When judging, take care that you don’t allow exaggerations to influence you. We are Americans, and many of us have a tendency when we look at a car to think that if a little chrome is good, then a lot is better! If a dog who moves alertly and with purpose is good, then an […]

The AKC Government Relations Department (AKC GR) has received word that several Jefferson Parish councilmembers will request to defer the consideration of the proposed cruelty ordinance changes, which were scheduled to be considered today, until a future meeting. Councilmembers have expressed an interest in hearing Parish residents’ views about the proposal. Therefore, it extremely important […]

At its next meeting on Wednesday, January 28, the Jefferson Parish Council is scheduled to consider a proposal that will amend the parish’s ordinances that regard the humane treatment of animals. Several parts of the proposal are of concern to the American Kennel Club. Jefferson Parish residents are strongly encouraged to review the proposal and […]

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 […]

The Kansas House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources is considering a bill this Monday, January 26, that will expand who must be regulated under the state’s breeder laws. The bill will also create new requirements for those who are involved in rescue and those who keep at least 4 dogs during any week for […]

The Montana Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider Senate Bill 115 on January 20, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. This bill would expand provisions regarding bonds for care of seized animals. The American Kennel Club’s concerns with SB 115 include, but are not limited to: SB 115 would limit the court’s discretion in cases of […]

  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 […]

Picture Perfect: Beauty and Utility in Canine Imagery This month I was going to write about an all-time canine tearjerker, "Lassie Come Home." To refresh my memory, I cued up the 1943 classic and settled in with my notebook and some peanut M&Ms. And then I got sidetracked before the movie even began. The screen […]

The American Kennel Club (AKC) has announced today that, as of July 1, it will recognize titles earned in competitions sanctioned by the North American Tail Chasers Alliance (NATCA). “It’s a great day for our sport and our dogs,” NATCA president Mel Bergamasco says. “Chasing their own tails is something enjoyed by millions of dogs. […]

The Internet is full of advice on evaluating breeders, but there is almost nothing on how breeders view potential puppy buyers. Curious, I put together a questionnaire, and eleven breeders responded. Asked how they begin to weed out buyers, breeders agreed on the basics. The most critical requirement is that a buyer has the financial […]