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![](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/shih-tzu-vs-lhasa-apso-400x267.png)
Expert Advice: Dog Breeds
Lhasa Apso Versus Shih Tzu: How to Tell the Difference
They're adorable. Those small, sturdy dogs with their regal bearing and long, gorgeous coats. But which breed are you admiring? The Shih Tzu (pronounced “sheed-zoo" or “sheet-su") or the Lhasa Apso? To the untrained eye, it can be hard to tell these two dogs apart, especially in full coat. But in fact, although these breeds […]
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/lhasa-apso-versus-shih-tzu-how-to-tell-the-difference/
| April 11, 2023
![](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/LhasaApso_BreedStandards_001-400x267.jpg)
Expert Advice: Dog Breeds
Lhasa Apso History: Tiny Tibetan Watchdogs
When dog lovers hear the phrase “mountain dog,” their thoughts naturally turn to the big guys: Saint Bernards, Great Pyrenees, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and other large, immensely powerful breeds created to guard flocks and rescue luckless travelers amid the world’s great mountain ranges. But dogs specially bred to thrive in high altitudes come in all […]
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/lhasa-apso-history-tibetan-watchdogs/
| July 1, 2021
![best of booth hero](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/bestofboothero-400x267.jpg)
Expert Advice: News
See the Winners of 2018’s Meet the Breeds Booth Contest
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 […]
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/see-winners-2018-meet-the-breeds-booth-contest/
| February 12, 2018
Press Releases
2022 AKC National Championship Judging Panel Now Available
The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2022 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18, 2022. The 2022 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also […]
https://www.akc.org/press-releases/2022-akc-national-championship-judging-panel-now-available/
| January 24, 2022
Clubs & Delegates
Parent Clubs Committee Best Practices
Parent Club Best Practices Mission Statement Welcome to the Best Practices resource documents and links created by the Parent Club Best Practices Committee. Our committee was formed in the early months of 2020 and represents the collective efforts of nearly a dozen AKC Delegates, Parent Club Presidents or Officers and AKC Staff. Our overarching goal […]
https://www.akc.org/clubs-delegates/parent-clubs-committee-best-practices/
| August 12, 2022
Press Releases
2022 National Owner-Handled Series & National All-Breed Puppy & Junior Stakes Judging Panels Now Available
The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panels for the 2022 National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida in conjunction with the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin. The NOHS Finals will be held […]
https://www.akc.org/press-releases/2022-national-owner-handled-series-national-breed-puppy-junior-stakes-judging-panels-now-available/
| July 22, 2022
![two poodles outdoors top 5 most popular breeds](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn-origin-etr.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/15085347/Miniature-Poodles-head-portrait-outdoors-1-400x267.jpg)
Expert Advice: Dog Breeds
Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2021
It goes without saying that in your house, your dog is the most popular. But what do the statistics say? The American Kennel Club has used registration data to compile the list of 2021’s most popular breeds. As always, the Labrador Retriever tops the list — this time for the 31st year! The Lab's temperament […]
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/most-popular-dog-breeds-of-2021/
| March 15, 2022
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Expert Advice: Dog Breeds
The Dog Breeds Beloved by Monks
The ability of dogs to put us humans in touch with our own spirituality, to draw our focus out of ourselves and cause us to reflect upon the wonders of nature, has not gone unrecognized by those who would perhaps understand this best. Dogs have long held a special place at monasteries worldwide, and certain […]
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/dog-breeds-beloved-monks/
| January 21, 2022
![black and white historical image of a japanese chin outdoors](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/JapaneseChin_BreedStandards_001-400x267.jpg)
Expert Advice: Breed History
Japanese Chin History: Japan’s Royal Spaniel
In Japan, there are Inu (dogs) and there are Chin. To the Japanese. the distinction needs no clarification: Chin are royalty. They are descendants of dogs that warmed the laps of Chinese aristocracy and kept court with the women of the Imperial Palace. The Japanese Chin's true origin is in China, where the breed's chronology […]
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/japanese-chin-history-japans-royal-spaniel/
| October 21, 2021
![](https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/danuta-hyrniewicz-400x267.jpeg)
Expert Advice: Breed History
Polish Lowland Sheepdog History: Rebuilding the Breed After WWII
This is not just another shaggy-dog story. Also known as the Polski Owczarek Nizinny, or PON for those of us who are Slavicly-challenged, the hearty Polish Lowland Sheepdog joined the Herding Group and became AKC-recognized in 2001. On the cuteness scale alone, it was no surprise that this dog stirred up a lot of enthusiasm […]
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/polish-lowland-sheepdog-history-rebuilding-breed-wwii/
| October 8, 2021