By Sheila Goffe, Director of Government Relations The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a not-for profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the advancement of purebred dogs as family companion and the health and wellbeing of all dogs. For more than 130 years, AKC has been recognized worldwide as the expert on purebred breeding and all aspects […]

By Connie Koehler Connie Koehler is the Legislative Liaison for the Soft Coated Wheaten Club of America and the Legislative Coordinator for the California Federation of Dog Clubs. Connie is also a past president of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Southern California. She is an active breeder/owner/handler of her three Wheatens and lives […]

By Margie RuckerReprinted from: The Canine Chronicle Piper is my Service Dog. Piper does not look like the typical service dog. Piper's undeniable charm, stature, and jolly demeanor elicits amused skepticism and, occasionally, unkind comments. Over time I've learned that all responses are opportunities for me to provide accurate information and to advocate for the […]

The American Kennel Club announces the full recognition of two breeds, the American Hairless Terrier and the Sloughi, raising the total number of AKC dog breeds to 189. “We’re excited to welcome these two unique breeds into the AKC family,” AKC Vice President Gina DiNardo said. “Both breeds make wonderful companions for the right family. If […]

Our pack is getting bigger and bigger! The American Kennel Club has given four additional breeds AKC recognition, bringing the total number of recognized breeds to 184.Allow us to introduce you to:Cirneco dell’EtnaThe Cirneco dell’Etna hails from Italy and joins the Hound group. The Cirneco is a hunter that works by scent, sight, and hearing. The breed has […]

Most breeders don’t think of themselves as having much in common with retail pet stores. But many anti-breeder extremists already consider you one, and a slew of legislation now appearing in dozens of communities across the country defines just about  anyone who  breeds or sells a dog as a retail pet store.  Throughout the country, […]

By: Sheila Goffe, Director, Government Relations Over the last year, AKC Government Relations has seen a rapid increase in the number of bills designed to restrict the sales of pets. Most are being introduced at the local level —and nearly all are packaged as “anti-puppy mill” or anti “pet shop” measures.     Sounds good, […]

by Ranny Green via the Seattle Kennel Club. You can’t blame 9-year-old Luke Gonzalez, of Yelm, if he feels like he’s on overload some days. He attends physical and speech therapy classes once and twice each week, respectively, takes guitar lessons weekly, attends a church youth class weekly and is home schooled along with his […]

At today's AKC Meet the Breeds event there were over a hundred breeds of dogs to snuggle. Behind every adorable dog in attendance is a responsible, caring, and knowledgeable breeder. We got a chance to talk with one and learn what got her into the world of dogs and a little about the furry loves […]

At some point, every dog owner is faced with the question: To breed or not to breed? If you are considering becoming a breeder, please keep the following in mind. Responsible breeders embrace the belief that each new litter should represent an improvement over the last. Responsible breeders are aware that each breed has an […]