The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2021 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 18 and Sunday, December 19, 2021. The 2021 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]

If I purchase/acquire a dog that is from an FSS®-recorded litter, is the dog automatically considered FSS®-recorded? In order to have the dog recorded, you need to forward your FSS® application to the AKC for review with the appropriate fees. You should receive the FSS®reg application form from the person from whom you bought/acquired the […]

For 15-year-old Allison Chism of Ocala, Florida, there has never been a time that she hasn't been at dog shows. "I've loved being able to grow up and watch my mom, sister, and my grandmother succeed, which has given me the inspiration to follow in their footsteps," she says. Chism officially stepped into the ring […]

Dori Anderson, an AKC Breeder of Merit and preservation breeder of Outbackred Australian Terriers, lives in Hartford, Wisconsin. Established in 1983, Outbackred produces show quality Aussies with a focus on temperament, conformation, and structural soundness for future generations. They have produced many AKC Champions.     AKC:  How did you get started in breeding dogs? Dori: […]

Long on looks and short on training time, Dachshund puppies are fast learners. This determined and highly intelligent hound will follow your instructions, especially if you motivate them to follow your direction, and positive lessons speed the process. Walter Jones, First Vice President of the Dachshund Club of America, remembers George, his family's first Smooth […]

German Shepherd Dogs are among the most popular breeds in the world, consistently in the top five AKC breed rankings for most years these records have been kept. It's not hard to understand why. German Shepherds, the result of one man's vision of canine perfection, were designed to be the ultimate in work ethic, courage, […]

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Sienna Bay Watermark Dirk DM DS TKN TKI CGC, shows off one of his tricks that helped earn him the new AKC Intermediate Trick Dog title. Eleven-year-old Kya has had an impressive career that includes a conformation championship and rally titles. Being a veteran has limited some of her activities, but that […]

A high school stadium, three sets of bleachers, and one Q-tip dipped in the scent of birch. Finding that tiny swab, planted somewhere in the arena, seemed an impossible task to Suzanne LeRoy, as she and her Border Collie, Rain, faced their first nose work competition. “It was a huge area to search,” the California […]

Tucked inside a plush beanbag-filled playhouse in South Salem Elementary School's media center is everyone's favorite staff member: Mr. Booker T. Pug. It's where he makes a difference in the lives of 900 students every day. The students who read aloud to nonjudgemental Booker and become better readers. The students who come into the media […]

Each breed’s health testing requirements originate with a “parent club,” the AKC-recognized national club devoted to a particular breed. To assist breeders in fulfilling these requirements, AKC has compiled the health testing requirements for each breed, organized by group on the left navigation of this page. AKC Breeder Programs that Require Health Testing: Breeders that participate […]