Nancy Wargas lives in Simpsonville, SC, where her primary focus is loving her seven Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, two cats, chickens and a parrot. She has raised Quarter Horses, sheep, goats, chickens and Anatolian Shepherd Dogs on Long Island, NY, and in Rowland, NC. She is an AKC Breeder of Merit, who has bred Anatolians since […]

AKC Breeder of Merit and Bred with H.E.A.R.T. breeder Beth Lilly, owner of Safari Schipperkes, fell in love with her first Schipperke, Smokey, more than 30 years ago. At first, she was “just your average pet owner.” But with encouragement from a friend, she became a dedicated fancier and in the past 23 years has produced 38 champions and had well over 100 health tests performed on them. Smokey passed away at 19 years of age, and Beth said she still misses him.  […]

  Each month, the American Kennel Club (AKC) profiles breeders to hear how they got started and learn about their breeding program and experience with AKC Marketplace. We recently spoke with Karen Hanson of Labyrinth Brittanys in Maidens, Va. Karen began breeding Brittanys when she was a teenager, and today she is an AKC Breeder […]

Resource guarding is a challenging behavior to combat for new and experienced owners. Guarding possessions or food can occur between dogs in a household and/or between dogs and humans.  Early training is the best method to preventing resource guarding. It is important for puppies to learn at an early age that people touching their food […]

by Claire Wiley, VMD, DACVIM (SAIM) In the world of canine genetics, understanding the principles of inheritance is crucial for breeders aiming to enhance desirable traits and manage hereditary conditions. One important aspect of inheritance that breeders should be aware of is sex-linked inheritance. This article will explain the basic concepts of sex-linked inheritance in […]

I smelled the stench before I saw her, sort of like a landfill on a 92-degree day. A mottled gray and once-white shaggy blur ran down the hall into my arms, and I was in love, no matter what my nose told me. This cuter-than-a-teddy-bear puppy had darted into my boyfriend’s office when he opened […]

  Somewhere above us is a Mount Olympus of dog-show gods—“god” is, after all, “dog” spelled backward—whose favorite form of entertainment is lobbing disappointment and defeat to the leash-clutching mortals below. Instead of thunderbolts, these diabolical divinities rain down all the vagaries that test the soul of the purebred dog fancier: That once-in-a-lifetime sire that […]

Kristi Storum lives in Louisburg, NC with her Bichons Frise and a Standard Poodle. She is at the beginning of her breeding career, though she has been involved in dogs for nearly 15 years. She is a nationally certified professional groomer who participates in competitive grooming. AKC: How did you get started in breeding dogs? […]

Adrienne Scott is an AKC Breeder of Merit who has realized a lifelong dream in her small hobby kennel, Prairie Crest Beaucerons, of Maysville, Missouri, devoted to preserving the centuries-old Beauceron breed. She has produced many champions and, through health testing, improving temperaments, and structure, she strives to produce the best Beaucerons possible. Adrienne has traveled […]

Parasites are unpleasant, and hookworms are no exception. Here's what you need to know about the symptoms of hookworms in dogs and how to treat them.