Though we often don’t think about them in this way, dogs are really about people — those long-ago (or, sometimes, not so long-ago) figures who developed particular breeds for particular tasks. Some breeds — like the Doberman Pinscher, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, and Cesky Terrier — owe their existence to just one visionary person. Other breeds were brought into being […]

When it comes to sports training, people oftentimes underestimate the drive and potential of giant dogs. I'm always thrilled when my three-and-half-year-old Newfoundland, Sirius, is able to break some stereotypes about what giant dogs can do, especially dogs that have a history of medical conditions. This March, just as the COVID-19 quarantine began, Sirius became […]

Golden Retrievers exist today thanks to one man — Dudley Marjoribanks, the first Lord Tweedmouth. In the 19th century, the preferred color was black.

Since December 2019, the countdown clock has been ticking on the American Belgian Laekenois Association website for the coming-out party of what its members believe to be America’s best-kept purebred dog secret. Well, the secret’s out of the bag as of July 1, 2020 when the tousled wire-coated newcomer with shade variations from fawn to […]

Miniature Schnauzer Takes 'Best in Show'  The American Kennel Club is happy to announce the winner of the 1st ever AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. The inaugural event garnered 689 entries. GCHP CH Carmel Sky High Wish Upon a Star, a Miniature Schnauzer known as “Twink,” was awarded Best in Show by AKC Judge and […]

Curiosity didn’t just kill the cat. It did in the duck, too. Over the centuries, bird hunters have come up with creative ways to close in on their quacking prey, in part by breeding specific dogs to help in that endeavor. Centuries ago, hunters in the Netherlands came up with perhaps the most outside-the-box idea for […]

Dog lice can lead to more serious health issues, so it’s important to learn how to recognize and quickly eradicate lice off your dog.

The Belgian Laekenois will soon be the AKC's newest recognized breed. For an in-depth introduction to the breed, come back on July 1. Her name was Diva but nothing could have been further off the mark appearance-wise in June 2018 when a bedraggled Belgian Laekenois first set foot permanently in Sharrii Hunt’s life. Chevalric’s Darling […]

As strong as it is swift, the Borzoi was bred for centuries to course fox, boar, hare and, famously, wolf – hence its moniker, the Russian Wolfhound.

We are proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the AKC Canine Partners program. Beginning in 2010 as an enrollment program for mixed breeds and other dogs not eligible for AKC Purebred Registration, the program has since enrolled hundreds of thousands of canines. The total number of enrollments is over 420,000 as of June 2020 There were […]