Papillon celebrates 100 years in AKC Stud Book In 1915 the AKC registered an itty-bitty dog named Joujou, its first Papillon. In the 10 decades since, the small breed with the big ears has beguiled American owners with its sunny personality and surprising athleticism. This year we welcome the Papillon, along with the Flat-Coated Retriever, as […]

Tacarra Andrade of Novi, MI, and MACH8 Prince Doggie are the most titled team in the AKC Canine Partners program, holding eight AKC Master Agility Championships and having qualified for the AKC Agility Invitational and AKC National Agility Championships on multiple occasions. Princey is Tacarra’s first agility dog -- she had never heard of agility […]

Meet teenager Sayward Kemp of Morgantown, WV, and her Beagle-mix, Keira, who compete in agility. We know you will enjoy the story of how Sayward committed to never giving up on her formerly scared, shy rescue puppy. It takes less than a minute for Sayward Kemp to run Keira through an agility course. The 18-year-old […]

If you want to improve your skills as a dog trainer, one way to do this is to get plenty of experience training dogs of all shapes and sizes. Since most of us are not in a position to have a house full of dogs of multiple breeds and sizes, a good way for trainers to […]

This trick tip is brought to you by AKC GoodDog! Helpline trainer Milena Barreto. Milena and her Standard Poodle, Phoebe, are a therapy dog team and entertain many people with their large repertoire of tricks. Here, Milena tells us how to get your dog to give you a hug on cue! Playing outside with your […]

ASK AKC Dear AKC: I have a cute yellow Labrador Retrievers and I want to try and get him into magazine ads or even TV commercials. He is definitely a sight to see. How can I get him into show business? —Hollywood-Bound Hound in Houston Dear Hollywood: There are many different factors to consider besides just "being […]

Since Maggie entered into the phase of life known as senior, thoughts that I never dreamed I’d have keep floating through my mind, thoughts like: * I love my sponge mop, so, so much. * The world is a better place because of the existence of seven-foot-long, washable, waterproof hospital pads. * Whoever it was […]

Training with Treats Just about any dog can learn such basic commands as sit, come, and heel. Some can add a few others to their repertoire. Still others may be able to master surprisingly complex tricks. No matter what level of skill you’re aiming for, training your dog simply requires an investment of time, patience and, […]

KOKO HERZ ... JAN. 3, 2003 - FEB. 19, 2015 Steven Herz of New Jersey wrote this moving memorial for Koko Herz who was the first All-American Dog to earn the AKC Therapy Dog title and who passed away from cancer in February at age 12. We are honored to share it with you. "I […]

Research Indicates that Some Dogs Can Emulate Their Owner’s ActionsSome dogs are copycats. Experiments indicate that some breeds are capable of emulating the actions of their owners. "Where did my dog learn that?" The next time you ask yourself that question, take a look in the mirror. A study published in “Proceedings of the Royal […]