Please share this important information with your club members, family and friends The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to debate amendments and vote on final passage of the Farm Bill, H.R. 7567, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act,” the week of April 27. In our previous Farm Bill alert to AKC constituents, we reported that […]

[accordion] [accordion_panel title="Adjunct Approval (April 1994 Board meeting)"] When a new breed becomes eligible for championship competition, there is one three-month window of opportunity for judges to submit applications under the adjunct system. [/accordion_panel] [accordion_panel title="AKC Board Household Judges (July 2000 Board meeting)"] A household member of a Board member may submit a judging application […]

  [accordion] [accordion_panel title="2026"] The AKC Detection Dog Task Force invites you to join an upcoming webinar: Comparing Multiple Approaches to the Breeding and Training of Detection Dogs. Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026 Time: 7:30 PM (ET) Duration: Approximately 1 hour Industry experts with diverse backgrounds will compare and contrast their approaches to breeding and […]

37 legislatures and the District of Columbia are in session. The following are highlights of current, active legislation around the country: California – AB 2344 standardizes and strengthens due process protections for dog owners in California facing proceedings to declare their dogs potentially dangerous or vicious, raising the evidentiary standard and mandating uniform notification and […]

When your dog is wet from a bath, swimming, or from walking outside in the rain or snow it's important to dry them thoroughly. Drying your dog can help...

Move over, most popular! The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest registry of purebred and mixed-breed dogs and a leading voice for canine welfare and responsible ownership, has reviewed AKC’s registration statistics and found that the Norwegian Lundehund is the rarest dog breed in the United States. The Norwegian Lundehund, the only dog bred […]

The American Kennel Club is the world's largest registry of purebred dogs, and uses these statistics to rank the most popular breeds — and the rarest breeds. The numbers are in: these are the rarest dog breeds according to AKC registration statistics. In 2025, 202 total breeds were counted in the registration statistics. In 2026, […]

Yesterday, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Senate Bill 707 which bans “debarking” – a standard veterinary practice also known as bark softening – except when such procedure is necessary to treat or relieve any injury, disease, or congenital defect that is causing or may cause the dog physical pain or harm. The new law becomes effective […]

Issues at the City, County, and Metropolitan Levels, and in US Territories Philadelphia, PA – The Philadelphia City Council approved Bill No. 250989 which would impose a 36-month moratorium on the breeding and the sale or transfer of any dog under 7 months of age within the city to address overcrowding at the city’s shelters.  […]

The following are highlights of the numerous bills in Congress that could impact dog owners and the wellbeing of dogs. Visit our 2026 Legislation Tracking map click on the arrow on the Region column to filter for US Federal legislation and get the latest updates on federal bills currently being monitored by the AKC. Highlights of issues […]