The California Legislature has introduced several bills with the potential to impact dog owners.  AKC Government Relations is in contact with the authors of critical bills and is working to ensure the best interest of responsible dog owners is protected. While no action is essential at this time, California dog owners are encouraged to make […]

When Carla Repko was younger, she and her brother would beg and beg their parents for a dog and were sadly unsuccessful with each attempt. So naturally, when she bought her first house, the first thing she did was get a dog: a mixed breed named Artoo. While his behavior was great in the first […]

An Arizona House Committee scheduled a hearing for Wednesday, February 16, on a bill that would prohibit insurance companies from considering the breed of dog a person owns when considering liability, risk, and other factors related to their homeowners and renters insurance coverage. All responsible dog owners and breeders in Arizona are encouraged to contact […]

Veterinarians recommend that all dogs receive preventative health care measures, such as core vaccinations, heartworm and tick-borne disease testing, and deworming for intestinal parasites. There are considerations for these diseases and their prevention strategies that are specific breeding dogs, as we strive to keep them safe through pregnancy and produce healthy puppies. Core vaccinations Distemper […]

The story of “Woodbine, the Pandemic Puppy” starts with Christmas 2019 when James Canavan surprised his wife, Breedette Hayes, with a gift book, “The Curious History of Irish Dogs,” by David Blake Knox. “We live in New York City but are originally from Ireland, so we were keen to learn more about native breeds,” says […]

The Missouri House Local Government Committee is scheduled to consider two bills on Thursday, January 27, that would prohibit local municipalities from enacting breed-specific laws in the state. As introduced, AKC strongly supports these bills, as stated in our previous alert. There is discussion, however, that amendments may be proposed that would place significant restrictions […]

News from the State Capitols Here are some highlights of state-level issues AKC GR is currently tracking. Arizona – House Bill 2323 states that for the purposes of homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, the breed of dog may not be considered for underwriting or determining risk or loss, questionnaires or surveys regarding the presence of a […]

Happy New Year! As we move into 2022, we are pausing to reflect on all that happened in canine legislation in 2021 and looking ahead to what that means for purebred dog owners and breeders in 2022. Things were not entirely back to pre-COVID times last year, but it didn’t stop the Government Relations department […]

What makes a dog lash out in aggression? It's one of the most critical questions dog lovers face — and failure to find answers can bring heartbreaking consequences, including behavioral euthanasia and even the banning of certain breeds. While it's important to know the difference between aggressive and reactive behavior, recent research out of the […]

Mudi and Russian Toy Bring Recognized Breeds to 199 The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, announced today that the Mudi and Russian Toy have received full recognition, and are eligible to compete in the Herding Group and Toy Group, respectively. These additions bring the number […]