Karen Powell of Frankfort, KY, has three rescued mixed-breed dogs that compete very successfully in AKC Agility, AKC Rally, and Barn Hunt: Stella CD RAE7 AXP AJP NFP RATN Biggie RAE2 MXP MJP XFP RATN Cody RAE MXP3 MXPB MJP4 MJPB OFP T2BP RATO She started taking classes with her dogs in 2006 because of […]

Sisters Lian Chase and Jade Chase from Peyton, Colorado, are powerful competitors in the show ring—and they're still teenagers. Lian, who is 18, got involved with showing dogs through 4-H when she was 9 years old, and began with AKC shows when she was 11. Younger sister Jade, 15, also began showing dogs through 4-H […]

Giving your dog access to sports, activities, and jobs around the house can provide outlets for dogs' physical and mental energy. 

A memorable trip to Germany gave Cynthia Heyman an opportunity to visit family, tour the Rhine River, and meet her dream dog, aptly named "Dreamer."

There is a general movement within the dog world that has breeders and their clubs looking for new ways to make breed improvements. This is occurring because of the growing arsenal of tools available to breeders and their clubs. Given these conditions, the opportunity for making improvements is well within the reach of most clubs […]

There are champions, and then there are champions. Every year, the American Kennel Club acknowledges the most accomplished dogs in a trio of sports – Agility, Obedience, and Rally – by hosting championship competitions to which the nation’s top-ranked dogs are invited. A handful of these top winners then run, jump, weave, heel, or retrieve their […]

Everyone knows Lassie, the brave Collie who guarded the little farm boy, Timmy Martin, with her life. Week after week, Lassie dragged her trouble-prone charge from the brink of disaster. From her very first incarnation, in Eric Knight’s classic Lassie Come Home in 1940, her name—and her breed—has been synonymous with intelligence, courage, love, and […]

Weather, geography, and plenty of personal turmoil were all part of Sue Terry’s brittle landscape in 2022. And yet she and handler Starla Brewer found a way to get Finn, Terry’s beloved Karelian Bear Dog, to Orlando, Florida. There, the 12-year-old, 40-pound dog competed in the 2022 AKC Fast CAT Invitational, held in conjunction with […]

For purposes of imposing a consistent format at dog shows, the AKC family of breeds is divided into seven groups. The hounds, terriers, and toy dogs each have their own group. The herding dogs that move livestock are grouped together, and so are the big working dogs that pull, protect, patrol, and do other heavy work. Likewise, sporting dogs, […]

It can be tricky to know how to find a responsible breeder. Here are some considerations to guide you in your search for your next puppy.