General 1. What is the purpose of the AKC National Owner-Handled Series? To recognize and showcase the quality dogs being exhibited by owner/handlers and to provide a venue for the owner/handlers to compete against their peers. The determination of the awards in the AKC National Owner-Handled Series is based solely on the quality of the […]

Deep in the AKC Gazette photo archive is a battered old Kodak film box. It contains several rare—and extremely fragile—glass negatives taken by Rudolph Tauskey. They date to the early 1920s. Canine photography buffs have assumed for years that all of Tauskey’s glass negatives were lost, but six survive. Using a sophisticated scanner, the AKC Publications […]

An event such as the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin offers an amazing opportunity to meet the many breeds competing in the ring. This year, the AKC Meet the Breeds individual booths represented more than 100 breeds. Like every breed, and, in fact, every dog, every booth is truly unique. Each breed club […]

The AKC National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals celebrates the dedication and enthusiasm of owner-handler exhibitors and allows them to compete head-to-head against one another in the conformation ring. After incredible competition, this year's Best in Show honors went to GCHS CH Wigglesworth Aberlour's Pyt CGC, a Bearded Collieknown affectionately as "Ellee," owned and handled by […]

When most people think of boisterous, outdoorsy dogs, they think of the larger working and sporting breeds. Dogs like Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are popular choices for those looking for an outgoing, extroverted dog. But there are a lot of small breeds with some pretty big personalities. Not all small breeds are satisfied being […]

Each year, we are proud to recognize and celebrate the men and women who dedicate their lives to improving the health, temperament, and quality of purebred dogs. These breeders are the heart of our organizations and they deserve to be recognized for their incredible work. One breeder is chosen from each of the seven groups […]

Nearly 2,600 dogs vied for the coveted title of Best in Show at the 145th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina® Pro Plan®. After three days of breed competition and two days of group competition, seven dogs moved forward to Best in Show competition. Working group Samoyed: Vanderbilt 'N Printemp's Lucky Strike Sporting group German […]

At the 144th iteration of the famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held in New York City's cavernous Madison Square Garden, judge Robert H. Slay pointed to “Siba" the black Standard Poodle for Best in Show. That win — in an entry of almost 2,600 dogs — marked the fifth time one of these elaborately […]

  Purebred dogs are purpose-bred dogs and come in all shapes and sizes. The characteristics that make each of these dogs unique also help them perform the function for which they were bred. The physical appearance of the dogs illustrates this, and is also an important part of the breed’s history. For example, the thick […]

Bailey’s Book Club, an American Kennel Club® program, is designed to provide dog-themed books and related resources to K-12 schools around the country that qualify as Title 1 or have at least 40% of students enrolled qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The program also provides children with an opportunity to learn about the importance […]