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 […]

Of the top five breeds registered by the American Kennel Club, two have never won the sought-after Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Whether we're young or old, dogs are great company. Seniors deciding what breed dog to add to their life, should consider lifestyle and physical ability.

Dogs that can be considered of medium size can be found in most of the AKC’s seven groups. Whether it’s the energetic Shetland Sheepdog, the sporty spaniels, or the laid back Bulldog, there is a range of temperament and appearance within this size category. When considering getting a dog, size is a factor, but only […]

Accepted into AKC in 1885, the Saint Bernard swiftly rose to the position of the most popular dog of the 1890s. To this day, it is the only giant breed to secure the country’s top position as well as the only number-one breed to never appear in the top ten again. In later decades, two […]

The 2024 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which took place in Queens, New York, on May 11-14, has picked its Group Winners to move on to Best in Show.

One of the most exciting events in the dog world is the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan®. Handlers and their dogs come from around the nation to demonstrate their poise and skill. While all eyes are usually on the dogs, there is one important individual who ultimately decides the […]

People in the sport of dogs can wear many hats, and Bonnie Threlfall of Cary, North Carolina, has pretty much donned them all: Born into a dog-show family, she has been breeding her Edgewood English Cocker Spaniels for more than 40 years. After a decade-long stint as a professional handler in the late 1970s into […]

Beth Kirven of West Columbia, South Carolina, has always had Sporting dogs — her first dog as an adult was an English Cocker. But once she married and had children, she decided to ditch the grooming and go for some smooth operators: namely, Pointers, acquiring her first from the late Susan Thompson of Solivia Pointers […]