Dogs love flyball which is one of the few canine team sports. There are four dogs on a team, and they race against another team in a relay race. Each dog must clear four hurdles, hit a box that releases a ball, which they must catch and carry back over the hurdles. The first team […]

After CGC: What's Next? A well-trained dog is a joy to live with, and the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program is a great first step in providing your dog with a solid foundation of basic training skills and intellectual stimulation. When you complete CGC training, you will have a canine companion who responds to core […]

Think of an AKC Rally event as any team sport: You and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. The dog and handler move continuously throughout the course with the […]

National Responsible Dog Ownership Day is September 17th! Each year the AKC invites its more than 5,000 affiliated dog clubs, along with other pet-related organizations to host Responsible Dog Ownership Day to help educate the public in their communities about the responsibilities of dog ownership and help current owners enhance their relationships with their pets. […]

Does your child have an innate passion for dogs? Do you to want to empower him/her with life-long skills about being responsible and a good sport – whether winning or losing? Put him/her on the path of Junior Showmanship (also called “Junior Handling”), a sport for young people where they show off their dog handling […]

“Try not to have a good time... this is supposed to be educational.” - Charles Schulz, famous cartoonist and creator of Peanuts (Snoopy is our favorite, of course!) You’ll probably be tempted to quote Charles Schulz when you introduce your child to Junior Showmanship. These events are packed with learning opportunities -- but they’re super […]

Being diagnosed with a disease or suffering an injury can be devastating and frightening. But finding ways to keep working toward goals and being active with your dogs can help your attitude and your healing process, says Dr. Brenda Riemer, who holds a doctorate in sports psychology and works with many athletes. Riemer is a […]

Fascinating fact: Dogs have a sense of smell that’s between 10,000 and 100,000 times more acute than ours! The sport of Scent Work celebrates the joy of sniffing, and asks a dog to sniff to their heart’s content; turning your dog’s favorite activity into a rewarding game. It is a terrific sport for all kinds […]

Thank you to Izzy, Blair, and Jack for sharing their experiences. Have your own story? Submit it to juniors@akc.org. [accordion]   [accordion_panel title="Izabelle Burg"] When I was 10 and Shiloh was 3 months old, she came to live with us. Mom said we needed to bond, so I slept with Shiloh so I had to […]

Rescue Pups Step Out in Music Video  Professional musician Randy Raatz featured his dogs Teddy and Mojo in a video in which his band covers the tune “Steppin’ Out” – a great way to open our issue with the theme On the Town! Combine 40 years-plus of making music with a lifelong love of dogs. […]