Here at the AKC, we believe in honoring responsible breeders who have gone above and beyond on health issues, temperament, and genetic screening, as well as to the individual care and placement of puppies in responsible homes. That’s why we started the AKC Breeder of Merit Program: To give breeders a way to prove [...]

You’ve probably heard the philosophical question, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” AKC club members may wish to ponder a similar question, “If your club does great things for dogs, do your lawmakers know?” Positive publicity in the media and in […]

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 […]

The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce that Lynn Meyer has been hired as an Executive Field Representative. She joins the staff on July 16, 2018 and will be based in the upper mid-west. “Lynn brings an abundance of experience to the position of Executive Field Representative, with many successful decades in the sport […]

Education is paramount to the AKC’s mission. Through education, we preserve history, stay relevant to the needs of today’s dog owners and fanciers, and invest in the future health and well-being of dogs, dog sports, and the human-canine relationship. The AKC recognizes and appreciates the enormous contributions that Parent and All-Breed Clubs give to the […]

The American Kennel Club, the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, is pleased to announce that Royal Canin®, a global pet nutrition brand known worldwide for feeding champion dogs for 50 years, will be the new sponsor of the AKC Registered Handlers Program (RHP). The RHP strives to maintain high standards […]

Breeder of Merit FAQs [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Prepaid Registrations In Breeder Toolkit"] If you plan to use the prepaid option to register all of the puppies – Do not select the electronic (downloadable) litter kit when you register the litter. That will disable the prepaid option. You are able to send an individual Registration Application for […]

As we near the end of our 133rd year as America’s strongest advocate for purebred dogs, it is a privilege to reflect on how much we have accomplished.  The cornerstone of our mission, AKC Sports and Events are our link to the past, present and future.  In 2017 we challenged ourselves to create a path […]

In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were created and first awarded in 1999 to honor our best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national […]

Order AKC DNA Kit Order AKC DNA + Health Kit Activate AKC DNA Kit DNA Resource Center The AKC offers a comprehensive set of voluntary and mandatory programs to ensure the integrity of the AKC registry, and now includes genetic health and traits testing (including coat colors)! AKC DNA + Health, a new, powerful breeder […]