When most people think of boisterous, outdoorsy dogs, they think of the larger working and sporting breeds. Dogs like Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are popular choices for those looking for an outgoing, extroverted dog. But there are a lot of small breeds with some pretty big personalities. Not all small breeds are satisfied being […]

  It’s possible the key to understanding social intelligence in humans might be sniffing his own butt at this moment. New research conducted by scientists at the University of Arizona found that dogs have similar social skills to two-year-old children. The researchers, who published their findings in Animal Behavior, examined the ability of dogs (including […]

Dogs are social creatures, we know, but they’re also extremely food motivated. So scientists wondered: Would dogs be willing to share food in a social circumstance? That speculation led to a study conducted by researchers at the Messerli Research Institute in Vienna. During the study, the dogs were trained to touch three tokens, each leading […]

  Pet owners might sometimes wish their dogs could talk, but according to new research, we may have a better idea than we realize of what they’re thinking and how they feel. A recent Hungarian study asked 40 volunteers to classify recorded dog growls taken during three scenarios: during a play session, while protecting food […]

In October 2016, the American Kennel Club (AKC®) joined the world of online learning with the launch of AKC Canine College. Canine College brings robust, interactive learning content to breeders and judges. Subject matter for groomers and trainers is in development and will be coming soon. AKC’s growing catalog of online courses features educational material […]

Socializing puppies has traditionally been considered the responsibility of the new owner. We instruct them to take the puppy to classes and make sure they are exposed to a variety of people and situations. But more research shows that encouraging a stable temperament can start even before puppies are born. Breeders can do a lot […]

  Harley, a Yellow Labrador Retriever, may have lost her sight, but that doesn't stop her from making a difference in the lives of all she meets. Harley and her owner, Rita Harrell, travel to Shriners Hospital for Children every week and visit patients, reports CBS News. Harley is a therapy dog, and a very […]

Bretagne, the last surviving 9/11 search dog, was honored in her hometown of Cypress, Texas with a special ceremony on the 16th anniversary of the tragic attacks, TODAY reports. At the ceremony, a life-size bronze statue of Bretagne was unveiled. The statue sits at the entrance of the Fairfield subdivision where Bretagne lived with her […]

By now, I’m certain you’re sick of presidential politics and want this election to be over. Enter a welcome distraction: "Secret Service Dogs: The Heroes Who Protect the President of the United States" by Maria Goodavage, a New York Times bestseller. This insightful read serves up plenty of brief, punchy slices of dog life that […]

She radiates joy, but it’s her fighting spirit that defines the heart of a 13-week-old German Wirehaired Pointer that is about to embark on a coast-to-coast flight to a new home. Appropriately, Joy is her name. And, adds her breeder, Laura Reeves, of Grants Pass, Ore., “This is the case of the right dog at […]

Make no mistake about it, dog sport competitors are no different than finely tuned human athletes. These dogs long to get in the ring and give it their best, while performing in concert with their handlers. In the process, doggy dynamics are accented with plenty of psychological gymnastics. If ever there was a prototype for […]

Mark Daniels and Aura after he was awarded a Purple Heart for his service in Afghanistan in 2013. Credit: CherryBlossoms Photography.   “What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life.” -- Emil Brunner, Swiss theologian Hope has been an important ingredient in the lives of San Diego-based Marine Staff […]

Imagine, for a minute, you are involved in dog sports, and your four-legged partner is tightly connected to your left side throughout one exercise after another. Can you envision the challenges facing you in one venue after another if your field of vision in your left eye is less than 10 degrees to almost nothing, […]

  Meaningful progress is being made toward understanding and treating canine epilepsy, the most common neurological disorder in dogs. Canine epilepsy, which results in recurrent, unprovoked seizures, can fall into three categories: caused by structural problems in the brain (symptomatic epilepsy), attributed to unknown causes (idiopathic epilepsy) and inherited (genetic epilepsy). The latter, genetic epilepsy, […]

For National Photography Day, we got some advice from professional pet photographer, Sarah Faith Rosencrans. Check out her helpful hints for taking great pictures of your pup! As a proud dog owner and a professional pet photographer I am always searching for ways to get my rambunctious models to sit still and pose for the camera. […]

  One of my first memories about breeding dogs is that of my father building a whelping box for our Afghan Hound, Twiggy. I can remember Dad getting two boards 8 feet long by 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide, and 8 “L” brackets. He cut the boards in half and fashioned them together […]

