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.

When judging, take care that you don’t allow exaggerations to influence you. We are Americans, and many of us have a tendency when we look at a car to think that if a little chrome is good, then a lot is better! If a dog who moves alertly and with purpose is good, then an […]

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 […]

Breed 2018 Rank 2017 Rank 2016 Rank 2015 Rank 2014 Rank Labrador Retrievers 1 1 1 1 1 German Shepherd Dogs 2 2 2 2 2 Golden Retrievers 3 3 3 3 3 French Bulldogs 4 4 6 6 9 Bulldogs 5 5 4 4 4 Beagles 6 6 5 5 5 Poodles 7 7 […]

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 […]

They participate in exciting adventures — from racing in the Iditarod to transporting explorers in the Arctic — so sled dogs hold a special place in our hearts and imaginations. It isn’t every dog breed that can run for miles across the tundra, surviving bitter-cold conditions, blizzards, and the rigors of long-distance racing, while also […]

Not interested in watching the Big Game this Sunday? Want a break from football? Switch the channel to ESPN to enjoy highlights from the AKC National Championship at 8 p.m. ET and highlights from the AKC K9 Detection Dog Challenge at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 13. Check your local provider for your channel. […]

The Boston Terrier, a top-ten breed for six decades of the 20th century, has reached the number-one position twice, including in the 1910s. The Airedale Terrier reached the number-two position, the highest the breed would ever claim, appearing in the top ten for three consecutive decades and then never regaining its national popularity. The decade […]

The 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Dec. 14 and 15 had a record number of dogs in its 19th year. The competition began with 5,284 dogs each competing for best in their breed. Best in Group Best of Breed winners then advanced to compete in the group competitions. Each AKC-recognized breed falls […]

The display will include eleven works of art from the AKC collection, including seven paintings and two bronzes of previous “top dogs,” a 1906 trophy and an 1879 certificate awarded at the WKC’s third show. The exhibit will be available for viewing Booth # 3 at Pier 94 (55th Street and the West Side Highway), […]

The only thing better than 1,300 dogs? 1,300 puppies. Nearly 1,300 puppies and junior dogs ages six months to 18 months competed for AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy of the Year on Friday, December 14. Only one came out on top. Aperture I Think I'M Going To Like It Here, a Whippet known as “Lizzie," was […]

The 2024 AKC Diving Dogs Challenge was held in collaboration with North American Diving Dogs on September 19, 2024 in Aurora, Colorado.

July 14 is Bastille Day, when France and Francophiles the world over commemorate the start of the French Revolution in 1789. The AKC joins the celebration in just the way you’d expect—with dogs. Here’s a roundup of some AKC breeds developed in France, plus a few that are French by tradition if not by birth. […]

The Gordon Setter is the largest member of the setter breeds. Learn more about this breed with these Gordon Setter fun facts.

The AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin will take place Saturday and Sunday, December 15 & 16, 2018, in Orlando, Florida. Tune in to AKC.TV, or download the AKC.TV app on Roku, Apple TV, orAmazonFireTV to catch the live stream starting on Saturday, December 15 at 12 p.m. ET. Watch the TV premiere on New Year’s Day on Animal Planet at 6 p.m. […]

It’s an unforgiving 30 degrees below zero on one of the coldest days the Rollins family can ever remember. Twenty-five acres of frozen white fields surround their home in Glenwood City, Wisconsin. In this weather, it makes perfect sense to stay indoors, but 5-year-old Nate Rollins has other ideas. Nate is bound and determined to […]

  Finishing touches are being applied to Monroe County Fairgrounds; Monroe, Michigan for the annual dog show, hosted this July holiday weekend by Ann Arbor Kennel Club. From Friday July 3rd through Sunday 5th more than two thousand dogs will compete in Conformation, Rally, Obedience and Barn Hunt. For the first time ever, Dock Diving […]

When it comes to choosing the right dog breed for you and your family, there are a lot of different things to consider. Temperament, exercise needs, size, and maintenance are all important aspects of your decision. Some people prefer a lower-maintenance breed, which often means that the dogs require little grooming. Of course, regular baths […]

Alan Kalter and Dr. Chris Lezotte were presented with the 2016 AKC Breeder of the Year award for their HappyLegs Bullmastiffs at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin on Saturday, December 17, 2016. The annual award honors those breeders who have made an impact on their breed and dedicated their lives to improving […]

Meet Hungary’s russet-coated dog-of-all-trades: the Vizsla. While talking with the breed’s American fanciers, it seems the exclamation point and the Vizsla were made for each other. If this breed could talk (one of the few things it can’t do—yet) it would say things like “Yes I can!,” “Go for it!” and other such interjections that […]

There was a time not long ago that nearly every advertisement featuring a child with a dog seemed to include a Lab or a Golden Retriever, consistently among the most popular dog breeds in America. Today, there’s a bit more variety in the breeds being photographed with children for commercial advertising. Perhaps the public perception […]

For most high schoolers, one dog is a big responsibility. But for 16-year-old O'Malley McGee, that’s nothing. Most of her adolescence so far has revolved around her six dogs — three Pointers (Julia, Billy, and Olivia); two Vizslas (James and Jolene); and a Treeing Walker Coonhound (Sony). Early Beginnings Half her lifetime ago, O'Malley remembers […]

If you’re planning to travel by air this year, except to see more four-legged officials working the security lines at the airport. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is more than doubling the number of canines they’ll have working at U.S. airports, the Washington Post reports, adding that currently, the agency has more than 140 Golden […]

Breed Weight Male Weight Female Affenpinschers 7-10 pounds 7-10 pounds Afghan Hounds 50-60 pounds 50-60 pounds Airedale Terriers 50-70 pounds 50-70 pounds Akitas 100-130 pounds 70-100 pounds Alaskan Malamutes 85 pounds 75 pounds American English Coonhounds 45-65 pounds 45-65 pounds American Eskimo Dogs 6-10 pounds (toy), 10-20 pounds (miniature), 25-35 pounds (standard) 6-10 pounds (toy), […]

The pathway to becoming a full-fledged detective has had its challenges for Rocco and Rider but it has never been a mystery to either, or their Midwest owner/handlers. The AKC Scent Work® Detective title, considered the pinnacle of success in the popular sport, went unclaimed since its inception on Oct. 1, 2017, until July 14 […]

Judith C. of Connecticut wrote AKC for help with her German Shorthaired Pointer pup that loves jumping on people and the kitchen counter to steal food. Heather W. of Michigan said she is having the same issue with her pair of one-year-old Labrador Retrievers. Heather says, "We are constantly telling them to stay down and pushing them down. […]

In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were created and first awarded in 1999 to honor our best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national […]

[accordion] [accordion_panel title="2025"] Save the Date: AKC Patriotic Puppy Program Regional Seminar, August 2-3, 2025, Waterbury, CT The AKC Patriotic Puppy Program (PPP) is headed to CT State Community College Naugatuck Valley! The next In Person Regional Seminar will take place on Saturday, August 2nd & Sunday, August 3rd in Waterbury, CT.  This unique dog […]

To view other Pee Wee photos click here. If you have a Pee Wee photo you would like to share, please send to: juniors@akc.org [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Procedures and Guidelines"] A Club must submit a Special Attractions Form to conduct the Pee Wee Class Special Attraction. The request must be approved by the Event Operations department. The […]