By Milton S. Holcombe On the weekend of April 18-19, 2009, the first revised edition of the AKC Advanced Judges and Handlers Seminar was held at Forest Lake, Minnesota. This seminar was sponsored by the Northern Flight Hunting Retriever Association and the Lake Country Retriever Club. Chuck Stokes was the lead person for Northern Flight […]

By Lyle Johnson, AKC Executive Field Representative In Pointing Breed Field Trials, the gun dog stake is probably one of the most fun stakes for the judges to choose the winners. While the Open All-Age dog might be the prototypical "big running dog," the Gun Dog should be more in tune with the handler and […]

By: Zach Simpson Zach Simpson is a16-year-old from Wadsworth, IL, who knows exactly what he wants for his future. An All Honors or Advanced Placement student, this Junior is heavily involved in competitive shooting as well as his Hunting Test activities with his Vizsla, Otis, who Zach trained and handled to his Master Hunter title. […]

Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds were developed so people would have an opportunity to demonstrate a dogs ability to perform under actual hunting conditions. Judges should evaluate a dog's natural abilities as well as those traits obtained through training. Hunting Tests are for people of all ages, male and female and for dogs at least […]

Luis Neves and Betinho do Choupal -- Our Road to Master Hunter -- July 30, 2012 I was born in Portugal and spent my youth hunting with my father and our dogs. It was there that I developed my life-long love of hunting. I moved to America when I was 18 years old. I continued […]

Starting last year at the Eastern German Shorthaired Pointer Club's Hunt Test, Kaitlyn has scored a "leg" at almost every Hunt Test, finishing Sage's JH title in Delaware this past January. With guidance from her father, Carl Walsh, and also Mal Decker, Eastern Director of the German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America, Kaitlyn has impressed […]

By: Emily Easton For the Eastons of Dallas, PA, dogs are a true family affair. Starting with their first Vizsla, Dallas, in 1996, the Easton family -- Ralph, Diana and daughters Laura, now 20, and Emily -- has participated in conformation, field trials and hunting tests. Emily is a 6th grader with academic goals to […]

Growing Up In A GSP Family Ten-year-old Brandon Novoa, a 5th grader at Boston Valley Elementary in Boston, NY, has reason to feel proud: He recently put a Junior Hunter title on one of his parents' German Shorthaired Pointers. Active in school extracurricular activities such as the school newspaper, orchestra (playing violin), chorus and various […]

First Dog to Earn MHA -- 'Battue' On March 17th, 2012 Battue completed the final leg of his MHA, Master Hunter Advanced, hunting title at the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of Northern Sacramento Valley test in Rio Vista, CA to become the first pointing dog to accomplish this title. Battue is a five-year-old Vizsla bred […]

  By: Stephanie Kennerley “Just how fast is my dog?” Many owners have found themselves wondering that at one time or another. The FAST CAT®, one of AKC’s newest events, offers an answer. Launched in March of 2016, the FAST CAT® is a variation on the Coursing Ability Test. In the FAST CAT®, dogs chase […]

By Joyce Hughes -- Event Secretary and PKC Treasurer The Coursing Ability Test (CAT) is a new AKC coursing event for all dogs -- purebreds and mixed breeds. It's an event filled with amusement, entertainment and comical antics from our beloved canines. Pocatello Kennel Club, Inc. in Southeast Idaho, held its first CAT Event in […]

by Lynn Leach When can I start teaching my pup to herd? Can I enter this clinic - my pup is five months old? I know she isn't ready, but is there something I can start working on? These are all very good questions I hear repeatedly. I also hear many incredibly varied answers. Herding […]

The sheep stand side by side in the back of the three-sided pen, appearing as one large body with three heads, twelve legs, and one mind. Their heads are held low, their gaze intent on the dog who lies quietly 20 feet in front of them. The ears of the sheep flick momentarily, from straight […]

Spaniels by nature are flushing dogs that are well adapted to find, flush and retrieve a variety of upland game in all types of habitat. The American sportsman has been using Spaniels for upland game hunting long before there were Hunting tests and Field trials. There are currently ten different recognized Spaniel breeds that are […]

