Monday, January 23, 2017 Featuring Celebrity Jerry O'Connell   Three-hour Special Broadcast Marks Return of Premiere Dog Show to National Television   Royal Canin, a global pet food leader and The American Kennel Club today announced the return of the AKC National Championship to television via a new partnership with Hallmark Channel. The three-hour special, […]

National Champion Beats Dogs from 49 States and Hundreds of International Competitors   GCHB CH Cordmaker Mister Blue Sky, a Puli known as “Preston” triumphed over nearly 5,000 dogs to earn a $50,000 cash prize and the title of Best in Show at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, held this weekend in […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to recognize breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups as 2017 AKC Breeder of the Year group honorees. “The breeders honored with this award are truly committed to excellence, consistency, breed standard and type,” said Dennis Sprung, AKC President and CEO.  “They […]

COCKER SPANIEL “STRIKER” WINS BEST IN SHOW AT LARGEST EVER AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY ROYAL CANIN National Champion Beats Dogs from 50 States and 44 Countries   GCHP CH Silverhall Strike Force, an ASCOB Cocker Spaniel known as “Striker” triumphed over nearly 5,000 dogs to earn a $50,000 cash prize, a paw print pendant […]

The 2017 AKC Obedience Classic and the AKC Agility Invitational took place December 16-17, 2017 in conjunction with the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, demonstrating the highest level of training and teamwork between dog and handler. Obedience and agility competitions for junior handlers were held for the seventh year, and an AKC Rally® […]

More than 1,600 talented purebred and mixed-breed canines will jump, heel and retrieve their way to Tulsa, Oklahoma March 18-20, 2016 for a series of Championship events hosted by the American Kennel Club. Over the three days, these top dogs will compete in the AKC National Agility Championship, AKC National Obedience Championship and the AKC […]

Agility is one of the fastest growing dog sports in the country and the single fastest growing event held in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Dog Show Presented by Royal Canin. It's challenging, great fun for dog and handler, and thrilling for spectators. For the dog-human team, agility requires athleticism, concentration, training, and, most […]

They jump, they weave, they sit, and they stay. We're talking about the winners of the AKC Obedience Classic and AKC Agility Invitational at the 2017 AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, of course. Competition took place December 16-17, 2017 in Orlando, Fla. and it was an incredible sight to see. These competitions demonstrate […]

Each year, we are proud to recognize and celebrate the men and women who dedicate their lives to improving the health, temperament, and quality of purebred dogs. These breeders are the heart of our organizations and they deserve to be recognized for their incredible work. One breeder is chosen from each of the seven groups […]

Cleo and Gwen Blake practice at Family Dog Training Center in Kent, Wash., a Seattle suburb. “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect,” says Blake. “And we need plenty of that.” Photo courtesy Kathy Lang. For Gwen Blake, it’s back to basics every time she steps into the obedience and rally rings with her […]

They call themselves "The Joy Team," but when you see the Rogers girls at a dog show venue, you know it's all about commitment, competition, and character. And that's exactly what the audience will get with Sophia, 19; Emma and Faith, 13; and Julia, 9, at The National Dog Show presented by Purina on Nov. […]

If you're a musician, there's the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If you're an actor, there are the Oscars. And if you're a dog breeder, the maraschino cherry atop a lifetime of hard work is to be named an American Kennel Club Breeder of the Year. After all, anyone can have a one-hit wonder, […]

-- Veteran Show Dogs Eligible for AKC/Eukanuba National Championship – -- Juniors Competition in Obedience and Agility Added -- We are pleased to add a new way to qualify for the 2011 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship (AENC) – Veteran dog status! As a way to celebrate our older stars who made a mark in the show […]

By Joan Harrigan and Susan BeegelMuch is demanded of show dogs – they must be adaptable, calm, and tolerant in addition to meeting the requirements of their breed standards. Two Beaucerons, both champions and exhibited at the 2011 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, have show careers that are secondary to their day-to-day work. For Beaucerons […]

At only 33 years old, Christy Gardner has a lifetime of fighting behind her. But don't ever tell this national champion she's lost. Gardner, a double amputee, helped bring home a championship with the U.S. women’s sled hockey team, and she’s preparing to represent the United States at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio this September. […]

