My dog is very nervous around other dogs and is often frightened around people he doesn’t know. As you can imagine, because of the spectators and fellow competitors, competing in many dog sports is a challenge. We trained in agility for years as part of his confidence-building program, but competition was not in the cards. […]

A high school stadium, three sets of bleachers, and one Q-tip dipped in the scent of birch. Finding that tiny swab, planted somewhere in the arena, seemed an impossible task to Suzanne LeRoy, as she and her Border Collie, Rain, faced their first nose work competition. “It was a huge area to search,” the California […]

Millions have had midlife career changes. They touch on an amalgam of motivation, health, skills, and behavioral soundness. Not everyone’s psyche is geared to these life-altering, pressure-point transitions, however. And what about dogs? A pair of Washington state Shetland Sheepdogs — Brumby and Sonnet — are finding it suits them nicely. Both have discovered how […]

“What’s the matter, Lassie? Did Timmy fall down the well?” For those old enough to remember the book, film, or television series, Lassie was always on the spot to protect or save her family from danger. But canine heroics are not just the stuff of fiction. In real life, dogs have been to known to […]

I can count on one hand the number of barns I've been to that did not have a resident barn dog. Barns and dogs are the ultimate pairing. Dogs have helped deter vermin and would-be predators since humans first started keeping livestock thousands of years ago. And, we like having our dogs with us, especially […]

Lori Wells, of Lancaster, Calif., and her search-and-rescue partner, Piglet, take a break during a deployment in the Las Vegas area. This is the second of a series of features on 2017's AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence Winners. There is nothing about the name "Piglet" or "Catahoula Leopard Dog" that would suggest an […]

WINNER Tracy Dulock & Gryff SEMI-FINALISTS Laura Morefield & Carly Sharon Page & Dash Outstanding Performances from the 2019 AKC Trick Dog National Competition In addition to the competition winners listed above, here are 20 other submissions (in random order). Each of these has something special about the performance. Some of the performances included fabulous […]

WINNER Debbi Snyder & Amos Hairy Pawter SEMI-FINALISTS Tracy Dulock & Gryffindor Indian Bones Sandi Taylor & Evie Evie’s Magical Dream  Outstanding Performances from the 2020 AKC Trick Dog National Competition In addition to the competition winners listed above, here are some outstanding performances from 2020 (in random order). The performances ranged from a pre-COVID performance in an auditorium […]

Dog Breed Health Testing Requirements Listed below are all AKC breeds and their health testing requirements. A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z Affenpinscher Ophthalmologist Evaluation Patella Evaluation Afghan Hound Hip Evaluation Ophthalmologist Evaluation Thyroid Evaluation Airedale Terrier Hip Evaluation Cardiac Exam Renal Disease DNA Test Ophthalmologist Evaluation Akita Hip Evaluation Ophthalmologist Evaluation Alaskan Malamute Hip Evaluation Ophthalmologist Evaluation Polyneuropathy DNA test American […]

Update June 13, 2021: Wasabi the Pekingese won Best in Show at Westminster in 2021. Learn about Wasabi's first big win at the AKC National Championship in 2019: Anticipation is a double-edged sword: The more you expect from a situation, the greater your disappointment if those hopes are dashed. But the opposite is true as […]