It is sometimes beneficial in both our personal and our professional lives to step back and take a longer perspective of what we have achieved and what we seek. Our natural inclination is to focus on just today and tomorrow. Today I want to share with you some longer range evaluation of just how AKC […]

Dogs initially earned the moniker "man's best friend" as a result of their work alongside man as hunter, herder, or guardian. Today's canine may have dwindling duties on the farm and in the field but a new role has emerged, taking simple companionship a step further and becoming a full fledged family member. Like our […]

The American Kennel Club is the only purebred dog registry which mandates both registration as well as care and condition quality control standards enforced through ongoing rigorous inspections of AKC Breeders. In 1991, the AKC’s Compliance Department came into its own, going beyond the complaint-based system of investigations to mandatory inspection for certain AKC breeders.  […]

The Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE) reaches out to the public in a compelling way like no other AKC awards program. It's about more than great dogs and dedicated people, it's about their relationship with each other. And it's more than an award, it's a celebration of that extraordinary canine-human bond that exists between no […]

Since February we have been waging a legislative battle against California Assembly Bill 1634 which would require mandatory spaying/neutering for all dogs over 4 months of age unless the owner qualifies for and purchases an intact dog permit through the local authorities. This would mean that those wishing to keep their dogs intact would be […]

Being truly unique in our mission and having a history spanning more than 120 years, there are few organizations with a heritage anything like ours. However, in recently learning more about the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), I have been struck at the many parallels it shares with the AKC. Both the AKC and AVMA […]

Despite our patriotic name, the American Kennel Club® is a world-class organization with an international presence. Earlier this month, the AKC/USA World Agility Team put in a stellar performance in Basel, Switzerland at the 11th FCI World Agility Championships. Sending Americans and their globe-trotting dogs to world competitions represents just one way in which we […]

The recently completed sixth AKC/Eukanuba National Championship was a wonderful way to close our year by showcasing the best of the American Kennel Club, both for the dog fancy and the general public. We hosted nearly 3,000 dogs for the weekend’s three events. All 165 AKC breeds and varieties, all 50 states and 16 countries […]

The American Kennel Club offers a variety of educational resources promoting responsible dog ownership. Whether you are a long-time breeder or just getting started in the sport we encourage you to take advantage of our informational offerings.   For a comprehensive educational experience, try one of the AKC/Canine Health Foundation Breeders Symposiums. Last month in […]

None of us will ever forget the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year and the tireless efforts of the fancy to give generously of their time, money (more than $1 million was donated to the AKC Companion Animal Recovery Canine Support and Relief Fund) and resources to aid those animals in need.  […]