This story originally appeared in a 2011 issue of the AKC Canine Partners News newsletter. Since the story was published, Harley, now 9 years old, has earned the AKC’s highest honor in agility – the Master Agility Championship (MACH) and is now pursuing her Preferred Agility Championship (PACH). Most puppies spend their early months being […]

Trying out a new pilot program in dog sports can be intimidating—even more so when you're the youngest person participating. At just 13 years old, Mia Alvarez is the first and only Junior Handler competing in the AKC's new Agility League with the Antelope Valley Dog Agility Group in California. She currently competes in Agility […]

Marthina Greer First presented Pure Dog Talk Jan 2023 Bladder stones are the quintessential “which came first, the chicken or the egg” question. By this, we mean that a dog can have a bladder symptoms that are caused by a bladder stone, or the bladder infection can cause bladder stones to form. Which then becomes […]

Your dog counts on you for protection, so it's important you act as their advocate. Don't be afraid to speak up and put your dog's comfort first.

What tugs at our hearts more than an adorable Chihuahua peeking out of Reese Witherspoon’s purse in the movie Legally Blonde? Perhaps it is the sight of puppies glee­ fully romping through scenes in 101 Dalmatians, or the exploits of Otis, the endearing Pug, in The Adventures of Milo and Otis. Dogs occupy a treasured […]

The Poodle, recognized by the AKC in 1887, did not make the top ten breeds until the 1950s, when it ranked number seven. This glamorous show dog and companion strutted into the number-one position in the 1960s and would become the first breed to hold the number-one crown for two consecutive decades. German Shepherd Dogs, […]

The only breed to rank in the top ten breeds every decade since the founding of the American Kennel Club became the nation’s top breed in the 1950s—the Beagle. Not coincidentally, Charles Schultz’s pet Beagle, Snoopy, made his illustrious first appearance in national newspapers on October 4, 1950, and swiftly became a pop phenomenon. The […]

I was sitting in front of a coffee shop drinking an overpriced cappuccino with two friends. At the table next to us sat two women, one who had a Chihuahua with a red leather, rhinestone-studded collar. The dog hovered near her feet and paced back and forth to the extent that his leash would allow, […]

If you’re the owner of a senior dog, you might think your dog sports days are behind you. But participating in dog sports with your dog can provide mental and physical exercise, the thrill of competition, and a chance for you both to have fun. With veterinarian approval, there are still many sports you and your dog can participate in. In […]

An event such as the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin offers an amazing opportunity to meet the many breeds competing in the ring. This year, the AKC Meet the Breeds individual booths represented more than 100 breeds. Like every breed, and, in fact, every dog, every booth is truly unique. Each breed club […]