The American Kennel Club is sponsoring the third annual AKC® Responsible Dog Ownership Day (AKC RDO Day) on September 17th. It is one of our most popular initiatives for fanciers and pet lovers alike. In honor of AKC’s founding, on September 17, 1884, AKC initiated a public awareness campaign for current and future dog owners […]

2004 was a very productive and successful year for the AKC and we remain enthusiastic about our prospects for the future.Financially, we have had an outstanding year. We have made a remarkable bounce-back in our registrations, attaining an increase that has brought us back to the level of 2002. Our investments are at an all-time […]

As many in the fancy are aware, the American Kennel Club established the AKC Canine Health Foundation ten years ago with an original donation of $1 million. Since its inception the Foundation – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – has contributed over $12 million to help fund canine health studies. This includes research related to the […]

In the fall of 2004, the Board embarked on a strategic planning initiative designed to establish a roadmap for accomplishing the very important mission of the AKC. Given the challenges we face from anti-dog legislation, animal rights extremists, and competing registries, we believe it is essential to develop a clear plan for the future.  To […]

It is well known that revenue from our registration services forms the major portion of AKC’s income.  The slow but gradual decline in our registration numbers over the past years has been of concern to all of us.  Therefore, it is gratifying to me to see the possible reversal of this trend with a steady […]

I’m pleased to report that the AKC, along with hundreds of our clubs and other pet-related organizations, is well into the planning of the second annual “AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day.”  Proclaimed by the Board as September 17th (the date of AKC’s founding in 1884), this event focuses on celebrating the benefits of dog ownership […]

Each March, Delegates representing the AKC Member Clubs elect individuals from among their own number to serve as voting members of the AKC Board of Directors. In order to understand the significance of this process, it is important to understand how the AKC is governed. There are three distinct, but interrelated, groups of individuals with […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC), through its affiliate organization AKC Companion Animal Recovery (AKC/CAR), established the AKC/CAR Canine Support and Relief Fund in 2001.  It was designed as a permanent, charitable fund to provide resources, support, funds, and other assistance to not-for-profit animal shelters and similar not-for-profit organizations providing care for domestic animals orphaned or […]

Recently, I was a guest on the History Channel's weekly series "History's Business" where I was asked to discuss AKC and the sport of purebred dogs.  In preparation, I did a great deal of reading about AKC’s 120-year history and the individuals who contributed to making the organization and the sport what it is today. […]

Engaged as we all are in the world of purebred dogs, it is often easy to forget that legislators¾whom we must call on to help us protect our rights as dog owners and breeders and to ensure the continuation of our sport¾may know little about the AKC and the fancy beyond the conformation shows they […]