Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cathy Robbins and her five-year-old therapy dog, Finn, would visit multiple patients at Riddle Hospital in Pennsylvania a few days a week. They would share moments together comforting patients and their families — like the coma patient who physically shifted at Finn's touch, or the patient who briefly woke from […]

You don’t have to own a military or police K-9 to teach your dog how to recognize a scent. In fact, you don’t even have to leave your house. What Is AKC Scent Work? AKC Scent Work is a sport that mimics the task of working detection dogs to locate a scent (e.g., explosives or narcotics) and communicate […]

Though we often don’t think about them in this way, dogs are really about people — those long-ago (or, sometimes, not so long-ago) figures who developed particular breeds for particular tasks. Some breeds — like the Doberman Pinscher, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, and Cesky Terrier — owe their existence to just one visionary person. Other breeds were brought into being […]

The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) provides educational resources and tools for dog breeders as part of its mission to advance the health of all dogs. To help responsible breeders utilize the latest canine health information in their breeding and rearing plans and share that information with their puppy buyers, CHF provides infectious disease facts […]

State Issues: News from the State Capitols  Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. Visit the 2019 Legislation Tracking page and click on your state to get the latest updates on state bills monitored by the AKC. Alabama – HB 209 seeks to authorize food service establishments to allow pet dogs in […]

The American Kennel Club welcomes the introduction today of the Healthy Dog Importation Act of 2020  in the U.S. House of Representatives. AKC is grateful for the bi-partisan leadership of Congressmen Abraham (LA-5), Schrader (OR-5) and Yoho (FL-3) in sponsoring the bill, and believes this will go a long way to addressing concerns about recent […]

Earlier this week, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the finalization of new Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulations.  The changes were made in an effort to promote compliance, reduce license fees, and strengthen safeguards to prevent individuals and businesses with a history of noncompliance from obtaining […]

SUCCESSFUL RESULT ON HB 1822/SB 989 OUTREACH More than 100 emails to Massachusetts lawmakers from dog owners and parent breed club members were accompanied by a formal joint letter in opposition to HB 1822 and SB 989 and signed by AKC, the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation, the National Animal Interest Alliance, the New England Policemen Benevolent […]

For the happiest, most well-adjusted dogs, learning never ends. The AKC GoodDog! Helpline is here for you and your dog every step of the way. Training your dog during COVID-19 can be difficult without access to normal training classes. That’s why we’re here to help you virtually. The AKC GoodDog! Helpline (GDH) is a live telephone subscription service […]

Ever wonder how the Sighthound got its name? Just as the label suggests, many years ago they were bred to pursue their prey by sight rather than scent which requires a display of fantastic athleticism and keen eyesight to stay in hot pursuit. Today’s Sighthounds demonstrate their coursing skills by chasing after a plastic bag […]