The American Kennel Club (AKC) is excited to announce that its popular special, AKC HEROES: 2022 AWARDS FOR CANINE EXCELLENCE, is coming back to ESPN2. This broadcast is scheduled to air on December 11th at 10pm ET. The show will cover the stories of this year’s AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE) winners. […]

Among the marvels of human ingenuity is the way various breeds of dog were developed, mentally and physically, to tackle specific jobs. Consider the farmer’s eternal war against rodents and other burrowing mammals that devastate grain stores, raid henhouses, tear up fields, dig away riverbanks, and carry disease. As their number-one weapon in subterranean warfare, […]

While watching a dog show on television or in person, many casual viewers find themselves completely mystified about aspects of the sport. But here are answers to four basic questions to give you a better understanding of dog shows. Who Attends Dog Shows? Most dog handlers you’ll see in the TV portion of the show […]

  The dog’s long march from wild animal to ball-chasing, couch-hogging, kibble-crunching family pet might have begun 40,000 years ago. This places the domestication of canines much farther in the past than has been previously thought, according to the study “Ancient European Dog Genomes Reveal Continuity Since the Early Neolithic.” The findings were published this […]

No velvet pillows, hair ribbons, or French pedicures for these big bruisers. These are the no-nonsense, punch-the-clock-and-get-it-done dogs of the AKC Working Group, the Ford pickups of the canine kingdom. Many factors go into breeding dogs that work hard for their feed. Let’s consider a few, and then watch some well-bred workers in action. Physical […]

Dachshunds are bound to pop up anywhere, doing anything. But who has time to keep track of all those Dachsie doings? As a public service, AKC Dog Lovers goes around the corner and around the world to bring you (cue deep-voiced announcer with lots of reverb) DACHSHUNDS IN THE NEWS! EL PASO, TEXAS—You never know […]

Francis Redmond’s “Totteridge” Smooth Fox Terriers were a famous British line of the late 19th century. Redmond was a master dog man who did much to standardize his breed, and the Totteridge kennel was pivotal in the creation of the modern Smooth. It was the custom to immortalize dogs of such renown on canvas. These […]

The Standard Schnauzer is described as a friendly and cheerful companion that's particularly good with children. Are they a good fit for your lifestyle?

The digging, the barking, the chasing: Welcome to Westie world. Don’t panic. There’s no need to sign him up for couch time with an expensive Park Avenue shrink. All you have to do is take a moment to consider what has been genetically hardwired into the spunky little critter. Once you know what drives your […]

When the nation’s greatest show dogs descend on New York City for the 140th Westminster Kennel Club dog show presented by Purina® Pro Plan®, several newcomers will be strutting their stuff on the big stage for the first time. Here’s quick primer on the seven new AKC breeds making their Westminster debut in 2016. Bergamasco […]