The American Kennel Club (AKC®) wishes to acknowledge those individuals that have excelled at breeding dogs that have proven to be outstanding in AKC sports.  The commitment to preserve, protect and improve a breed represents the very essence of the AKC.   The AKC Breeder of the Year by Sport Award is given to those who […]

Tickets On-Sale Today for Tampa, Columbus, and New Orleans via SeatGeek The American Kennel Club (AKC)®, the leading purebred dog registry and governing body of canine sports in the United States, and GF Sports & Entertainment, a global sports and entertainment events and operations company, today announced tickets on sale for three additional cities on […]

  -- Learn How to Handle, Groom, Show Your Dog and Compete in Agility -- The American Kennel Club® is offering a golden opportunity for Raleigh-area dog owners to learn about and get involved in AKC-sanctioned dog shows and sports. On Feb. 23, 2008, the AKC® will host the second annual "AKC Canine Experience" (formerly […]

ESPN and the American Kennel Club (AKC), the governing body of dog sports, have entered into a new, expanded five-year agreement, renewing ESPN’s media rights for televising of AKC-recognized dog sports events. The agreement, which continues a relationship that began in 2019, maintains ESPN as the AKC’s exclusive dog sports media partner in the United […]

Tickets On-Sale Today for San Diego, CA and Dallas, TX via SeatGeek The American Kennel Club (AKC), the leading purebred dog registry and governing body of canine sports in the United States, and GF Sports & Entertainment, a global sports and entertainment events and operations company, today announced the national tour for AKC Meet the […]

INTERACTIVE, FAMILY FRIENDLY EDUCATIONAL SHOWCASE FOR PET LOVERS VISITING MULTIPLE CITIES IN 2022   TICKETS STARTING AT $30 ARE ON SALE NOW  The American Kennel Club (AKC), the largest purebred dog registry and governing body of canine sports in the United States, and GF Sports & Entertainment, a global sports and entertainment events and operations […]

  – "AKC Breeder of the Year" to be Announced at AKC/Eukanuba National Championship – The American Kennel Club® announced today the seven group recipients of the 2010 AKC® Breeder of the Year Award.  The award honors breeders who have dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament and quality of purebred dogs. "The AKC […]

The American Kennel Club® is pleased to announce the hiring of Doug Ljungren, Director of Performance Events. Ljungren will join the staff in Raleigh, NC effective March 1, 2007. He and his wife, fancier Judy Cheshire, will relocate from Washington State. Ljungren has extensive background in both the sport of purebred dogs and in business […]

In 2002, I pulled a tiny, emaciated red female Doberman from a local shelter. She was just 13.5 weeks old, and had been in the shelter more than four weeks. Since I had a young male that was taking a lot of my time, I thought I would get her healthy, and find a great […]

Repo was just a 5-pound puppy dodging cars in a busy parking lot when the Munden family of Pasco, WA, spotted him and saved him. Unable to find an owner, the Mundens kept him and discovered that they had an extremely smart pup on their hands. Christie Munden tells how Repo has become an AKC […]

Savanna Michalak, a 15-year-old Junior Handler, has right intermittent exotropia. Dog sports with her Australian Shepherd 'Hawk' have changed her life.

Fastest Dogs USA showcases dogs that can go fast, but Rose the Australian Cattle Dog is one to watch, topping out at over 32 miles per hour!

Leila the Pekingese may not be the most speedy dog competing in 2024 AKC Fastest Dogs USA, but she's defying the odds racing with her limited vision.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) has announced today that, as of July 1, it will recognize titles earned in competitions sanctioned by the North American Tail Chasers Alliance (NATCA). “It’s a great day for our sport and our dogs,” NATCA president Mel Bergamasco says. “Chasing their own tails is something enjoyed by millions of dogs. […]

Paid Advertisement Hiking, backpacking, bicycling, shopping at the local farmers market, dining outside, and even commuting to your office. Wouldn’t you love to take your dog with you wherever dogs are allowed to go?  Now it’s possible to do exactly that with the help of K9 Sport Sack carriers, no matter the size of […]

If you build it, they will come ...—well, it’s not quite exactly the dialogue in the movie Field of Dreams (“If you build it, he will come”), but there are parallels. In 1991, two men had the dream to build a place in Grand Junction, Tennessee, to house a National Bird Dog Museum, Field Trial […]

The Dalmatian coat color pattern is the most distinctive of all AKC breeds and is found in no other breed of dog. The Dalmatian standard describes the spots, which can be black or liver but never both, as varying in size from a dime to the size of a half-dollar and are usually smaller on […]

First-generation dog show handler Quinn Duncan, a sixteen-year-old from Gulf Shores, Alabama, has already made a name for herself in the dog world.

When you think Basset Hound, athleticism might not be the first word the pops into your mind. But Karen Prichard and her Instagram-famous Basset Hound, Poppy, are out to prove all breeds can excel at dog sports. Karen and her husband, Timothy, from Pensacola, Florida, were initially drawn to Basset Hounds because of their personalities. Shortly […]

Last weekend, a Sussex Spaniel, named Duncan, made a huge splash at a North American Dock Diving event in Greensboro, North Carolina, becoming the first of his breed to earn an AKC Dock Diving Novice title and AKC Dock Diving Junior title. Dogs have been able to earn AKC titles in this water sport since June […]

Rhodesian Ridgeback 'Thorin' may not be the first to come to mind when you think of obedience breeds. But he's the only Ridgeback competing at the AKC Obedience Classic

When you think of sports dynasties the New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, New York Yankees and Alabama Crimson Tide certainly come to mind. But when you’re talking about dominance, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than the Labrador Retriever, America’s top dog for a record 30th consecutive year (2020). In a country where people’s tastes […]

Twenty-four exceptional students from 16 states have been awarded the AKC Junior Scholarship for 2017. The scholarships are offered to high school, college and graduate school students, and range from $500 - $2,000. “These young men and women are dedicated not only to the sport of purebred dogs, but to their academics as well,” said […]

Ever wonder if you can go from watching dog shows on TV to competing at big shows yourself? Well that's exactly what Junior Handler Ashlyn Navis did.

"Jardine" the 12-year-old Dalmatian is making history. As of 2026, he has the most scent work titles of any dog ever.

The Public Education department offers many resources to teach children about purebred dogs, dog sports, responsible dog ownership, and safety around dogs. If you are looking for a resource on a specific topic please email publiced@akc.org. The links below contain valuable resources that can be accessed for free at any time. Teachers Pay Teachers Store […]

  Find more information on all the different breeds of puppies. Not sure which puppy is right for you? Take a short quiz to Find a Match. A | B | C | D | E |  F | G | H | I | J |  K | L | M | N | O |  P | R | S | T | V |  W | X | Y A. Breed Group Affenpinscher Toy Afghan Hound Hound Airedale Terrier Terrier Akita Working Alaskan Malamute Working American English Coonhound Hound American Eskimo Dog […]

The Spotlight shines on a long, low lightning bolt named Raven! Raven is a Miniature Dachshund who does not stand more than 6 inches tall, but her short legs do not slow her down. She is at the top of the rankings in the 4-Inch Preferred Class & is the overall top-ranked Dachshund in breed […]

-- AKC’s True Fans -- If you’re anything like my wife and I, it all started the day you brought that one dog into your life. For us, it was Caesar - our first Bullmastiff.  Since there was no Internet back then, we found him through the classifieds in our local paper. He was a […]