Natalie Van Tassel, a junior handler from Washington, has found a passion in dog sports. It's also made a huge impact on the 17-year-old's mental health.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is excited to bring more new features online to help our valuable customers. Online Duplicates will allow you to order a duplicate litter kit, dog registration application or AKC certificate in a few quick, easy, and secure steps from the comfort of your living room!   To ensure the security […]

  A Conformation dog show...in a mall?! Who's ever heard of such a thing? We hadn't until we learned about "Match in the Mall" held by the Abilene Kennel Club in Abilene, Texas. The club held this small "match" to bring the wonder and excitement of the sport of purebred dogs to the public, and […]

Arizona firefighters showed both heroism and heart when they dashed into a burning house in Tucson at around 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 14, and rescued two dying dogs. They rushed the limp creatures outside, where other members of their team immediately got to work, administering oxygen with the Tucson Fire Department’s (TFD) pet CPR kits. […]

The American Kennel Club's newly recognized breed, the Lancashire Heeler, is the 201st recognized breed, part of the Herding Group.

It was a call that all breeders dread. The young couple, who had adored their puppy, reported they had a new baby, leaving no time for their dog. Teri NeSmith did not hesitate. “I gladly take any of my puppies back if the owner lets me know that they don’t want the dog. In fact, […]

Yes, we have all read about canine brucellosis.   That disease has been eliminated from our dogs in the U.S., right? So why are we bringing this topic up again – we are tired of hearing about it by now, aren’t we?  Sadly, canine brucellosis is not gone from the U.S. It is not only still here, […]

Polly the Saint Bernard is both a service dog and an AKC sports champion “She's responsible for me being alive," says Polly's owner, Allison, who at one point lost her memory from Lupus complications Polly has learned to differentiate between her Service Dog work with Allison as her handler and her dog sports work with […]

OK, try to pronounce it. I dare you: Nederlandse Kooikerhondje. But better get used to it because it’s now a member of the American Kennel Club’s companion events family. Which means, you’ll be seeing plenty more of these orange-red, parti-colored characters in the breed ring, Sporting Group, and Best in Show rings, as well as […]

Kennel cough in dogs, also known as canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD), is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can spread quickly from one dog to another. It’s caused by a combination of bacteria and viruses that affect the upper respiratory tract. Kennel cough occurs most often among dogs in close quarters, such as those who […]