The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world's largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, is pleased to announce the winners of the AKC Agility Premier Cup. The competition was held at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida on May 15. “It was a thrill to see the Agility Premier Cup return this year and […]

The 2021 AKC Agility Premier Cup took place on May 15 in Ocala, Florida, and highlights the top AKC agility competitors in the country. The high-energy event consists of three rounds of competition featuring the best canine athletes in the sport. More than 90 dogs and their handlers competed for the championship title in the […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2021 National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The […]

The top Agility dogs in the nation were crowned from an overall combined entry of more than 1,100 dogs this past weekend at the AKC National Agility Championship. Competitions were held March 26-28, 2021 at the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex and Central Park Hall at Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “After the cancellation of last […]

We have some big news to report about All-Americans succeeding at earning the top titles in Agility, Coursing Ability, Rally, Obedience, Scent Work, Tracking, and Trick Dog. Many dogs are also having success in AKC’s Virtual Titling programs! AGILITY AGCH (Agility Grand Champion) AGCH MACH2 Rosie La Bella MXC PDS MJC PJS MFG TQX T2B5 […]

Greetings everybody. A year ago, almost to the day, the American Kennel Club and our constituents had to face the grim reality of a lockdown due to an unprecedented pandemic. Incredibly, we are still grappling with this global disaster. COVID-19 has taken an unbearable toll on our Events, Clubs, Exhibitors, Handlers and Judges. But, there’s […]

Aurora, a seven-year-old white, gray, and black mottled Border Collie, kept complete focus, jumping, spinning, and sitting on command in perfect unison with her handler. Aurora was competing in the Rally National Championship in Orlando, Florida, for the fourth time. She's placed in the top 10 of every national event she's competed in. To compete […]

It's kind of fitting that a dog named "Snowhill’s Zygmund Marley" is a Polski Owczarek Nizinny (PON in the United States) who answers to a name like Ziggy. Chances are, this is a breed (Polish Lowland Sheepdog) many of you have never heard of. In 2019, the breed ranked 173 out of 193 in popularity. […]

Thousands of dogs, representing the best in their sports, competed at the 20th AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin and related AKC events. The competitions took place Dec. 11 – 13 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. More than 4,000 dogs competed in the conformation dog show. The overall show totals, […]

Dogs of all sizes, breeds, and ages jumped, weaved, and ran at the 2020 AKC Agility Invitational. The 2020 AKC Agility Invitational took place December 12-13, 2020 in Orlando, FL in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, demonstrating the highest level of training and teamwork between dog and handler. The top […]

The 2020 AKC Agility Invitational took place December 12-13, 2020 in Orlando, FL in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, demonstrating the highest level of training and teamwork between dog and handler. The top five dogs in each breed received an invitation to compete in this prestigious event. Agility competition for […]

The Road to Orlando The AKC Canine Partners program salutes the All American Dogs who have qualified as the tops in their sports. They will compete in agility, obedience, rally, and, for the first time, Fast CAT, from Dec. 11 – 13, in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC/Royal Canin National Championship. Orlando’s Orange County […]

The AKC works with several non-AKC service and sports organizations to recognize the titles that AKC-registered dogs earn in their programs. This includes the AKC Therapy Dog titling program and the AKC Search & Rescue title program. AKC also recognizes titles of the Barn Hunt Association (BHA); North American Diving Dogs (NADD); the North American […]

Marsha showed her first obedience dog in 1979 — a Scottish Terrier who went on to earn her Utility title. It didn't take long for her to get hooked on the sport, and she soon started training Shetland Sheepdogs (one of which went on to earn an OTCH.) In 1993, Marsha was showing a Shetland Sheepdog but […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to recognize breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups as 2020 AKC Breeder of the Year group honorees. “We are proud to honor these esteemed breeders,” said Dennis Sprung, AKC President and CEO. “Each of them has made important contributions to the […]

