Dog Breed Health Testing Requirements Listed below are all AKC breeds and their health testing requirements. A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z Affenpinscher Ophthalmologist Evaluation Patella Evaluation Afghan Hound Hip Evaluation Ophthalmologist Evaluation Thyroid Evaluation Airedale Terrier Hip Evaluation Cardiac Exam Renal Disease DNA Test Ophthalmologist Evaluation Akita Hip Evaluation Ophthalmologist Evaluation Alaskan Malamute Hip Evaluation Ophthalmologist Evaluation Polyneuropathy DNA test American […]

WINNER Debbi Snyder & Amos Hairy Pawter SEMI-FINALISTS Tracy Dulock & Gryffindor Indian Bones Sandi Taylor & Evie Evie’s Magical Dream  Outstanding Performances from the 2020 AKC Trick Dog National Competition In addition to the competition winners listed above, here are some outstanding performances from 2020 (in random order). The performances ranged from a pre-COVID performance in an auditorium […]

Samantha Van Buren is no ordinary teenager. Like most kids her age, she goes to high school and hangs out with friends... but unlike others, she shows her dogs, participates in agility, and is an Instagram superstar. Van Buren details her experiences with her dogs on the account @sunnyandjudy showing everything from incredible tricks to […]

While a toy puppy may increase its birth weight by a factor of 10 to 20, a giant-breed puppy may grow to be 100 times bigger than when he was born. Consider this: A newborn Chihuahua may weigh only three ounces at birth and three pounds at maturity. A newborn Great Dane, however, may weigh […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2021 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 18 and Sunday, December 19, 2021. The 2021 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]

We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles and honors in Agility, Coursing Ability, Fast CAT Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, Tracking, and Trick Dog. Many dogs are also having success in AKC’s Virtual Titling programs! AGILITY Master Agility Championships (MACH)  Congratulations to these dogs who have earned more […]

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

  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 […]

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 […]

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

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

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

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

What are the nuances of this breed? What should I notice when evaluating my dog’s structure, or his movement? What do I need to know when considering breeding? How can I bring out the best in my dog at a dog show?  To those with “an abiding interest in dogs,” questions like these are just the […]

In addition to the renowned conformation show, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan® hosted the third annual Masters Agility Championship and the inaugural year of the Masters Obedience Championship.   Masters Agility Championship Agility is an athletic event designed to demonstrate a dog's willingness to work in a variety of […]

Scan the dog show ring, or simply watch pets strut down the street in your neighborhood, and you realize what a wide variety of coats dogs have. Long, short, thick, thin, corded, double-coated — and the list goes on. Even dog breeds who are known to have minimal grooming needs have coats that need to be kept […]

Most dog owners would probably tell you that a cold, wet nose on their canine companion signals a healthy pup. Likewise, many believe a dog is sick when his nose is dry — but is this true? Before we get into that debate, we first need to understand why dogs have wet noses. The answer is […]

The Chihuahua is a tiny dog with a huge personality. A national symbol of Mexico, these alert and amusing "purse dogs" stand among the oldest breeds of the Americas, with a lineage going back to the ancient kingdoms of pre-Columbian times.

Chihuahuas are a beloved breed who are known for their loyal and loving nature toward their owners, their tenacious spirit and, yes, their diminutive frame. But while small in size — they're actually one of the smallest recognized dog breeds — Chihuahuas are sure to get themselves noticed and be heard. So, if you have […]

There's something irresistible about toy breeds. They pack so much personality into a small package. And that's especially true for the Toy Fox Terrier and the Miniature Pinscher. Whether it's the TFT's alert intelligence or the Min Pin's fun-loving fearlessness, these two dogs have a lot to offer. But do you know how to tell […]

Dogs – thousands of them, from Chihuahuas to ginormous Great Danes – met in Orlando, Florida compete in the American Kennel Club’s annual flagship event, formally called the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. No matter where you're located, you can stream the show from the comfort of your living room. The 2021 AKC National Championship […]

WINNER Leslie Gelesh & Eli (Miniature Poodle) Batman FURever SEMI-FINALISTS Muriel McMullen & Maddie (Australian Terrier) The Grrrinch Faye Roche & Brio (Miniature Poodle) My Olympic Gold Medal Star: Brio Outstanding Performances from the 2021 AKC Trick Dog National Competition In addition to the competition winners listed above, here are some outstanding performances from 2021 (in random order). Many […]

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 […]

What makes a dog lash out in aggression? It's one of the most critical questions dog lovers face — and failure to find answers can bring heartbreaking consequences, including behavioral euthanasia and even the banning of certain breeds. While it's important to know the difference between aggressive and reactive behavior, recent research out of the […]

As a breeder, you already know that when it comes to reproduction, the canine species is really unique. I have invested many hours over a number of years to help breeders develop a better understanding of how to be successful in the ultimate pursuit of producing healthy litters. Here is a short recap: Progesterone is secreted […]

What do you do if your dog simply won't sit still or concentrate on tasks? New research shows that owners of hyperactive or inattentive dogs can learn a lot from understanding ADHD in humans. Not Just Disobedient: How Understanding ADHD Can Help Dog Owners Once upon a time, children who struggled to sit still and […]

When Leah Graham, 9 years old, commented on the AKC's TikTok asking them to find her showing her Chihuahua in a bright lime green outfit during the 2021 AKC National Championship, she never imagined it would actually happen. Or that the video of her showing would be seen by more than 250,000 people on the […]

What tugs at our hearts more than an adorable Chihuahua peeking out of Reese Witherspoon’s purse in the movie Legally Blonde? Perhaps it is the sight of puppies glee­ fully romping through scenes in 101 Dalmatians, or the exploits of Otis, the endearing Pug, in The Adventures of Milo and Otis. Dogs occupy a treasured […]

It goes without saying that in your house, your dog is the most popular. But what do the statistics say? The American Kennel Club has used registration data to compile the list of 2021’s most popular breeds. As always, the Labrador Retriever tops the list — this time for the 31st year!  The Lab's temperament […]

In our daily lives, we take precautions to safeguard our most valuable possessions and protect them from being stolen. We lock our car doors, equip our homes with alarms, and create passwords to shield our personal information, yet few pet owners realize that protecting our dogs from potential theft is just as important. Dognapping isn’t […]