This training tip offers great advice on teaching and building desire to play the “touch” game – a great way to get your dog’s attention even in distracting situations. It is brought to us by Shannon Jones, AKC Rally Judge. She also teaches basic obedience, competitive obedience and rally obedience at two training centers in […]

These training tips offer great advice for anyone who is competing or thinking about competing in dog sports. They are brought to us by Alison Smith, co-owner and head trainer at Personal Paws Inc. in Toronto, Canada. She holds a master’s degree in Public Relations and Marketing but left the corporate world three years ago […]

If your dog has received the AKC Canine Good Citizen (and perhaps also the AKC CGCA) title, you may have asked “What’s next?”  One answer could be the AKC Beginner Novice obedience title. The Beginner Novice class is a great “next step” for CGC dogs since it works on advancing the skills your dog has […]

Dog people have their own language, but we often take the meaning of the words for granted. Most of these words were originally the vernacular of stockmen. Everyone understood what “conditioning” meant, since farmers conditioned horses, dogs, and barnyard animals for pragmatic reasons. Today, however, most dog-sport competitors come with little or no experience in […]

  From our friends at Vetstreet We know you love your pet unconditionally and strive to take good care of him, but even the most experienced owners can sometimes harm their dogs or cats and not even realize it. Here are a few mistakes you might be making, but don't worry, we've also included advice […]

Health Tips We may know our canine companions better than anyone else, but it is important to remember most of us are not medical professionals. If you are uncertain how to treat your dog's medical needs or if you have any questions, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. It is important to keep the following […]

– The Spanish Water Dog, Cirneco dell’Etna, Bergamasco, & Boerboel Gain Full AKC Recognition – New York, NY –The pack has expanded! The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) announced today that the Spanish Water Dog, Cirneco dell’Etna, Bergamasco, and Boerboel gained full AKC recognition. This brings AKC’s roster of recognized breeds to 184. "The AKC is […]

If we wish to achieve our goal of breeding quality dogs in fewer numbers, we must set our sights on producing and rewarding dogs with correct front-end assemblies. In a previous Gazette column I discussed front-end assembly and the problems associated with incorrect, upright shoulders. Because so many world-class dog people are concerned about the […]

-- 2010 is the Year to ‘Do More with Your Dog’! -- As the end of the year approaches, the American Kennel Club® (AKC) urges pet owners toremember the family pet while pondering potential New Year’s resolutions. "Eighty-one percent of dog owners buy gifts for their dogs," said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "But what you […]

Our pack is getting bigger and bigger! The American Kennel Club has given four additional breeds AKC recognition, bringing the total number of recognized breeds to 184.Allow us to introduce you to:Cirneco dell’EtnaThe Cirneco dell’Etna hails from Italy and joins the Hound group. The Cirneco is a hunter that works by scent, sight, and hearing. The breed has […]