Finishing touches are being applied to Monroe County Fairgrounds; Monroe, Michigan for the annual dog show, hosted this July holiday weekend by Ann Arbor Kennel Club. From Friday July 3rd through Sunday 5th more than two thousand dogs will compete in Conformation, Rally, Obedience and Barn Hunt. For the first time ever, Dock Diving […]

As a dog trainer and an instructor for puppy socialization classes, I can’t help but notice that almost all of the purebred puppies I see (and many popular purposely-bred mixes) are not from good local breeders but were purchased through the Internet. It’s actually quite astonishing: On a whim, anyone can Google a breed, click […]

When you get a dog, you have a friend for life. And part of being a good friend, and a responsible dog owner, is doing activities and bonding with your dog. There are many ways to do this. You can go for walks, hang out at the dog park, or if you're looking for a […]

The signature event held by the AKC is the dog show, also known as a conformation event. During a conformation event, dogs are judged according to their written breed standard. And contrary to what you may think, it's not just a beauty pageant, although the dogs are certainly beautiful. The goal of conformation is to […]

The 2019 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Dec. 14 and 15 had a record number of dogs in its 19th year. The competition began with 5,284 dogs each competing for best in their breed. Best in Group Best of Breed winners then advanced to compete in the group competitions. Each AKC-recognized breed falls […]

As you work up a sweat with your huge, loose-jointed Mastiff puppy, trying to hold up his mid-section while keeping all four of his feet pointed in the same direction, it’s not surprising you’ll watch the Doberman Pinscher handler with a touch of envy. The Dobe glides around the ring, head held high, then nails […]

What do you think of when you hear the word Poodle? For many, it’s an overdone diva—big hair, polished toenails, and a phony French accent. Poodles are often described as “froufrou” dogs, a slur that means prissy and high-maintenance. The image has been widely embraced, even in the wonderful world of Disney, where dogs are […]

The first step in navigating any culture is learning its etiquette: Never blow your nose at the dinner table in Japan, avoid public displays of affection in Sweden, and expect to encounter close talkers in Spain. A vibrant subculture in its own right, the dog-show world also has unspoken rules of conduct that might not […]

At only 18 years old, Madison Schlagel of Magnolia, Texas, has already made a name for herself in the dog world and is active in the Conformation ring. Madison owns and competes with three dogs: a Pointer named Daykene I Just Can't Help Myself ("Vice"), a Newfoundland named GCHB Bear N Mind's I'm Meant For […]

Around the country, dogs and their humans are gearing up for the event of the year: the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. This means rigorous training as dogs nail those jumps, weave poles, and tire jumps—all while following a diet carefully designed for peak performance. We spoke to Dr. Catherine Lenox (DVM, DACVN), […]