The Westminster Kennel Club recently announced that Mr. Thomas H. Bradley III is scheduled to judge Best in Show at the club’s 141st dog show Feb. 13–14, 2017. A lifetime participant in the dog sport, Mr. Bradley competed in his first dog show as a teenager in 1955, showing his German Shorthaired Pointer at the […]

This story originally appeared in a 2011 issue of the AKC Canine Partners News newsletter. Since the story was published, Harley, now 9 years old, has earned the AKC’s highest honor in agility – the Master Agility Championship (MACH) and is now pursuing her Preferred Agility Championship (PACH). Most puppies spend their early months being […]

-- A Summer of Positive Action for AKC -- New York, NY – It is back to school time across America and students are being asked that time-tested question – “What did you do over the summer?” For my wife and I, it’s a rather easy question to sum up in just five words – “We […]

-- Advancing Our Sport-- New York, NY – This year we celebrate the 129th anniversary of the American Kennel Club. Today, as it has been throughout those years, our beliefs and traditions continue to guide us in our sport, while innovation continues to advance us. We began the year with the spirit of relentless positive action […]

-- Relentless Positive Action -- In my August Chairman’s Report, I introduced the concept of “relentless positive action” as a driving force in delivering new programs, new events, and new outreach. That philosophy is one that most certainly drives our best breeders in their determined quest for constantly improving their lines, and subsequently, their breeds. […]

--"Keep On Keepin’ On"-- In his insightful and highly acclaimed biography of Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson chose to capture a defining characteristic of Jobs by giving him the last word on his own life. Jobs, who proved to be a good student of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan’s philosophical insights, used a Dylan lyric to explain his […]

-- 2012 AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship Attracts Best in Bird Dogs -- Later this month, the 2012 AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship will take place at the Ames Plantation near Grand Junction, Tennessee. The event has drawn an entry of 124 dogs, which includes 105 Field Champions.  This is the largest number […]

- Highlights of 2011 - It was a pleasure to be with many of you in Florida this weekend as we enjoyed the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, AKC Agility Invitational, AKC National Obedience Invitational and the surrounding festivities. We hope you enjoyed the incredible series of events that unfolded over the weekend. We are all aware […]

-- Grand Champions Win Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum -- To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the AKC Grand Champion title, we are pleased to present the new Grand Champion Achievement Levels of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum to honor your dogs’ accomplishments. Since the program’s inception, more than 5,800 dogs have achieved the prestigious […]

-- New Programs and Services Introduced in 2010 -- As we wind down the year, I am pleased to highlight programs and initiatives we have introduced in 2010. In April, the first agility, obedience and rally trials open to mixed-breed dogs in the AKC Canine Partners program were held. So far, 853 AKC-licensed clubs have […]

-- New Additions to the Grand Championship Program and AKC/Eukanuba National Championship -- Since the introduction of the new AKC Grand Championship title in April, we've had hundreds of dogs in nearly every breed complete the requirements for a Grand Championship title. Thus far, the program has fulfilled the hopes we had for it - […]

--AKC Adds New Titles in Conformation, Companion and Performance Events -- New York, NY– Since the start of the year, each event type – conformation, companion and performance – now offers its exhibitors a brand new AKC title. The conformation and performance titles will appeal to the long-time exhibitor while the companion title will help […]

It is sometimes beneficial in both our personal and our professional lives to step back and take a longer perspective of what we have achieved and what we seek. Our natural inclination is to focus on just today and tomorrow. Today I want to share with you some longer range evaluation of just how AKC […]

PACH Remy AX AXJ MXP7 MXPS MJP7 MJPS PAX2 NF OFP T2BP2 owned by Leslie Cash of Kalamazoo, MI In 2008, Leslie decided to add a homeless dog to her canine family and found a little black terrier mix named Romeo in a Kalamazoo shelter. “At the time, agility wasn't on my mind when I […]

  There are 31 Canine Partners-enrolled dogs entered in this year’s RNC that takes place March 13 at Purina Farms in St. Louis, MO.   Here are the contenders:   Stella CD RAE7 AXP AJP NFP – Karen Powell – KY Biggie RAE2 MXP MJP XFP RATN – Karen Powell – KY Medendorps Hoodoo By […]