Dr. Renee Lara is that rare gem – a veterinarian who understands dog breeders. And that’s because she is one herself. Owning her own veterinary clinic in Bryan, Texas, since 1990, where she offers a full array of reproductive services, Lara is Platinum Breeder of Merit with her Ehrenvogel German Shorthaired Pointers. She purchased her […]

For Valerie Schuter, doing a good deed for a dog turned into her downsizing Pinschers. The 30-year Doberman Pinscher breeder and rescue volunteer helped another breeder and ended up transitioning to the smaller German Pinschers—notably Bentley—GCH Diamond Bay A Chevelle Bentley Tribute. This conformation Grand Champion has a passion for people and racked up 13 […]

Meet Kendall Betz: She Learned That Training Can Build a Dog’s Confidence Name: Kendall Betz Age: 16 Hometown: Richmond, VA Grade: 11th Family: Parents, Brian and Elizabeth, sister Libbie Kendall caught the dog-training bug when she and a friend attended a training camp at the Richmond, VA, SPCA. They learned about canine behavior and how to teach basic tricks. At the end of the session, there […]

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 […]

When the Borzoi is characterized in books or on breed webpages, you see glowing adjectives such as affectionate, loyal, aristocratic, and graceful. Lifeline or liberator are terms not included in the profile toolbox. But for Joy Sargis, of Encinitas, Calif., these more aptly capture the heart and soul of what her own Borzois have meant […]

Competition & Title Updates  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, including another Champion Tracker! Agility AGCH Congratulations to this dog for earning the Agility Grand Champion title: AGCH MACH3 Tuckman Of San Francisco MXC PDS MJB2 […]

1. How old were you when you started showing in AKC events? What got you started?  Was this a family affair? Did you compete in any events other than showmanship? I was about 11 years old when I started showing dogs. My grandmother, Anna Wanner, was a dog show judge and had gotten me interested in […]

The first step in navigating any culture is learning its etiquette: Never blow your nose at the dinner table in Japan, avoid public displays of affection in Sweden, and expect to encounter close talkers in Spain. A vibrant subculture in its own right, the dog-show world also has unspoken rules of conduct that might not […]

Since acquiring their first Labrador Retriever over 20 years ago, Brenda and Ken Neil, AKC's 2019 Breeders of the Year for Retriever Field Events, have been among the breed's biggest champions. While that first Lab's life was sadly cut short, the Neils are a long way from heartbreak now. Today, they invite as many black Labrador […]

At the 144th iteration of the famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held in New York City's cavernous Madison Square Garden, judge Robert H. Slay pointed to “Siba" the black Standard Poodle for Best in Show. That win — in an entry of almost 2,600 dogs — marked the fifth time one of these elaborately […]

There seems to be no shortage of fun-filled adjectives to characterize the Barbet, one of two dog breeds earning full American Kennel Club recognition on January 1, 2020. For starters, try playful, quirky, goofy, clownish, and loving. According to the biggest Barbet boosters – longtime Barbet Club of America (BCA) officers – "loyal" and "smart" should […]

The annual AKC Breeder of the Year award honors exceptional breeders who have made an impact on their breed and dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament, and quality of purebred dogs. On December 14 at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, Elizabeth and Daniel Karshner were selected as winners of the 2019 AKC Breeder of […]

–Award Presented at AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin – Elizabeth and Daniel Karshner were presented with the 2019 AKC Breeder of the Year award for their Little Ponds Bulldogs at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Saturday, December 14, 2019.  The annual award honors those breeders who have made an […]

At the 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, 244 dogs will compete to be the top dog in Obedience. Of those dogs, 71 are seniors (seven and older). And of those 71, only one dog is in her teens. Daisy isn't your typical teenage dog. The 13-year-old Border Collie is competing alongside her owner, […]

On Friday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m., I received a call that would change my life. "Hello, Ms. Stephenson?  This is Officer Penny with the Burleson County Animal Control.  We have your dog." We all cringe at the sound of those words. But this one was something else. “Officer Penny, where is Burleson County Animal […]