There was a time not long ago that nearly every advertisement featuring a child with a dog seemed to include a Lab or a Golden Retriever, consistently among the most popular dog breeds in America. Today, there’s a bit more variety in the breeds being photographed with children for commercial advertising. Perhaps the public perception […]

The pathway to becoming a full-fledged detective has had its challenges for Rocco and Rider but it has never been a mystery to either, or their Midwest owner/handlers. The AKC Scent Work® Detective title, considered the pinnacle of success in the popular sport, went unclaimed since its inception on Oct. 1, 2017, until July 14 […]

Are you a dog lover looking for a little more culture in your life? Well, you’re in luck! There are dog museums around the country — and across the Atlantic — entirely devoted to our furry friends. If your travel plans take you to any one of the cities below, make time to visit these […]

Give GWPs A Chance A few years ago, Ariel Wolf had hardly even heard of the German Wirehaired Pointer. The Winston-Salem, North Carolina, native was born with a rare connective tissue disorder, resulting in issues with her joints, tendons, and ligaments. Wolf had benefitted from service dogs in the past, and she was seeking a new dog […]

AKC Senior Breeder Field Representative Stacy Mason has spent a lifetime breeding, showing, and training dogs. Here, she shares her plans for making 2020 a great year for her and her dogs. We are already several weeks into 2020, and I am still wondering where 2019 went! Once again, I didn’t get my Christmas cards to […]

They grab some Z's on recliners, hog the bed, and circle the kitchen counters hoping for a handout. There's no question the seven, eight, or even ten German Shorthaired Pointers who routinely hang inside Dave and and Lee Walker's home in Forsyth, Georgia, live the good life. These liver-and-white dogs, along with other GSPs the […]

Alexis Chism is a third-generation breeder of Afterhours German Wirehaired Pointers in Reddick, Florida. She has spent her entire young life of 17 years with the breed, attending dog shows with her mother from a very young age.  AKC: How did you get started in breeding dogs? Alexis: My grandparents acquired their first German Wirehaired Pointer after raising Boxers and […]

When the human's away, the dog ... does what, exactly? Thanks to the wonders of technology, we don't need to guess anymore. With pet cameras and monitors, you can keep tabs on your pup from work or wherever else your day takes you. And peace of mind isn't all you get. As well as helping […]

We all know dogs we describe as amusing, entertaining, or downright hilarious. Dogs can make us laugh. But do the dogs, themselves, have a sense of humor? Do they know they’re being funny? Do canines find things amusing? Do dogs laugh, and if so, what makes them laugh? Is playfulness the same as a sense […]

There just seems to be no stopping the Labrador Retriever! For a record 29th year (2019), the versatile sporting breed reigns supreme on the American Kennel Club registry list, a run like no other breed has seen in the record books. Changes in the top ten Little changed in the top ten standings from 2018. Following […]

Though we often don’t think about them in this way, dogs are really about people — those long-ago (or, sometimes, not so long-ago) figures who developed particular breeds for particular tasks. Some breeds — like the Doberman Pinscher, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, and Cesky Terrier — owe their existence to just one visionary person. Other breeds were brought into being […]

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 […]

The only thing better than 1,300 dogs? 1,300 puppies. Nearly 1,300 puppies and junior dogs ages six months to 18 months competed for AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy of the Year on Friday, December 14. Only one came out on top. Aperture I Think I'M Going To Like It Here, a Whippet known as “Lizzie," was […]

For most high schoolers, one dog is a big responsibility. But for 16-year-old O'Malley McGee, that’s nothing. Most of her adolescence so far has revolved around her six dogs — three Pointers (Julia, Billy, and Olivia); two Vizslas (James and Jolene); and a Treeing Walker Coonhound (Sony). Early Beginnings Half her lifetime ago, O'Malley remembers […]

When facing a job or career change, some struggle with the transition and others thrive. For Josey, a six-year-old Clumber Spaniel, it was the latter when she switched from search-and-rescue work to the Junior Showmanship ring. “She has an incredible work ethic and exemplifies a breeder’s goal of a sound mind in a sound body,” says […]

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 […]

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 […]

AKC Canine Partners Turns 10 Years Old AKC competition for mixed breed dogs launched on April 1, 2010, in agility, rally and obedience. Since that date, nearly 400,000 dogs have enrolled in the program, and the number of sports and titling opportunities has more than tripled. All American Dogs also now compete in tracking, coursing […]

You are building a puzzle. You do not have all the puzzle pieces when you begin. The puzzle cannot be completed without the slow process, taking over a year’s time, as development gives you more pieces to continue building the puzzle. Trying to train a puppy as if it were an adult dog is like […]

You are building a puzzle. You do not have all the puzzle pieces when you begin. The puzzle cannot be completed without the slow process, taking over a year’s time, as development gives you more pieces to continue building the puzzle. Trying to train a puppy as if it were an adult dog is like […]

Calling all puppy lovers! The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is excited to announce the newest group of puppies for its “AKC Puppy Pack,” which will feature three puppies training for work that will transform the lives of their human companions - what’s better than that? The AKC will follow the endearing stories of all eight […]

National Champion is First Toy Group Winner in the History of the Show GCH CH Pequest Wasabi, a Pekingese known as “Wasabi” triumphed over more than 5,200 competitors 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 14-15, 2019 in […]

- Entries Open August 3rd- The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the second AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. This virtual conformation competition is open to all AKC recognized breeds including Miscellaneous breeds. Entries close on August 10th at 12pm ET. Heading the panel as Best in Show and […]

A good way to describe the German Longhaired Pointer is that, in appearance, it’s Continental Europe’s version of a Setter: a pointing dog with full tail and a long coat with dense guard hairs and a moderate undercoat. One noteworthy difference is the GLP’s affection for swimming and, therefore, waterfowl hunting. Coat color reflects the […]

Although occasionally somewhat willful by nature, Stabyhouns are obedient, gentle, and patient dogs, who are deeply fond of their family, wanting to please their owners. He is both a soft-mouthed retriever and a pointer that is particularly useful for hunting ducks and upland birds. He is a fine retriever, and water work is one of his […]

The Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer is a dog of moderate strength, working type, but with nobleness in his lines.

The Pointer is the ultimate expression of canine power and grace. The breed’s name is its job description: Pointers point game birds, and they have been pointing for centuries. The high-energy Pointer is an excellent runner’s companion.

Hoping to meet a specific dog breed when you visit AKC Meet the Breeds during AKC National Championship in Orlando? Or maybe you just want to meet them all! Don't miss a single wag or woof with this list of breeds that will be in attendance at the 2019 show. Get your tickets now. Dog Breeds […]

Late last week, the United States’ Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published new technical, medical, and behavioral standards recommendations for explosive detection canines. These standards are a response to legislation  (HR 4577 - the Domestic Explosives Canine Capacity Building Act) that the American Kennel Club (AKC) worked to advance in 2017 and 2018.  That legislation directed […]

1st AKC Champion Tracker: CT Griffin Fielding & Maureen Fielding of N. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Griffin came into being through an accidental mating between a black German Shepherd female and a German Short-haired Pointer male. “He is a fine hunting dog with a strong work ethic, making him an excellent tracking dog,” Maureen said. […]