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We know that purebred dogs are as important as ever to our core constituents. AKC events have grown in most venues, with an average growth of 3.35 percent and an average increase in entries of 2.74 percent during 2004.

A fast-paced, competitive world demands proactive and flexible leadership. The same holds true for our organization. Today’s AKC management strives to achieve a harmonious balance between preservation of the past and progressive innovations to ensure the future of our sport. In that vein, we have instituted many practices to accompany our cherished traditions. From recently established events and programs to new sources of alternative revenue, AKC is branching out to the future while our roots remain proudly and firmly planted in history.

We have taken several significant steps forward to increase AKC’s brand awareness and fulfill the needs of our growing constituencies. In 2004, we added the new sport of AKC Rally to our portfolio of events, and we welcomed this new constituency into regular competition on January 1, 2005. The newly established AKC licensing program will bring AKC-branded merchandise to dog lovers throughout the country. Our annual AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day returned on a local and national scale (thanks to the participation of over 450 AKC-affiliated clubs and other organizations throughout the country) and resulted in unprecedented crowds and media coverage. The New Delegates Orientation was officially reintroduced as a yearly presentation. We created a new online newsletter, “Your AKC,” to satisfy the public’s growing demand for content and information about purebred dogs. We expanded our commitment to philanthropy through DOGNY and the AKC-CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund in response to the devastating hurricanes in Florida. We proudly instituted the DOGNY Heroic Military Working Dog Award to honor K-9s and their handlers serving our nation overseas. The past year has indeed been a showcase of what the AKC community of staff, Delegates, and fanciers can accomplish when we work together in the interest of the dogs we love. Our unrelenting spirit of service to the world of dogs undoubtedly adheres to the original road map designed by our club’s founders 120 years ago.