It was a routine vet visit for Oliver, Julie Carter’s 3½-year-old Golden Retriever. At least, it was until the vet listened to Oliver’s heart and uttered the sentence that would change her life: “He has a heart murmur.” It was February 2018, and Carter had also brought in an interesting article from the Morris Animal […]

Puppyhood is a lot like human childhood. There are phases and stages, and some youngsters seem to mature faster than others. We can set some parameters for puppies. For instance, as a rule, smaller dogs tend to mature more quickly than larger breeds. Small breeds reach their adult size at about 12 months old, while […]

It didn't take Sergeant Micah Jones long to warm up to E-6 Marine Staff Sergeant Summer in 2014. In fact, it was love at first sight for both of these military veterans when they set eyes on each other for the first time at Dulles International Airport on a cold December night. The rapport and […]

At 15 years old, Minnesotan Ella Lambert has already developed a strong passion for AKC sports. She and her dogs are active competitors in Tricks, Rally, Disc, Dock Diving, and her favorite, Agility, which she calls her "heart sport." Lambert is also a Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI) who helps junior handlers and adults get […]

Every dog serves us in some way, if only to provide us with companionship and unconditional love. But service dogs are in a special category, trained specifically to help people with disabilities or life-threatening conditions. The best service dogs have traits that make them indispensable to their owners by helping them in ways that restore […]

Despite or perhaps as a result of the stress and unusual health precautions Americans experienced in 2020, people focused more than ever on their pets. For the first time, pet industry sales exceeded $100 billion, according to American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2020 State of the Industry Report. This tidal wave of spending is expected […]

"There between the graves, a beautiful red fern had sprung up from the rich mountain soil. It was fully two feet tall and its long red leaves had reached out in rainbow arches curved over the graves of my dogs. ... I had heard the old legend about the red fern. How a little boy […]

The results of a retrospective study recently published in Canine Genetics and Epidemiology provides additional evidence of a link between sterilization status and certain health risks.  Correlation of Neuter Status and Expression of Heritable Disorders, by Belanger, et al., concludes that several conditions showed an increased risk associated with neutering.  The authors emphasize that, “the […]

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to identify what makes us grateful. And it should come as no surprise that here at the AKC, our canine companions are at the top of our list. In anticipation of Thanksgiving, we asked our readers to submit their favorite fall photos of their four-legged sidekicks. Here are 15 canines […]

Results Team #1 Saturday, September 28, 2013 Judges ~ Sally Elkins & Betty Winthers Judge’s Comments Overall Excitement filled the air Saturday morning as tracking enthusiasts from around the country visited with each other in anticipation of the draw for running order. The order drawn was as follows: Deborah Abbott & Devon, a Golden Retriever […]