In 1939, a million Americans a year paid admission to attend AKC shows exhibiting over 100,000 dogs across the country. The mightiest events, Westminster and Morris & Essex, reported record-setting entry numbers during the 1930s that have still never been topped. Savvy publicity efforts and new AKC publications brought the formerly closed-circuit world of purebred dog breeding and exhibition to the American public, who clamored for more. […]

BGs: How Deep Is Your Love? Callie is a 1-year-old Brussels Griffon living in Marlow, New Hampshire, with her owner Karin Strickland. Karin had recently lost her 13-year-old Boston Terrier, Sammie, and she knew she needed another dog in her life. After becoming enamored with BGs last year, Karin found a responsible breeder, and soon […]

While the benefits of pet ownership far outweigh the costs, every responsible dog owner knows that along with love and companionship comes financial responsibility. An online survey of more than 1,000 visitors to www.akc.org determined what responsible owners can expect to pony-up for their pooch:  One-time costs such as a crate, spaying/neutering or emergency vet […]

The AKC currently registers 205 dog breeds. The chart below lists all AKC recognized breeds and the year they first became registrable with the AKC.  (last updated 1/1/26) DATE – BREED 1878 – Pointer  1878 – Retriever (Chesapeake Bay)  1878 – Spaniel (Clumber)  1878 – Spaniel (Cocker)  1878 – Setter (English)  1878 – Setter (Gordon)  […]

If your dog is elderly, has lost some mobility, or is recuperating from surgery or ailment, he might have trouble getting around. And if you have a breed of tiny stature, like the Papillon or Shih Tzu, or one that has difficulty in extreme weather, like the Bulldog or Pug, you may think you'll have […]

Breed 2018 Rank 2017 Rank 2016 Rank 2015 Rank 2014 Rank Labrador Retrievers 1 1 1 1 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 2 2 2 2 Golden Retrievers 3 3 3 3 3 French Bulldogs 4 4 6 6 9 Bulldogs 5 5 4 4 4 Beagles 6 6 5 5 5 Poodles 7 7 […]

  Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 French Bulldogs 4 Bulldogs 5 Beagles 6 Poodles 7 Rottweilers 8 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 9 Yorkshire Terriers 10 Boxers 11 Dachshunds 12 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 13 Siberian Huskies 14 Australian Shepherds 15 Great Danes 16 Doberman Pinschers 17 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels […]

AKC registration continues to expand for the sixth year in a row. The most popular dog breeds of 2018 were released on March 20, 2019, according to AKC registration statistics. Registration is not only beneficial for your dog, but for dogs everywhere. The American Kennel Club and its affiliates have donated over $38 million to canine […]

Did you miss any of the camera-ready canines who lit up the screen during Sunday's big game? From avocados to beer, this year's Super Bowl ads certainly seemed targeted at dog lovers. Check out some of the four-legged stars from the dog Super Bowl commercials and see if you recognize their breeds. Afghan Hound - […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 2019. The 2019 event will showcase the top national and international canine athletes […]

National Champion Beats Dogs from 49 States and 21 Countries GCHP CH Pinnacle Tennessee Whiskey, a Whippet known as “Whiskey,” triumphed over more than 5,000 entries 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 15-16, 2018 in Orlando, Fla. […]

Many breeders design holiday cards and send them out digitally or via “snail mail” to puppy buyers, friends, and family. Holidays are a great time to get in touch with your puppy owners and thank them for giving wonderful homes to your special pups. We thank these breeders for sharing their cards and hope they […]

This is part of a series of profiles on the six top mixed-breed dogs that received the invitations to compete in the 2018 AKC Agility Invitational. The annual event takes place Dec. 14-16 in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC/Royal Canin National Championship and the AKC Obedience Classic. Name: MACH10 Donaldson's Daisy MXG3 MJB4 […]

If you are a pet owner who has taught your dog to sit, stay, heel, or perform any manner of tricks, you owe it all to Blanche Saunders. Poodle breeder Helen Whitehouse Walker became taken with the Obedience trials she saw conducted in England in the 1930s. She soon committed to establishing the practice in […]

The following breeders have met the requirements for the Breed and Levels recorded at the time of the application. The American Kennel Club is pleased to recognize these breeders for their contribution to the sport and maintaining the tenets of the Breeder of Merit program. (current as of  3/12/26, last updated 3/13/26) [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Platinum"] […]

Guest columnist Patricia Johnson has bred, handled, and owned Best In Show Boston Terriers for 35 years. She is an AKC Breeder of Merit, an “AKC Gazette” breed columnist for Boston Terriers, served on her local animal advisory board for 9 years, and authored a pet disaster plan for her city. She owns Pat’s Grooming […]

Linda Facci (aka "The Dog Felterer") is a perfectionist — and it shows in her amazingly realistic felt dog replicas. A remark such as, "I love your work, but this is creepy!" is not unusual for the self-taught artist to hear. Based in Manhattan, Facci keeps a busy schedule, with her 9-to-5 job as creative […]

United Airlines recently announced a reversal on their suspension of flying pets in cargo. Instead of outlawing all animals from flying in the cargo area, United stated that they will now ban 21 dog breeds and four cat breeds from flying cargo on their flights. The list of banned breeds includes dogs considered either brachycephalic […]

Breed Rank Retrievers (Labrador) 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 Retrievers (Golden) 3 French Bulldogs 4 Bulldogs 5 Beagles 6 Poodles 7 Rottweilers 8 Yorkshire Terriers 9 Pointers (German Shorthaired) 10 Boxers 11 Siberian Huskies 12 Dachshunds 13 Great Danes 14 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 15 Doberman Pinschers 16 Australian Shepherds 17 Miniature Schnauzers 18 Cavalier King […]

Active, friendly, outgoing – the Labrador Retriever, or Lab for short, perfectly encompasses the state of Ohio’s slogan – ‘The Heart of it All.’ It’s no wonder that earlier this month, Ohio State Representative Jeffrey S. Rezabek introduced House Bill 539 to recognize the Lab as the state dog. The versatile Lab is often trained […]