Every year prior to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the general public is given the opportunity to meet (and more importantly, play with!) over 100 different dog breeds at AKC Meet the Breeds, brought to you by Purina® Pro Plan®. This year's event certainly didn't disappoint, featuring individual booths that were not only elaborate in decoration, but also […]

When Mandy Middleton first started competing in AKC events, almost no one knew what breed she was showing. That breed — the Mountain Cur — is rare in the U.S., despite its patriotic roots. Considered the All-American pioneer dog, Curs were a necessity to frontier families, who relied on them to catch wild game and […]

Sophia Feid Junior Handler Feature Sassafras Patterdale Thirteen-year-old Sophia Feid of Apex, NC, is proof that you don't have to have a show dog of...

This past weekend, thousands of dogs and dog lovers descended on Orlando, Florida for the 2015 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship at the Orange County Convention Center. Here are a few highlights: New world records were set during the Elite Finals of Dock Diving. The winning jump was 30 feet 7 inches by a Labrador Retriever named […]

Part of the 2024 AKC National Championship week includes crowning Best Junior in Junior Showmanship. See the winners of this coveted award.

Every year the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show comes to New York City to celebrate dogs, breeders, owners, handlers, and all others who are a part of a dog's journey. This year we had some wonderful moments, made some history, and crowned another champion. Come with us as we take a walk through a dog's […]

These champion show dogs took the top prize in conformation at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin.

When Brushing Your Shedding Dog, Use the Right Tool It's only logical that if you get to your dog’s hair before it falls out, it won't end up on your clothes, your furniture, your pillow, or your dinner plate. That means you need to brush -- sometimes weekly, sometimes a few times a week, and […]

With the proper knowledge, positive training, and patience, owning a deaf dog can be very rewarding. Check out these tips for training a deaf dog.

Once again, the Labrador Retriever took Atlanta’s top spot in the 2016 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Labrador Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in Denver, Boston, and Seattle, among others. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have climbed the ranks in Atlanta, increasing from eighth to fifth. Boxers, […]

Field trials are all about letting a dog do what comes naturally in a competitive setting. For the Pointing Breeds that means finding birds and showing off their courage, stamina, and keen desire to hunt.  Since 1993, the AKC Gun Dog Championship continues to be one of the largest and most prestigious pointing all breed field trial championship in […]

Once again, the Labrador Retriever took Dallas’ top spot in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC®) 2016 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The Labrador Retriever was also recognized as the #1 pup in Chicago, Austin, and Raleigh, among others. Yorkshire Terriers fell drastically in popularity this year in Dallas. The […]

Your dog is fast asleep, when suddenly he starts whimpering, moving his legs or tail, or engaging in some other odd behavior. Could your dog be dreaming? Scientists think so—in fact, they believe that dogs not only dream as we do, but also that they dream similarly to us, meaning that they replay moments from […]

​Stephanie Sherwood, a Canine Ambassador and member of the Kaystone Vizsla Club in Malverne, PA, visited a second-grade classroom with her Vizsla, Judit this past March and it was nothing short of adorable. Stephanie and Judit have been participating as AKC Canine Ambassadors for about a year now, visiting schools, nursing homes and partaking in […]

AKC Gazette, “Times Past”— Here’s an excerpt from our coverage of the 2011 Bonhams New York annual dog-art auction. It’s rare to see identifiable show dogs represented in the annual dog-art sale at Bonhams, so the painting Giralda’s Lola, with puppies instantly caught my eye. Lola is one of 200 dog portraits the British watercolorist […]

The outdoor temperature where you live affects your dog's comfort level. If you live in a warm or tropical climate, what are the best breeds for hot...

  The AKC Detection Dog Task Force has launched its Pilot Detection Puppy Rearing Program – an opportunity for breeders and owners to work closely with experts on raising dogs that will have the potential to be trained for explosives detection work. The United States has a serious shortage of qualified dogs to perform the […]

Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), also known as bloat, is a disease dreaded by dog owners and veterinary professionals. In this emergency condition, the stomach fills with gas and rotates on its axis, leading to cardiovascular shock and abnormal function of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, kidney, and clotting systems. Known risk factors for bloat include breed, […]

The 2020 Junior Showmanship Finals at the AKC National Championship took place on Dec. 12 in Orlando, Florida. To qualify, juniors had to have at least three first-place wins in Open Class with competition present between Oct. 10, 2019 and Oct. 7, 2020. In addition, juniors must have a grade point average of at least 3.0 for the past […]

With so many events going on at the AKC National Championship Dog Show Presented by Royal Canin, how do you choose which ones to attend? Since 2014, a new exciting event has been added, and if you've never witnessed the intensity, grace, and sheer joy of a dog leaping off a dock to retrieve a favorite […]

Every year in December (or January for a few years) since 2001, dog owners from around the world come together for the American Kennel Club National Championship presented by Royal Canin. This year, the event takes place in Orlando, Fla., with a nearly week-long series of events culminating in the Best in Show finale. Starting December […]

At what point do you consider asking your veterinarian for a second opinion, a specialist, or if there are other channels you can pursue?

Middleburg, Virginia—Paintings from the American Kennel Club collection will be part of the National Sporting Library & Museum’s “Side-by-Side with Gun and Dog” exhibition, celebrating three centuries of the unique partnership of hunter and gundog. The ambitious show contains American, British, and French "fur-and-feather" art on loan from the collections of the Adirondack Museum, Detroit […]

The biggest Conformation event of the year is here, and the results are out! See the group winners of the 2024 AKC National Championship.

What makes a dog smart? Discover how canine intelligence is defined and which dog breeds consistently rank highest.

After nearly two full days of competition between more than 100 dogs, one Golden Retriever came out on top: Baker. Registered name OTCH12 High Times Shake 'N Bake UDX8 OGM SH earned a score of 517/520 and was handled by owner Kori Bevis of Cannon Falls, Minnesota. On Saturday, July 9, each dog competed in eight […]

Canadian photographer Pete Thorne got the idea of using his camera to explore aging at his grandmother's 100th birthday party. He later decided to turn his lens toward dogs. "I was naive going into it. I was initially interested in photographing old dogs as caricatures of old guys and gals," he says. Then, as he […]

There's a reason why the AKC divides its breeds into seven groups. That reason is a mixture of tradition and breed function. But why?

North Carolina legislators and staff were thrilled to once again welcome the American Kennel Club to the state capitol for the annual AKC Canines at the Capitol event.  The AKC invited them to “come hug a dog on your lunch break” and they did just that – posing for pictures with the dogs and cheering […]

The AKC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award Program was established in 2006 to provide each AKC Member Club with an embossed AKC medallion to award on a yearly basis as an ongoing effort to celebrate its volunteer club members. This award honors those individuals who deserve special recognition that have made a difference in the Sport of […]