Summer has arrived, and most of the country is experiencing hot, muggy weather. I hope these ideas will help protect your home, kennel, and dogs from summer hazards. Check daily for ticks. The reports are in, and ticks are bad this year!  Be careful and make sure you visually and physical examine your dogs daily […]

If you're looking for something fun to do with your dog at home when the weather is nice, these Treibball-inspired games are a great way to give them some physical and mental exercise. Even if your pup doesn't have any natural herding abilities, these games will still get them up and moving! What is Treibball? […]

While a toy puppy may increase its birth weight by a factor of 10 to 20, a giant-breed puppy may grow to be 100 times bigger than when he was born. Consider this: A newborn Chihuahua may weigh only three ounces at birth and three pounds at maturity. A newborn Great Dane, however, may weigh […]

The to-do list associated with getting a new puppy may seem overwhelming. To make it more manageable, I’ve compiled the most important training items to teach your new four-legged family member. 1. Teach Them to Know and Love Their Name What’s in a name? Well, nothing if your puppy doesn’t know it. Teach your puppy […]

After nearly two full days of competition between more than 100 dogs, one Golden Retriever came out on top: Juicy. Six-year-old Juicy (OTCH7 High Times Totally Sauced UDX7 PCD OGM SH) earned a score of 517.5/520 and was handled by owner Sharri Lynn Sibert of Schoolcraft, MI. No stranger to success, Juicy was the first […]

After nearly 10 hours of competition between more than 300 dogs, one Border Collie was declared the 2021 AKC Rally National Champion: Stryker. Seven-year-old Stryker (OTCH Norwood's Owl Love Ewe Like Crazy UDX2 OM3 RM RAE2 PT OA OAJ) is owned and handled by Nancy Curtis of Ellis Grove, IL. The 2021 AKC Rally® National Championship […]

As previously reported, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has proposed to reissue a rule to require that breeder/dealers, research facilities, intermediate handlers, carriers, and other animal enterprises subject to USDA licensing establish emergency/contingency planning in the event of a natural or manmade disaster or other business disruption. HISTORY […]

State Issues: News from the State Capitols  Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. California – AB 468 would further clarify the difference between trained service dogs and emotional support animals, and particularly emphasizes that emotional support animals should not be granted the same privileges and access. The bill is […]

Local/Other: Issues at the City, County, and Metropolitan Levels, and in US Territories The AKC Government Relations Department is pleased to assist dog owners with canine legislation issues in their local communities, but we can't help unless we are aware of the proposal. Please contact us at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org when new laws are discussed or […]

On Tuesday, July 6, the City of Stamford’s full Board of Representatives voted 33-1 to return a proposed dog tethering ordinance back to its Legislative and Rules Committee for consideration of additional input by residents and fellow board members.  Video of the meeting can be viewed here.  Discussion of the proposed tethering ordinance, LR30.103, starts […]