I’m not a fan of country music, but as I begin writing this column, from the radio in the next room the song “The Gambler” is crooning, “The secret to survivin’ is knowing what to throw away, and knowing what to keep.” Choosing a brood bitch is a bit of a gamble. Whether acquiring your […]

Some owners think it's funny to watch their dog play with a laser pointer, but this game can be very frustrating for a dog. Here's other activities to try.

Humans aren’t the only members of the workforce!  The American Kennel Club (AKC®) celebrates the evolution of our canine coworkers – what jobs they were originally bred to perform and what work you can see them doing now.  Dogs go above and beyond each and every day, not only as beloved family pets, but as […]

  MACH Princess Sophie Jo CD BN RE MXS MJG OF owned by Debra Tervelt of Loves Park, IL Sophie was nearly a year old when she joined the Tervelt home on February 4, 2006. Debra started her in a puppy class at the Forest City Dog Training Club just to learn some manners. “Never […]

AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Hilarie Erb has added several adult dogs to her home, in addition to puppies. She is pictured with her Greyhound, Fire, who is a retired racer that she adopted as an adult, and her Wire-haired Pointing Griffon, Mike, who joined her family as a puppy. Hilarie tell us the benefits of choosing an […]

Karen Powell of Frankfort, KY, has three rescued mixed-breed dogs that compete very successfully in AKC Agility, AKC Rally, and Barn Hunt: Stella CD RAE7 AXP AJP NFP RATN Biggie RAE2 MXP MJP XFP RATN Cody RAE MXP3 MXPB MJP4 MJPB OFP T2BP RATO She started taking classes with her dogs in 2006 because of […]

Last weekend, a Sussex Spaniel, named Duncan, made a huge splash at a North American Dock Diving event in Greensboro, North Carolina, becoming the first of his breed to earn an AKC Dock Diving Novice title and AKC Dock Diving Junior title. Dogs have been able to earn AKC titles in this water sport since June […]

Rowdy Cuz E Iz CD BN RAE owned by Mary Patterson of St. Michael, MN Mary brought Rowdy home when he was an 8-week-old puppy and started training soon after. The now 6-year-old Shih-tzu – Poodle mix is “extremely smart and a wonderful performance dog,” Mary said. “I've never really cared for obedience until I […]

Many puppies and young dogs go through a period of submissive urination – releasing a small amount of urine when they are greeted by their owners or visitors. AKC GoodDog! Helpline Trainer Christie Canfield gives some great tips on dealing with this behavior. Submissive urination is a normal canine communications behavior.  Dogs squat and urinate […]

We all know the cliché of the starving stray, wandering around the streets raiding the trash and begging for scraps. A Brazilian homeless dog named Bolinha (one English translation means "ball") has turned that image on its ear by becoming so fat that he could barely waddle. It all started about 13 years ago when […]