The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2017 AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 16 and Sunday, December 17, 2017. The 2017 event will showcase the top national and international canine athletes […]

The graceful Borzoi is a very large breed with a Russian hunting heritage. The elegant flowing lines of this hound make for a beautiful dog, whether they're resting or running. Here are some interesting Borzoi facts to know. 1. They're a Giant Breed The Borzoi is considered a giant breed, with adult males standing at […]

The Harrier looks like a taller version of a Beagle, but this breed has its own distinctive history and talents. Here are seven things you didn't know about the Harrier: 1. The First Pack Was Established in 1260 In England, where the Harrier breed originated, Sir Elias de Midhope established the first pack of Harriers […]

It was the first day of a beginner’s dog obedience class. In front of me a woman was standing beside a Golden Retriever, and the dog’s face was showing a considerable amount of gray on it. The woman said to me, in a troubled tone, “I’m not sure that this class is going to do […]

To say that dogs are super smellers is an understatement. Whether it’s the ground during a walk, another dog during a meet-and-greet, or your friend when she walks into your house, chances are your dog leads with his nose to get information he can’t get with his eyes alone. That’s because your dog’s sense of […]

Sorry cat lovers, dogs are simply better snugglers. Here are nine reasons why dogs are the best cuddle buddies: 1. They will be the big spoon or the little spoon.   2. They manage to look cute when stealing your blanket. And because they look SO adorable, you don't even care that you're blanket-less.   […]

The Ohio Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to consider Senate Bill 331 tomorrow, Tuesday, May 24, 2016.  As introduced, SB 331 seeks to create positive state-level oversight of pet shops, which AKC supports; but it also includes a problematic change to the state’s existing definition of high volume breeder. The American Kennel Club (AKC) and […]

Dry skin on dogs is frustrating for dogs and owners alike. If dry, itchy, or flaky skin is making your dog uncomfortable, here is what you need to know.

  Once the new puppy is home and settled, many of us feel at least a little apprehension underneath all the excitement as we realize the next daunting step: training. Not just house training but also socialization, basic manners, obedience, and even tricks or other skills such as agility. Resources describing the nitty-gritty details regarding […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and Royal Canin are pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2016 National Championship to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2016. The 2016 event will showcase the top national and international dogs and will also […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and Royal Canin are pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2016 National Championship to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2016. The 2016 event will showcase the top national and international dogs and will also […]

Selecting a dog is an important decision that plays out for families every day. Here's how to know if you should get a purebred or mixed-breed dog.

Dog DNA tests can be used for a variety of things, not just to identify mixed-breed dogs' genetic makeup. Learn more about the uses of dog DNA tests.

On the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina wreaking havoc in the southeastern United States, Seattle Times journalist Ranny Green reflects on his time in Louisiana on assignment with Noah's Wish, an organization that helps animals affected by natural disasters. Read Ranny's diary of his trip below, which originally ran in The Seattle Times in 2005. -- […]

Many puppies and young dogs go through a period of submissive urination – releasing a small amount of urine when they are greeted by their owners or visitors. AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Christie Canfield gives some great tips on dealing with this behavior. Submissive urination is a normal canine communications behavior.  Dogs squat and urinate […]

Dogs are like people: sometimes they need a break. For many reasons, some dogs need space and time to themselves. Learn to recognize when and how to give dogs space.

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 […]

ASK AKC Dear AKC: I have a pet rabbit in my house and I'm thinking of getting a Beagle puppy. Is there a problem keeping them both in the same house? The puppy would only be loose when someone is home. -- Hound & Hare Dear Hound: Before considering adding a dog to your household […]

There was a time not long ago that nearly every advertisement featuring a child with a dog seemed to include a Lab or a Golden Retriever, consistently among the most popular dog breeds in America. Today, there’s a bit more variety in the breeds being photographed with children for commercial advertising. Perhaps the public perception […]

Every year, the AKC releases the list of most popular breeds. But which breeds were top 10 from 2000-2009? Find out here!

The only breed to rank in the top ten breeds every decade since the founding of the American Kennel Club became the nation’s top breed in the 1950s—the Beagle. Not coincidentally, Charles Schultz’s pet Beagle, Snoopy, made his illustrious first appearance in national newspapers on October 4, 1950, and swiftly became a pop phenomenon. The […]

No doubt spurred on by the famous Best in Show wins of My Own Brucie in the early 1940s, accompanied by this handsome dog’s likeness appearing on the cover of Life, the Cocker Spaniel became the country’s number-one dog. The breed enjoyed the number-one ranking for sixteen years, from 1936 to 1952. Although the Pekingese […]

The Boston Terrier, a top-ten breed for six decades of the 20th century, has reached the number-one position twice, including in the 1910s. The Airedale Terrier reached the number-two position, the highest the breed would ever claim, appearing in the top ten for three consecutive decades and then never regaining its national popularity. The decade […]

  Welcome to the AKC . We have put together definitions for dog words that you may not be familiar with. If you have additional questions regarding the glossary, please contact our Special Services Department. A Abdomen The belly or under surface between the chest and the hindquarters. Acetabulum The concave lateral portion of the […]

Beagles Have Their Year!    Curious and Comedic Breed Overtakes Yorkies to Place Third on Most-Popular List; Lovable Labs Hold Top Spot for 21 Years While Rottweiler Moves Into the Top 10   Look out Lab, the American Kennel Club® (AKC) has announced that the Beagle has overtaken the beloved Yorkshire Terrier to become the third […]

Bulldog Makes the List for First Time in Nearly 75 Years; Labrador Retriever Continues to Fetch Top Spot AKC Appears on NBC Today Show to Announce 2007 Registration Statistics - New York, NY – Today the American Kennel Club® announced that the Bulldog, a popular sports team mascot and one of the most recognizable and iconic […]

Taking the Time to Pick the Right Breed Makes You The Real Hero With the release of the action adventure movie Underdog, the American Kennel Club® reminds moviegoers about the importance of making careful, educated decisions when considering adding a dog to their home. Distributed by (c) Disney Enterprises, Inc., Underdog is a live re-make […]

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day on Wednesday, March 17th, the American Kennel Club celebrates seven purebred dogs of Irish heritage that are AKC registrable or are in the AKC miscellaneous class. Additional information, including the full breed standards, links to Parent Club web sites and video clips of each breed, is available a this […]