The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2022 National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The NOHS Finals will be held […]

In the summer of 2019, the news shocked dog owners across social media: three dogs died after playing in a pond in Wilmington, North Carolina, while another died after a swim in Lake Allatoona, Georgia, and three different dogs died after playing in a lake in Austin. What led to the deaths of all seven dogs? Likely, liver failure […]

For the majority of people in the U.S., Michael Phelps is a household name. He is the most medaled Olympian, having won a total of 28 medals in individual and team events. So who is the "Michael Phelps" of the dog world? Some may say it's Jennifer Crank. At just 35 (a year younger than Phelps!) […]

The top dogs in the nation were crowned from an overall combined entry of more than 640 dogs this past weekend at the AKC National Obedience Championship and AKC Rally® National Championship. Competitions were held July 8th-10th, 2022 at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, OH. “It was absolutely incredible to watch these outstanding performances as […]

Deciphering the registered names of show dogs can be a baffling process for the public. "Why are the names so long?" "Is that how they call their dogs?" "What do all those letters mean?" "What language is that?" Those are just some of the comments heard when commentators announce show dogs by their formal names. […]

Although consistency is key when training dogs, naturally there will be training breaks that happen. Work schedules, family commitments, and vacations can all result in even the most serious dog sport competitors needing to take some time off from training or reduce the amount of time they have to train. Similarly, injuries to the dog or handler […]

Editor's Note: The American Kennel Club has had a long history of inclusion across our sport for exhibitors and spectators from all walks of life. This month, we are sharing stories and voices of LGBTQ community members. Here is Sassafras Lowrey's: When the AKC went public on social media with a rainbow version of the logo […]

Breeders and fanciers generally use the term “balance” to describe a dog’s physical proportions. The Australian Shepherd breed standard, for example, specifies that a perfect Aussie is “well balanced, slightly longer than tall, of medium size and bone.” Similarly, the standard for the Cardigan Welsh Corgi extols the importance of balance, meaning the ratio of […]

Are you a canine instructor who works for other training companies? Do you think about working with dogs in a facility that you own and operate? When professional dog trainers imagined running a top-notch canine center, they made a big move.  The result? Two successful, state-of-the-art centers devoted to enriching dogs' relationships with their owners. Here's how […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to recognize its affiliated dog clubs which have been holding AKC events for over 100 years and are an essential part of the sport of dogs. Founded in 1884, AKC together with its affiliated organizations promote responsible dog ownership, conduct over 23,000 organized dog events per year, breed […]