Merrick, a 4-year-old black Labrador Retriever, works as guide dog for a blind man. But his career as a savior started when he was just a tiny pup. Lorraine Trapani, the volunteer puppy raiser who took 11-week-old Merrick under her wing in 2011, says that this tiny bundle of black hair, high spirits, and energy […]

The Curly-Coated Retriever (Curly) is a large-sized, sturdy, and elegant member of the Sporting Group. Learn more about the breed with these Curly-Coated Retriever fun facts. Curly-Coated Retrievers Are an Old Retriever Breed The Curly may look like a Labrador Retriever crossed with a Poodle, but they're a breed in their own right. In fact, […]

89 pups took to Newark International Airport this weekend as part of their training to become seeing eye dogs. The dogs, a host of German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Poodles, and Labrador Retrievers, are part of the New Jersey organization The Seeing Eye, which trains dogs to help the visually impaired. According to NJ.com, the dogs […]

A normal litter size can range from 1 to 12 puppies, with 5-6 puppies being average across all dogs. But just as every breed of dog differs by size, function, and personality, they also differ when it comes to litter size, according to AKC registration data. Big dogs tend to have larger litters while small […]

Some dogs can catch a frisbee. But it takes a truly special dog to handle catching one thrown out of the hands of the monstrous, green Phillie Phanatic without running the other way. But Phame, an 8-year-old Labrador Retriever, is up for the challenge, performing Disc Dog routines at halftime shows across the country.   […]

With the holidays behind us and a cold winter ahead, it is a good time to highlight the way dogs enhance our lives despite the frosty temperatures. During the festivities, young dog lovers across the country recorded their favorite moments with their canine friends. The contest, sponsored by the AKC Public Education Program, asked: What […]

After a particularly rough day of competing in novice obedience with his chocolate Labrador Retriever, Bob Fullum, of Staten Island, New York, got out a pen and wrote three words: Never Give Up. He slipped the phrase into the armband number he was wearing for his dog, Hershey, and smiled into his eyes. “You're amazing, […]

Frida the Labrador Retriever is a hero. Not only is she a sniffer dog and member of the Mexican Navy, but she's also credited with saving 52 lives in various natural disasters, the Guardian reports. Most recently, Frida has been hailed as a national hero after her deployment to search for victims following an earthquake […]

Gander Raises Awareness of Service Dogs’ Healing Magic     When the 2014 winners of the AKC Humane Fund Awards of Canine Excellence (ACE) were presented at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships, the roll call included a former shelter dog who almost lost his life and a military veteran who nearly took his own life. Gander […]

This article originally appeared in AKC Family Dog magazine. Alaska wags her tail and wiggles her body every time a person approaches. She has a great grin and calm demeanor but, turned in as a stray to a small rural shelter, her adoption chances were slim. She was an adult. She was black (the least […]