AKC Celebrates 125th Anniversary and Tips its Hat to Two Irish Breeds That Were Among the First Recognized In honor of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, the American Kennel Club® (AKC) celebrates the loveable breeds of Irish descent. Notable Irish breeds include the Irish Red & White Setter which was welcomed into the AKC […]

  The Sussex Spaniel is a True Original: Among the First AKC Registered Breeds in History "Stump" and owner-handler Scott Sommer won Best in Show at the 133rd Westminster Kennel Club Show. The American Kennel Club®, a non-profit organization whose rules govern more than 20,000 canine competitions each year including the famed Westminster Kennel Club […]

Three Breeds Gain Full AKC Recognition The American Kennel Club® is pleased to welcome the Irish Red and White Setter, the Pyrenean Shepherd and the Norwegian Buhund as the 159th, 160th, and the 161st AKC® registered breeds. The Irish Red and White Setter will join the Sporting Group while both the Pyrenean Shepherd and the […]

Now that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has chosen his vice president, it's time for him to concentrate on another important selection: family dog. The American Kennel Club® (AKC) announced today that the public has elected a Poodle as their breed of choice for the Obama family. The AKC launched its poll to find a […]

AKC Selects Short List of "Canine Candidates" and Enlists America's Help to Choose the Right Dog Breed for the Obama Family @ www.presidentialpup.com New York, NY – Vice President isn't the only high-level position that Barack Obama is currently trying to fill. It's been widely reported that – win or lose – the Obamas have […]

North Carolina House Bill 460, sponsored by Representative Maggie Jeffus of Greensboro and Representative Margaret Highsmith Dickson of Fayetteville, and its companion bill, Senate Bill 460, sponsored by Senators Don Davis of Snow Hill and Senator Don Vaughan of Greensboro, have been filed.  The bills seek to regulate the commercial breeding of dogs in North […]

Alderman Burke has postponed a vote on the proposed mandatory spay/neuter ordinance. Over 130 people signed up to address the committee about the issue and several aldermen questioned whether this was an effective and economical policy for the city to pursue. AKC thanks the many breeders and responsible owners who attended the meeting as well […]

The AKC is extremely concerned about provisions in Oklahoma House Bill 1332, as written, and urges all Oklahoma dog fanciers, owners and breeders to contact their representatives to express their concerns. The AKC promotes responsible dog ownership, responsible breeding practices,  enforcement of cruelty laws, reasonable inspection programs and nuisance regulations.  However, HB 1332 does not […]

Massachusetts House Bill 5092, a bill featuring many anti-responsible dog breeder and owner provisions, will be heard by the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government on Thursday, October 23rd, at 10:00 AM, in Room A-2 of the State House in Boston.  The AKC encourages all concerned dog breeders and owners in Massachusetts to attend […]

In a stunning procedural move, Massachusetts House Bill 1948, which was a reasonable and non-discriminatory dangerous dog bill supported by both the AKC and the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs, has been replaced by House Bill 5092, a conglomeration of many anti-dog, anti-responsible breeder, and anti-responsible owner proposals. The American Kennel Club is not only […]

The American Kennel Club would like to answer some specific concerns that people have raised with regard to the new version of California Assembly Bill 1634. We would also like to encourage people to read the bill closely as it has been changed dramatically in the last few weeks. Please click here to read the […]

The Chicago City Council Committee on Finance will hold a joint hearing with the Committee on License and Consumer Protection on Tuesday July 29th to discuss a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance. It is vital that responsible dog owners and breeders attend the hearing to oppose this measure.   AKC Opposes Proposed Mandatory Spay and Neuter Ordinance […]

Two Chicago Aldermen are sponsoring a new ordinance that would require all dogs to be spayed/neutered by the age of six months unless they qualify for an unneutered animal license. Chicago residents are asked to contact their representative on the Board of Aldermen to oppose this measure. To qualify for an unneutered animal license the […]

Ever hesitate to bring up a hard-to-pronounce foreign name because you’re afraid you’ll pull a Travolta and totally butcher it? To help you avoid these uncomfortable moments, WOOFipedia presents this handy pronunciation guide to five breeds whose names you’re embarrassed to say aloud at the dog park. Entlebucher Mountain Dog ENT-leh-boo-cur This Swiss herder’s name […]

In her book, Picturing Dogs, Seeing Ourselves: Vintage American Photographs, author Ann-Janine Morey explores the America’s timeless romance with dogs. Featuring 115 antique photos in a variety of settings, from candid snapshots and hunting photos to posed studio portraits, the book provides an intimate look at how the family dog has shaped the American cultural […]

Long before smushface" and "wigglebutt" became the ubiquitous dog monikers, these seven breeds were given nicknames crafted specifically for them.  the Clown Prince of Dogs At various times devotees of at least a dozen different breeds have claimed this title for their dogs. But to our knowledge only one group of fanciers has incorporated canine clowning […]

Our pack is getting bigger and bigger! The American Kennel Club has given four additional breeds AKC recognition, bringing the total number of recognized breeds to 184.Allow us to introduce you to:Cirneco dell’EtnaThe Cirneco dell’Etna hails from Italy and joins the Hound group. The Cirneco is a hunter that works by scent, sight, and hearing. The breed has […]

A reader posed this question to us, so we dug into the American Kennel Club archives to give the answer: At least two dogs were aboard the Mayflower during the 66-day voyage from England to the New World. Thanks to journals kept by the Pilgrims, we know much about their early tribulations. But the historical […]

These friendly dog breeds, both common and rare, are lovable and adorable. Learn more about each of the breeds and figure out if one of them might be the right fit for your family.

  We may have fooled you last month with our April Fool's Day post of three new "breeds" for 2014, but this time we mean it! We are expanding our pack to welcome a royal dog and an expert hunter to the AKC family. Learn more about them here:   The Coton de Tulear Known as the “Royal […]