As an AKC Senior Breeder Field Representative, I have had the privilege of visiting many “state of the art” beautifully planned and designed functional kennels and/or homes. Regardless of the type of kennel, I have never been to a kennel that is “finished.” If the kennel was completed yesterday, today the breeder or kennel owner/operator […]

Summer arrives this month, and most of the country has already experienced hot, muggy weather. I hope these ideas will help protect your home, kennel, and dogs from summer hazards. Check all air conditioners and fans. Make sure they are clean, in good working order, and properly wired. Clean and change the filters often.   […]

Header photo courtesy of Norma Ryan, AKC Breeder of Merit The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is renowned for his unique appearance as well as his literary connection. This long-bodied, low-to-the-ground dog is a member of the Terrier Group and while he exhibits some typical terrier qualities, he also has some unique characteristics. During the late 1600s, […]

A relatively rare breed, the Chinook is an all-purpose sled dog developed for drafting and sled dog racing. This is an athletic breed that is equally at home on the trail or cuddling on the couch with his human family. Here are seven interesting facts about this dignified and affectionate dog. 1. The official state […]

  Few dogs are suited to life as a service dog, whether it’s as a guide dog for the visually impaired, a medical alert dog, or a psychiatric service dog. Therefore, service dog organizations need to be very particular about which dogs enter their programs. Despite that, many of the dogs that enter service dog […]

The Neapolitan Mastiff (also known as the Neo or Mastino) is a huge, heavy-boned dog with awe-inspiring features. These members of the Working Group are enormous, and the average male weighs 150 pounds, but the bigger the better. There is no other breed that looks quite like the Neo, and they can be distinguished from […]

The American Hairless Terrier (AHT) is a small-to-medium-sized terrier that is intelligent and curious. These active and trainable dogs are completely hairless, although some can have whiskers and eyebrows. Here are some fun facts about this truly American dog. 1. The American Hairless Terrier is directly descended from the Rat Terrier, a dog that was […]

The Bouvier des Flandres (often shortened to Bouvier) is a large and powerful breed from the Herding Group, with a tousled harsh coat. These rugged-looking dogs were first developed for herding and driving cattle in Flanders, an area that used to cover parts of Belgium. The Bouvier is also known as the "Koehond" (cow dog) […]

The Flat-Coated Retriever (Flat-Coat) is a large and strong utilitarian hunting dog that shines at flushing birds, such as quail and pheasant, during upland shooting (the pursuit of birds usually found in heavy cover on the ground). He is also skilled at retrieving game from the land and the water. Here are nine interesting facts […]

AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  |  Day 8 Day 9  |  Day 10  |  Day 11  |  Final Day  |  In Conclusion Photo Coverage   Historically the sport of field trialing has its roots in southern quail hunting. The first pointing breed field trials in American were held near Memphis TN in 1874. The area is […]

[AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship]   Gun Dog Homepage Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  |  Photo Coverage Day 8  |  Day 9  |  Day 10  |  Final Day  |  In Conclusion  |  Photo Coverage   Day 1 – AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship The 2013 AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship returns to Branched Oak Lake near Lincoln, NE for the 20th […]

AKC 2011 Non Retrieving Championship: Tuesday Tuesday, May 3, 2011 By Bonnie Hidalgo, AKC Executive Field Representative Brown's B.B.J. (BJ) B M Jim & Sunny House owners, Jim House handler NFC/FC/AFC Tonelli's Sky High (Sky) GSP M Kathleen Boyd owner, Randy Berry handler This was the first brace on the second Tuesday morning of the […]

Airedales Earn Their First Field Titles   by Tom Meyer, AKC Spaniel Field Representative In just a little over two months from when Airedales were first allowed to participate in the Spaniel Hunting Test program, two dogs have become the first to earn AKC Hunting Test titles: The first Senior Hunter (SH): CH MACH5 Connemara's […]

  Find more information on all the different breeds of puppies. Not sure which puppy is right for you? Take a short quiz to Find a Match. A | B | C | D | E |  F | G | H | I | J |  K | L | M | N | O |  P | R | S | T | V |  W | X | Y A. Breed Group Affenpinscher Toy Afghan Hound Hound Airedale Terrier Terrier Akita Working Alaskan Malamute Working American English Coonhound Hound American Eskimo Dog […]