Whether you're looking for tips on training, grooming and health or are currently considering adding a precious pup to the family this September, be sure to mark "AKC® Responsible Dog Ownership Day" on your calendar. This month-long celebration involves hundreds of organizations around the country holding free events filled with fun and engaging activities for every dog owner. All AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day events are listed on www.akc.org.
"As dogs are increasingly viewed as family members, the need for all dog owners to train their pets to be good citizens and practice responsible dog ownership is more crucial," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "More communities and businesses would have dog friendly policies if they felt confident that all dog owners would be courteous and respectful."
Each AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day event is unique but many include obedience/agility demonstrations, microchipping clinics, breed rescue information, therapy dog/service dog demonstrations, safety around dogs for kids presentations, giveaways and other entertaining and educational activities. Attendees can speak one-on-one with experienced dog breeders and trainers. Those looking to show their neighbors that their dog is a respectable member of society can take the AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) Test — a 10-step test certification that rewards well-mannered, obedient dogs.
Listings of all events can be found and searched by state at https://www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/events/. The site will be updated weekly to reflect new additions. Over 150 local events have been entered to date, including:
- 9/15- Doberman Pinscher Club of Dallas — AKC/CAR microchip clinic, Meet the AKC Breeds. Agility, obedience, rally and canine freestyle demonstrations.
- 9/15-Inverness Florida Kennel Club — AKC Canine Good Citizen testing, AKC/CAR microchip clinic, K-9 demonstrations. Raffles, games and prizes.
- 9/16- Arapahoe Kennel Club, Aurora, Colo. — AKC Canine Good Citizen testing, Meet the AKC Breeds. K-9 Unit, AKC obedience, rally and flyball demonstrations. Contests with prizes and information on breed rescue.
- 9/22- Coastal Crescent Kennel Club, Ellsworth, Maine — AKC Canine Good Citizen testing, AKC/CAR microchip clinic and pet parade. AKC agility, obedience and flyball demonstrations. Information on breed rescue and nutrition.
On Saturday, September 15, AKC will hold flagship events in New York City and Raleigh, N.C. The New York event will be in Madison Square Park at Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street. More than 40 AKC-recognized breeds will be on hand, including rare breeds such as the Cesky Terrier, Swedish Vallhund and Tibetan Mastiff, and AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) testing and discount microchipping will be offered. AKC's Raleigh office will hold a similar event at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.
This year AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day is proud to have two national sponsors — Invisible Fence Brand, whose behavior-based containment system has successfully kept over 2 million dogs safely contained in both outdoor and indoor environments, and Nature's Recipe, whose premium quality and great-tasting dog food contains only highly digestible ingredients to help avoid food intolerance. No beef, wheat, corn and no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors.
Nature's Recipe and Invisible Fence Brand will be highlighting their commitments to responsible dog ownership this September by working with event-hosting organizations across the country to provide resources and information for pet owners. Learn more about our sponsors at www.naturesrecipe.com and www.invisiblefence.com.
Organizations interested in hosting an AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day event should contact the AKC at communications@akc.org or visit https://www.akc.org/rdod