Agility - Frequently Asked Questions   1. How do I find a local Agility training class for my dog? Look in the Yellow Pages under Pets or Dog Training for your local AKC club or dog school. Check this website for the training resources page and search for upcoming Agility Trials in your area.   […]

Airedales Earn Their First Field Titles   by Tom Meyer, AKC Spaniel Field Representative In just a little over two months from when Airedales were first allowed to participate in the Spaniel Hunting Test program, two dogs have become the first to earn AKC Hunting Test titles: The first Senior Hunter (SH): CH MACH5 Connemara's […]

[AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship]   Gun Dog Homepage Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  |  Photo Coverage Day 8  |  Day 9  |  Day 10  |  Final Day  |  In Conclusion  |  Photo Coverage   Day 1 – AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship The 2013 AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship returns to Branched Oak Lake near Lincoln, NE for the 20th […]

AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  |  Day 8 Day 9  |  Day 10  |  Day 11  |  Final Day  |  In Conclusion Photo Coverage   Historically the sport of field trialing has its roots in southern quail hunting. The first pointing breed field trials in American were held near Memphis TN in 1874. The area is […]

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 […]

  A groundbreaking shelter study released today by the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) reveals that U.S. animal shelters are reporting an all-time low in the number of purebred dogs available. The study finds that only about five percent of the dogs available in U.S. shelters are purebred; a significant departure from the 25% figure […]

  Frankfort, KY –The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to announce that Kentucky State Senator Robin Webb and State Representative Tommy Turner are recipients of the AKC Legislator of the Year Award for 2016. “The American Kennel Club is pleased to honor Senator Webb and Representative Turner with our Legislator of the Year Award,” […]

  Purebred dogs are purpose-bred dogs and come in all shapes and sizes. The characteristics that make each of these dogs unique also help them perform the function for which they were bred. The physical appearance of the dogs illustrates this, and is also an important part of the breed’s history. For example, the thick […]

  After a one-year hiatus, the Detroit Kennel Club dog show returns to the Motor City this weekend with events Saturday and Sunday, June 20–21, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in the Detroit suburb of Novi, Michigan. This year’s show features a number of special attractions, including obedience and rally trials, demonstrations, AKC National Owner-Handled […]

  By Jessica Acito, AKC Government Relations   The Delaware House of Representatives has unanimously approved a bill to make the Golden Retriever Delaware’s state dog. Eleven states currently have official state dog breeds, often recognizing those that are indigenous to a state. Pending approval by the Delaware Senate, the Golden Retriever will join the […]

  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 […]

Atlanta, GA – The American Kennel Club (AKC) honored Georgia Senator Bill Heath with the AKC Legislator of the Year Award on January 12, 2017 in recognition of his dedication to protecting the wellbeing of dogs and the rights of responsible dog owners and sportsmen. The AKC Legislator of the Year award honor legislators who demonstrate […]

Members of the P Litter puppies (Labrador Retrievers) move about on their first day of training at the center. The P Litter (TSA/Penn Vet Working Dog Center) was whelped by a foster family and began their training at 8 weeks of age. Each member of this litter is named after a victim of the 9/11 […]

The Flat-Coated Retriever (Flat-Coat) is a large and strong utilitarian hunting dog that shines at flushing birds, such as quail and pheasant, during upland shooting (the pursuit of birds usually found in heavy cover on the ground). He is also skilled at retrieving game from the land and the water. Here are nine interesting facts […]

The understated Border Terrier (BT) may be overlooked in his plain brown coat, but there’s a lot to love about this unique little dog. He developed as a working terrier that could go to ground, as well as follow the horses on a hunt, and he is built perfectly for both jobs. For centuries, hunters […]

The Plott is a member of the Hound Group that specializes in hunting big game such as wild boar, mountain lions, and even bear. These courageous and athletic dogs are also excellent raccoon hunters and excel at chasing and treeing these crafty animals. The Plott is a true American breed that was developed in the […]