It’s one of the American Kennel Club’s smallest recognized breeds, but the Russian Toy is seldom overlooked with its substance and splash. Petite (up to 6 ½ pounds) and personable, it is now fully recognized as a member of the Toy Group after three years in the Miscellaneous Class and AKC companion events such as […]

When you and your dog reach the Elite Performer level, you'll need not only to perform high-level tricks, but also act out a story together. The same is true for the AKC Virtual Trick Dog Competition. So, is your dog ready to be the star of their own show? As a fiction author turned dog […]

Leaping over a broad jump, hopping through a hoop, and digging furiously underground to find rats. Add in a sniff-out session, some snappy switchbacks around poles, and a 100-yard dash in tizzy time and it looks like a dog in supersonic shenanigans. If this sounds like a flashy, popular breed who always stands in the […]

  Obedience trials demonstrate the dog’s ability to follow specified routines in the obedience ring and emphasize the usefulness of the dog as a companion to humankind. The objective of obedience trials is to recognize dogs that have been trained to behave in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs […]

OUR TRICK DOG PROGRAM IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY AND WE HAVE BEGUN TO PROCESS TITLES. THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN AMAZING! THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE NEW AKC TRICK DOG PROGRAM! FOR ANY INQUIRIES PLEASE CALL 919-816-3819 OR EMAIL: TRICKDOG@AKC.ORG. ***GRANDFATHERING ALLOWED FOR HIGHER DMWYD TITLES***  **Be sure to include both the title application and the […]

This program was formulated due to the overwhelming success of the Retriever Hunting Test program. In 1986 Director of Field Trials and Hunting Tests, A. Hamilton (Ham) Rowan, Manager of Performance Events, John Carroll, and AKC Field Representative, Bob Bartel developed the plans for the fledgling Pointing Breed Hunting Test program. The regulations were approved […]

You and your dog are a team. You do almost everything together – take walks, eat, veg out, even sleep together. So think of the fun you’d have showing off what a great team you are at an AKC Rally® event! AKC Rally® is one of the newest AKC sports and participation increases every year. […]

Think of an AKC Rally event as any team sport: You and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. The dog and handler move continuously throughout the course with the […]

Lure coursing clubs should be aware of the following:  Clubs are reminded to inform the Performance Events Department if they have to cancel their event by calling: 919-816-3908 or sending  an email to:  perfcancel@akc.org. Clubs at their option can now send  copies of  their results including their Secretary Report in PDF format via email to:  performanceresults@akc.org. Clubs will then be contacted to confirm […]

AKC’s Herding program offers both tests and trials. The herding test is offered in a non-competitive pass/fail format as an Instinct Test, Herding Test, and Pre-Trial test. All are conducted within a fenced arena and includes the use of livestock such as ducks, sheep, or cattle. During a test, a dog must demonstrate the ability […]

The Performance Events Department is pleased to announce the creation of a $10,000 scholarship fund for students that are active in AKC Performance Events who will be attending an institution of higher education during the 2026-2027 academic year. Definition of Performance Events: Field trials, hunting tests, lure coursing, earthdog, coonhound events, herding, scent work, and […]

Did you know that Dachshund translates to "badger dog" in German? Indeed, there are many similarities between a Doxie and a badger: From their long and low bodies to their abilities to hunt both above- and below-ground. Dachshund Field Trials (“competitions”) are held in fenced-in areas, and the objective is to “track the game,” meaning to follow […]

[accordion] [accordion_panel title="American Rottweiler Club Scholarship"] Qualifications for Eligibility The American Rottweiler Club, Inc. offers the Kalyn Rae Bastyr Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 each year in which the ARC Junior Scholarship Committee determines there is a qualified and deserving applicant.  The deadline for the 2017 Scholarship is April 15, 2017.  The winner […]

What is a Therapy Dog? Therapy dogs are dogs who go with their owners to volunteer in settings such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. From working with a child who is learning to read to visiting a senior in assisted living, therapy dogs and their owners work together as a team to improve the […]

Originally ran in the "Dogsport 101" column of AKC Family Dog Dog sports aren't only for purebreds. Since 2010, the AKC has awarded thousands of titles to mixed-breeds. Why shouldn’t your clever, athletic mix join the fun? And why shouldn’t you enjoy the bragging rights that come with putting an AKC title on your dog? […]

Photo courtesy of Houston PetTalk Magazine/Rebecca Burwell It is rare for even the most experienced competition obedience dog to earn a perfect score of 200. But recently, an All-American Dog achieved a flawless performance in his first time in the Novice class. Super Cooper Trooper CD BN RN and his owner Josh Wiggins of Spring, […]

Tyson was approximately 12 weeks old when he joined Cindy’s family in July 2010. He was rescued off the streets of Detroit, found by a local rescue group, in a box labeled “Free Puppies” along with three others.  Cindy took Tyson to puppy class and progressed to basic obedience and early agility training. “At 18 […]

The AKC Lifetime Achievement Awards were created to recognize those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of purebred dogs on a national level. The recipients were selected by votes cast by AKC Member Clubs for nominees in each of the following categories: Conformation, Companion Events and Performance Events. The American Kennel Club […]

Advanced Levels of Recognition will require an additional application and will also be recognized on a breed specific basis. Recognition is available to those that meet the following minimum standards: Have qualified and enrolled as a Breeder of Merit Can provide proof of Parent Club required health testing on sires/dams of litters Have met their […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) honored recipients of the AKC® Lifetime Achievement Awards at the annual Delegates Meeting Luncheon, in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. The winners received an engraved silver Revere bowl. A larger Tiffany and Co. bowl, engraved with the names of all recipients past and present, will remain on permanent display […]