While a toy puppy may increase its birth weight by a factor of 10 to 20, a giant-breed puppy may grow to be 100 times bigger than when he was born. Consider this: A newborn Chihuahua may weigh only three ounces at birth and three pounds at maturity. A newborn Great Dane, however, may weigh […]

ASK AKC Dear AKC: I am considering buying a Chihuahua from a breeder who is letting the pups go at 6 weeks old. I have always heard that puppies should not be weaned until they are at least 8 weeks. Should I consider a different breeder? -- Early Arrivals Dear Early: Every breeder has their […]

Your dog is fast asleep, when suddenly he starts whimpering, moving his legs or tail, or engaging in some other odd behavior. Could your dog be dreaming? Scientists think so—in fact, they believe that dogs not only dream as we do, but also that they dream similarly to us, meaning that they replay moments from […]

The regal Chow Chow has a fascinating history and many unique features. But did you know that they have blue-black tongues? Read on to learn more about this breed.

Around the country, dogs and their humans are gearing up for the event of the year: the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. This means rigorous training as dogs nail those jumps, weave poles, and tire jumps—all while following a diet carefully designed for peak performance. We spoke to Dr. Catherine Lenox (DVM, DACVN), […]

Training dogs has been a way of life for Roxane Dutson since she was a teen. She taught the family dogs tricks and then became involved in competition through an obedience training group. “My love for working with dogs became stronger as my husband and I got our first Labrador in 1996,” Dutson says. “From […]

Cute aggression is described as an overwhelming feeling of wanting to squeeze something adorable, like a puppy. Here's how to control it.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A big, blinking, red stop sign of warning: There is absolutely no connection between the COVID-19 virus and any canine coronavirus referenced in this article. Most importantly, even though dogs can get a mild respiratory form of the canine-specific coronavirus, that virus is totally unrelated to the current human pandemic. Bottom line: Your dog […]

Here at the AKC, we never get tired of learning more about dogs, whether it's a new study on canine behavior, a statistic from our database, or even just cool facts about a dog's impressive physical and mental abilities. You may know some of these already, and others may be more of a "wait, really?" […]

We've done it again. In the 17th year of the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin the event has drawn record entry numbers. An entry of 4803 dogs will compete for the title of National Champion on December 16 and 17, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. Combined with the other weekend events including the inaugural […]