mom, Tanya Duvall, broke her leg. She began showing Vizslas as a Junior Handler and quickly fell in love with the sport. “When my mom got hurt, I didn't expect to love dogs so much and showing so much," said Tatum. […]

The Belgian Laekenois will soon be the AKC's newest recognized breed. For an in-depth introduction to the breed, come back on July 1. Her name was Diva but nothing could have been further off the mark appearance-wise in June 2018 when a bedraggled Belgian Laekenois first set foot permanently in Sharrii Hunt’s life. Chevalric’s Darling […]

Angel Warren already had two rescue dogs when she got started in her local 4-H dog program at age nine: Durango, a Miniature American Shepherd, and Aspen, a Border Collie mix. "It was my first introduction to dogdom and I was immediately intrigued," Angel remembers. This intrigue is what led Angel to get her first […]