For purposes of imposing a consistent format at dog shows, the AKC family of breeds is divided into seven groups. The hounds, terriers, and toy dogs each have their own group. The herding dogs that move livestock are grouped together, and so are the big working dogs that pull, protect, patrol, and do other heavy work. Likewise, sporting dogs, […]

  You didn’t want your lowlife cousin to come to the party, but he came uninvited with your sister. Dog breeding can be like that. Some relatives can’t be avoided. Genotype, the genetic makeup of a dog, involves the extended family. My mentors taught me that linebreeding, the practice of breeding dogs who are somewhat […]

The author of “No Pet Left Behind” writes that dog owners can travel with their pets. In her book, “No Pet Left Behind,” Gayle Martz shares the invaluable information and tips she has picked up in her many years as a pet-toting jetsetter. The book covers preparation, training pets to accept a carrier, advice for emergencies, […]

Effective socialization includes ensuring that your puppy experiences early in life some of the things you know he will encounter later on. Technology requires that hardware devices—computers, smart phones, and so on—have software operating systems that enable them to perform the tasks we want and need. Dog personalities are not unlike technology. Temperament is hard-wired […]

We can only make informed decisions if we glean information from our experiences as breeders—including some that are heartbreaking. The most important dog you own is not the one who won the most ribbons, produced the most champions, or sleeps in your bed. It’s the one who just died of something other than old age, […]

-- Preserving and Protecting Our Breeds -- In describing his 1889 trip to Idaho, Theodore Roosevelt noted "a certain half melancholy feeling as I gazed on these bison, themselves part of the last remnant of a doomed and nearly vanished race. Few, indeed, are the men who now have, or evermore shall have, the chance […]

  The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the nominees for the annual Lifetime Achievement Awards.  Finalists are based on nominations by member clubs.  A winner from the three finalists in each category—Conformation, Companion Events, and Performance—will be voted on by member clubs, with voting ending on September 13, 2010.  There will be […]

-- AKC Celebrates 125th Anniversary with a Look Back at First AKC Registered Breeds in History -- For the 18th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America, according to 2008 registration statistics released today by the American Kennel Club® (AKC) But, while more than twice as many Labs were […]

  Long before Jane Lynch rose to fame for her role as the loud-mouthed, plotting cheerleading coach in the hit TV series, Glee, she proved herself as an all-out dog lover in the film Best in Show. Recently, she sat down with the team at The Honest Kitchen to talk about her Lhasa Apso, Olivia, […]

Bulldog Makes the List for First Time in Nearly 75 Years; Labrador Retriever Continues to Fetch Top Spot AKC Appears on NBC Today Show to Announce 2007 Registration Statistics - New York, NY – Today the American Kennel Club® announced that the Bulldog, a popular sports team mascot and one of the most recognizable and iconic […]