USDA APHIS/ Regulatory – AKC submitted comments to the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) regarding a draft five-year strategic plan for the agency.  Comments will assist APHIS in finalizing the plan, of which a final version is expected in the fall. AKC’s comment highlights three main needs: (1) […]

News from the State Capitols Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. Maine – At the November Animal Welfare Advisory Council meeting, members noted that the dog license subcommittee had not met and no new information was provided. Discussion did focus on the lack of access to timely veterinary services […]

AKC Government Relations continues to monitor Congress for issues of interest to dog owners. Visit our 2022 Legislation Tracking map and click on “Federal Bills” on the map to get the latest updates on federal bills currently being monitored by the AKC. Highlights of issues we are currently addressing on the federal level include:  U.S. Congress – […]

The weather may be cooling off, but there are several issues on the federal and local levels that are heating up. In a new op-ed for the DC Journal, American Kennel Club Vice President, Sheila Goffe, expresses her deep concern about the removal of funding for breeder education and outreach including   “teachable moments” from the […]

The annual National Dog Show is arguably the one of the best parts of Thanksgiving. Here's everything you need on how to watch the National Dog Show.

When the music starts Elizabeth McKibben and her Australian Shepherd Harper and her Border Collie Fanta come alive. The 16-year-old from Dayton, Ohio, and her dogs are active competitors in Musical Freestyle competitions. McKibben and Harper have earned their fourth Musical Freestyle Championship and Fanta is about to earn his first Musical Freestyle Championship. Bringing […]

AKC Family Dog magazine is thrilled to announce that the January/February 2022 issue, the Sniffer Issue, has earned Folio Magazine’s 2022 EDDIE Award for Best Magazine in the category of Full Issue > Consumer > Animals > Pets. The Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards is the most prestigious recognition program in the publishing community, recognizing […]

Clara Brown of Santa Rosa, California, has been involved in showing and breeding purebred dogs for more than 50 years. She has bred and shown many champions and obedience-titled dogs, starting with Belgian Tervuren and Golden Retrievers. She has bred and shown Australian Shepherds since 1993. In 2008, she became enchanted with the Tibetan Spaniel […]

By Hilarie Erb and Claire A. Wiley, VMD, DACVIM Executive Director, AKC DNA Program There is a lot to do when planning a litter, from all of the work that went into your bitch’s show and/or performance career, to achieving all of the appropriate health clearances. The hopeful sire was subject to the same rigorous […]

by Keva Allen, AKC DNA Program Manager The American Kennel Club DNA Program is proud to announce an upgrade to our DNA Profile Panel, which has been in use for over 20 years. This upgrade harnesses newer technology to provide a more robust and flexible panel to serve the growing needs of the registry. Starting […]