Puppies present a variety of challenges as they develop. First, they’re sweet babies, following us around, looking to us for every cue. Then, just when you think you’ve got a handle on house-training, basic obedience commands, and confidence building (in both of you), baby teeth and brains seem to go right out the window, simultaneously. […]

Imagine, if you can, being a little baby, cared for and safe with your parents and siblings. Then imagine being abruptly removed from everything you know and plopped down in a new place, with new people, new sounds, smells, and sights. Sounds pretty scary, doesn't it? That's how a new puppy feels when you bring […]

Left to their own devices, young puppies can get in a lot of trouble, from soiling the carpet to chewing your favorite pair of shoes. That’s why it’s important to start training early and keep a close eye on them, especially when they’re still learning what’s expected of them. And the best way to do […]

Did you know the canine actor who played Toto in "The Wizard of Oz" was a Cairn Terrier? Learn more the breed with these Cairn Terrier fun facts.

By AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Hilarie Erb Many new puppy owners are alarmed when their pup explores the world by tasting every new thing they find. Grass, dirt, sticks, rocks, mulch – nothing is off limits! This is normal behavior. Many animal babies, humans and puppies included, put things in their mouths to find out […]

ASK AKC  All dog owners need expert advice from time to time to meet the challenges of caring for their canines. The American Kennel Club aims to provide you and your purebred dog with the help you asked for. Dear AKC: I'm a 12-year-old-girl and I want to get a dog, but my dad won't […]

I'm Just Little! – Important Reminders for Toy Dog Owners AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Breanne Long, owner of two Papillons, discusses the different needs of toy dogs and important things to keep in mind if you own a small dog. The world of a small dog is a very big place. People and dogs are […]

Many puppies and young dogs go through a period of submissive urination – releasing a small amount of urine when they are greeted by their owners or visitors. AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Christie Canfield gives some great tips on dealing with this behavior. Submissive urination is a normal canine communications behavior.  Dogs squat and urinate […]

We've all been there: We're walking with our dog while cooing something really embarrassing (of course in a baby voice), like, "Aren't you the most handsome boy who ever lived? YES! YES, you ARE!" We don't even realize we're talking out loud or how ridiculous we sound until we see our neighbors staring at us. […]

AKC GoodDog! Helpline trainer Hilarie Erb provides tips for starting a jogging program with your dog. It is important to do this safely and provide the proper training before you take off running! If you are a runner and think that your dog would be the ideal running partner, you may be right. However, there […]

QUESTION: I have 2 male poodles, a toy and a miniature, the toy uses the pad sometimes, I can't let him out at night because of critters. The Min. Has started marking all the furniture how do I stop him? AKC ANSWER: Marking is not relieving oneself – it is leaving small amounts of urine […]

Walking into a room to find your dog staring at the wall is a little disconcerting, to say the least. Is there something in the wall? Is there a ghost? Is your dog sick? This particular odd behavior inspires a lot of questions, but the answers might surprise you. Let’s take a look at some […]

Ask AKC   Dear AKC: I have a 4-month-old German Shepherd Dog. She is wonderful, loving, sweet, and does all that she can to please. However, we have a big problem. She is peeing in her crate every night. I read that by 4 months this should stop - it hasn't. She comes out in the […]

Ask AKC   Dear AKC: We have a 14-month-old German Shepherd. She refuses to bark to be let out or let back in. Instead, she scratches at the door. We've been unable to teach her to "speak". Do you have any suggestions? -- Knock Knock Dear Knock: Since your dog is smart enough to go […]

Earlier this year, skier Gus Kenworthy returned to the United States from the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi with a silver medal—and an armful of stray puppies. (Well, the puppies technically came about a month later after they got the care they needed for the transport.) Two of the puppies, named Jake and Mishka, now live with Gus and his […]

Pitbull Abandoned by Owner Gets New Family & Career Jasmine of Lindenbrook UD owned by Nan & Kevin Daley of Woodside, CA Jasmine was dropped off at the Daley’s house by a friend of their daughters' to watch while his landlord inspected his rental house. “He didn't come back as expected and then told us […]

Kathy Matjeka of Colorado Springs, CO, often hits the road with her pooches, Brewster and Zinger, for weekend getaways. Here she offers some tips for making the most of your canine road trips: Stop often for potty, play and exploration breaks. We like to go into small towns along the route where there is often […]

This article originally appeared in AKC Family Dog magazine. Alaska wags her tail and wiggles her body every time a person approaches. She has a great grin and calm demeanor but, turned in as a stray to a small rural shelter, her adoption chances were slim. She was an adult. She was black (the least […]

This story originally appeared in the summer 2012 issue of the AKC Canine Partners News and later was reprinted in a 2013 issue of AKC Family Dog magazine. The story won first place in the 2013 Dog Writers Association of America writing competition in the category of “Magazine Feature Article with the topic of Rescue.”Since […]