Meet Piper Hall: Competing Should Always be Fun for the Dog Piper enjoys several sports with her young dog, Gracie, and competing in the AKC Agility League has helped them build skills and confidence that have carried over to those sports. She likes that it offers a way to train and compete without the pressure […]

Meet Sierra Hagar: A Dog Sports Enthusiast Name: Sierra Hagar Age: 15 Hometown: Council Bluffs, Iowa Grade: 10th Family: Jennifer Vincent, Great Aunt/Guardian, and Aiden Hagar, brother Sierra belongs to a family that is all about dog sports. From early childhood she has helped out at flyball tournaments, disc events, scent work trials, and more. […]

Meet Willow Martin: Not Content to Sit and Watch! Name: Willow Martin Age: 17 Hometown: Williamsburg, VA Grade: 11th Family: Parents, Randi and David Martin AKC: How old is Violett and how did she come into your life? Willow: Violett (she has an extra “t” because she is extra special) turned 7 on April 17. She came into our lives by accident. When I was about 10, a […]

Meet Michael Kolath: Working Toward a Bright Dog Sports Future Name: Michael Kolath Age: 11 Hometown: Amarillo, TX Grade: 6th Family: Parents Bill & Sarah Kolath, brothers William and Andrew; sisters Elizabeth, Rebekah, and twin sister Annie Michael lives in the Texas Panhandle city of Amarillo with his dog-loving family. His parents and sisters enjoy dog […]

Meet Meghan Ponton: Meeting Agility Goals Name: Meghan Ponton Age: 16 Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA Grade: 11th Family: Parents, Steve and Becky Ponton Once Meghan Ponton began her dog training career with her family’s first dog, she never looked back. She improvised with what she found around the house to make jumps, and it wasn’t long before she built her own full-scale agility equipment. With Dash (Dash of Schooler’s Hill RN AX AXJ OF), she […]

Originally ran in the "Dogsport 101" column of AKC Family Dog Dog sports aren't only for purebreds. Since 2010, the AKC has awarded thousands of titles to mixed-breeds. Why shouldn’t your clever, athletic mix join the fun? And why shouldn’t you enjoy the bragging rights that come with putting an AKC title on your dog? […]

This is part of a series of profiles on the six top mixed-breed dogs that received the invitations to compete in the 2017 AKC Agility Invitational. The annual event takes place Dec. 15-17 in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC/Royal Canin National Championship and the AKC Obedience Classic. Name: MACH3 Jeter Morris MXS MJS […]

If your dog loves water and retrieving, then they are a natural for the exciting sport of dock diving. AKC recognizes the titles of the North America Diving Dogs (NADD) association, and there are many NADD events going on around the country every weekend. There are competitions this coming weekend (June 20-21) in New York, […]

If your dog loves to chase squirrels and dig for moles, then they would love the sport of Barn Hunt. Dogs get to hunt for rats, which are safely enclosed in heavy PVC tubes that are hidden in hay bales. The sport is for all dogs of all breeds, including mixed-breeds, like Hexie, who is […]

What is your name? Spencer Pardee How old are you? 16 years old What state do you live in? Michigan What breed(s) do you compete with? Standard Poodles What sport(s) do you compete in with your dog(s)? Tracking, obedience, rally, field, and agility How did you become involved with this sport? I became involved with […]