By Dr. Candace Croney, Ph.D., & Traci Shreyer, M.A.  The environment in which a dog or puppy is raised will have significant impacts on virtually every aspect of his or her life. The quality of the kennel environment can affect a dog’s physical health, comfort, and safety.    A kennel that is aesthetically pleasing to people but does not adequately meet the dogs’ […]

Bonding with your canine companion, meeting new people, keeping your dog physically and mentally active, and good, pure fun—just some of the reasons people participate in AKC dog sports. For people with disabilities, these benefits may seem inaccessible. AKC dog sports can be and are enjoyed by individuals with disabilities. Today, people of varying physical ability […]

While lions, tigers, and bears aren't a problem for many pet owners, there are plenty of other wild animals that can pose a significant threat to your dog. From porcupines to rattlers, here are some of the creatures that require caution for the safety of your dog. Dogs and Porcupine Quills Anyone who has seen a […]

An undated video shows Anne Rogers Clark grooming a Poodle In the not-so-long-ago dog world, there used to be two kinds of fanciers: Those who knew the revered judge Anne Rogers Clark well enough to call her “Annie,” and everyone else, who, in a kind of verbal genuflection, referred to her simply as “Mrs. Clark.” […]

Stone Age fossils suggest that spitz-type dogs resembling today's Keeshond co-existed with cavemen back as far as 5000 B.C. Images of dogs just like them appear on everything from ancient Greek wine jugs to the Great Seal of Amsterdam. Today, they are the national dog of the Netherlands. Historians have different opinions of how the […]

Handlers participating in dog sports, especially agility, are prone to knee and back injuries. Strength and fitness training routines for handlers can help to minimize agility injuries. Ease into any fitness training slowly to avoid injury, and be sure to always warm up first. Competing in dog sports can be fun and physically challenging for […]

Wire-coated dogs are supposed to look rough, scrappy, and ready to barrel through the brambles, chasing after critters and laughing at dirt, bugs, and burrs as they fly off that resilient coat. A "correct" coat means one that best facilitates the breed's original job. The way to get the proper wired-coat look is to pull […]

For Anne Brastow, Obedience and Agility are all about daunting physical and psychological challenges with each step in the ring. But, you're probably asking yourself, isn't that the case for many? That may be true, but when the Bellevue, Washington, owner-handler competes in both AKC dog sports, she's doing so from a powered wheelchair. Consequently, her 7-year-old, multi-titled Cavalier King Charles […]

The first time Lucy Hayes met Stella, the Dayton, Ohio, native could sense something special about her. Hayes had owned a Bulldog before, but that dog had been somewhat stubborn and sedentary. Stella, however, was a whole different story. Despite being the runt of a nine-pup litter, Stella showed a certain spunk and eagerness to achieve. […]

It began as a dream about two decades ago and now the Wenatchee Kennel Club’s sparkling new training facility has become Dog Central for the Washington state community of 70,000, which includes several neighboring towns. Make no mistake about it, the 7,880-square-foot building on a 2½-acre site in East Wenatchee is becoming the conduit for […]

Your dog’s tongue is his stomach’s gatekeeper. By recognizing some foods as yum and others as yuck, it encourages him to eat high-calorie foods and discourages him from scarfing down poison. If you look in your dog’s mouth (and yours too) you’ll see lots of small bumps called papillae, each of which contains clusters of […]

Communicating the AKC mission to the public is one of our most important goals as an organization. Our leadership and staff are dedicated to sharing our message about purebred dogs, the work and expertise of the AKC, and responsible dog ownership as broadly as possible on a daily basis. Last year, the Communications department generated […]

In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were created and first awarded in 1999 to honor our best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national […]

Breeders of Merit participants are committed to registering 100% of the puppies in their litters. The AKC recognizes and congratulates the Breeders of Merit who have achieved 100% AKC dog registration for their litter during the month the litter was 100% completed.  BOM has achieved 100% AKC dog registration for all their AKC-registered litters (lifetime) […]

AKC Canine Partners Turns 10 Years Old AKC competition for mixed breed dogs launched on April 1, 2010, in agility, rally and obedience. Since that date, nearly 400,000 dogs have enrolled in the program, and the number of sports and titling opportunities has more than tripled. All American Dogs also now compete in tracking, coursing […]

We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles in Agility, Coursing Ability, Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, and Tracking. Many of you have had great success taking advantage of AKC’s Virtual Titling programs too!   Agility Master Agility Championships (MACH)  Multiple Master Agility Champions Congratulations to these dogs who have earned more MACHs: AGCH […]

[accordion] [accordion_panel title="What is the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin?"] The AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin is North America's largest dog show, held annually since the year 2001. In 2019, the show takes place on December 14 and 15 in Orlando, Florida, with Championship Week events beginning December 10. Each year, […]

National Champion is First Toy Group Winner in the History of the Show GCH CH Pequest Wasabi, a Pekingese known as “Wasabi” triumphed over more than 5,200 competitors to earn a $50,000 cash prize and the title of Best in Show at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, held December 14-15, 2019 in […]

First All-American Dog to Earn Fast CAT Title: Koda Dane Lincoln Mo Rausch CAX FCAT2 RATM CGC TKN & Jeanette Rausch of Mount Juliet, TN Koda was the first All-American Dog to earn the first-level AKC Fast CAT title of BCAT on May 14, 2016, at the Blue Grass Coursing Club test in Radcliff, KY, […]

Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. Arkansas –  An executive order signed by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson extends certain liability protections to businesses that open or remain open during the COVID-19 health emergency.  Among other provisions, persons and their employees, agents, and officers shall be immune from civil liability for damages […]