On October 1, the AKC rolled out Scent Work, a new titling event open to all dogs. Before the AKC introduces a new sport, staff methodically evaluates, adapts, and develops the event. The process can take several months, sometimes years. Stephanie Kennerley is Sports and Events Projects coordinator. Her department creates and implements new AKC sports […]

Every year prior to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the general public is given the opportunity to meet (and more importantly, play with!) over 100 different dog breeds at AKC Meet the Breeds, brought to you by Purina® Pro Plan®. This year's event certainly didn't disappoint, featuring individual booths that were not only elaborate in decoration, but also […]

The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2018 AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 15 and Sunday, December 16, 2018. The 2018 event will showcase the top national and international canine athletes and will also […]

“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 […]

For years her Vizslas’ successes in dog sports have produced many smiles and good vibes for Cathy Cline, of North Hollywood, Calif., but those memories don’t compare to the unshakable happiness triggered by Friends and Vets Helping Pets (FVHP), the foundation she started in 2012. Yes, there have been plenty of hand-wringing, frustrating moments, too, […]

This past weekend, thousands of dogs and dog lovers descended on Orlando, Florida for the 2015 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship at the Orange County Convention Center. Here are a few highlights: New world records were set during the Elite Finals of Dock Diving. The winning jump was 30 feet 7 inches by a Labrador Retriever named […]

Does your dog have almond shaped eyes? A heavy and muscular neck? A tail medium in length that tapers to a point? A smooth and short coat? A broad chest? If you said yes to these questions, then congratulations, you own a “pit bull” …At least according to the City and County of San Francisco’s […]

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 […]

In the early 1950s, a stunning Doberman Pinscher came charging out of California to vanquish the best show dogs the East Coast elites had to offer. In the process, he became an international superstar. Among the treasures of the AKC Library & Archives is the Len and Shirley Carey collection of photos, clippings, scrapbooks, correspondence, […]

Cleo and Gwen Blake practice at Family Dog Training Center in Kent, Wash., a Seattle suburb. “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect,” says Blake. “And we need plenty of that.” Photo courtesy Kathy Lang. For Gwen Blake, it’s back to basics every time she steps into the obedience and rally rings with her […]