According to a friend, Dr. James Price McCain started exhibiting dogs in the 1930s to “relieve the nervous tension of his medical practice and perhaps most of all to participate in an activity in which his success or failure would be determined in merit, not solely upon the color of his skin.” Dr. McCain’s merit […]

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 […]

The 2020 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Dec. 12 and 13 hosted 3,680 dogs who all competed for the coveted title of Best in Show. The competition began with each dog competing for best in their breed. Best in Group Best of Breed winners then advanced to compete in the group competitions. Each […]

Sisters Lian Chase and Jade Chase from Peyton, Colorado, are powerful competitors in the show ring—and they're still teenagers. Lian, who is 18, got involved with showing dogs through 4-H when she was 9 years old, and began with AKC shows when she was 11. Younger sister Jade, 15, also began showing dogs through 4-H […]

Your dog is fast asleep, when suddenly he starts whimpering, moving his legs or tail, or engaging in some other odd behavior. Could your dog be dreaming? Scientists think so—in fact, they believe that dogs not only dream as we do, but also that they dream similarly to us, meaning that they replay moments from […]

When judging, take care that you don’t allow exaggerations to influence you. We are Americans, and many of us have a tendency when we look at a car to think that if a little chrome is good, then a lot is better! If a dog who moves alertly and with purpose is good, then an […]

Originally published in the AKC Gazette Almost all the spaniels and setters were developed in the British Isles—but of the AKC pointing breeds, only the Pointer has its roots in England. The rest come from all over Europe. European breeds are less specialized than those of the British Isles. None of the retrievers—developed as the […]

German Shorthaired Pointers (GSP) are full of energy, need lots of exercise, and "can be extremely challenging from six months to three years old," according to the AKC breed description. The good news: they're also highly receptive to training and picking up early obedience commands. And that's why learning to train your GSP will be […]

Monday, March 30 Welsh Springer Spaniel Tuesday, March 31 Belgian Laekenois Wednesday, April 1 Ibizan Hound Thursday, April 2 Puli Friday April 3 Airedale Terrier Monday, April 6 Sloughi Tuesday, April 7 Affenpinscher Wednesday, April 8 Lagotto Romagnolo Thursday, April 9 Rottweiler Monday, April 13 Finnish Spitz Tuesday, April 14 Welsh Terrier Wednesday, April 15 […]