The world famous “Sleuth Hound” does one thing better than any creature on earth: find people who are lost or hiding. An off-duty Bloodhound is among the canine kingdom’s most docile citizens, but he’s relentless and stubborn on scent.  

Large, athletic hunters who work nights, Black and Tan Coonhounds are friendly, easygoing hounds who love company. They are snoozy by the fireside but tenacious when on the trail of the wily raccoon. This hound is a real American original.

One of the standout moments of Westminster 2021 was when 16-year-old Lily Bennett won Best Junior Handler and threw her arms around her Wirehaired Pointing Griffon "GCHG Whiskeytown Stonehenge Riding Shotgun" A photo of that hug—as Bennett realized she had won amidst fierce competition—touched viewers around the world. An active competitor, Bennett also has several […]

In moments of stress, most dog lovers know exactly where to turn: their canine pals. But how does our stress affect our furry best friends? Recent research has some answers. How Long-Term Stress Impacts Dogs For years, studies have found that dogs are very attuned to humans, and will often mirror their emotions in heightened […]

"There between the graves, a beautiful red fern had sprung up from the rich mountain soil. It was fully two feet tall and its long red leaves had reached out in rainbow arches curved over the graves of my dogs. ... I had heard the old legend about the red fern. How a little boy […]

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to identify what makes us grateful. And it should come as no surprise that here at the AKC, our canine companions are at the top of our list. In anticipation of Thanksgiving, we asked our readers to submit their favorite fall photos of their four-legged sidekicks. Here are 15 canines […]

What’s better than owning a top-winning show dog? Simple: Breeding one. In theory, anyone can purchase a canine competitor: All you need is a checking account with enough zeroes in it. But it’s far more challenging to produce quality purebred dogs that are consistently sound, well tempered and typey — that is to say, that […]

Breeding healthy, sound dogs that are good examples of their breed requires having a plan. Most breeders can tell you today which dogs they plan to breed together to produce their next two to three litters. “Breeding requires having a vision,” says Anita Oberbauer, PhD, professor of animal science and associate dean in the College […]

Results The 5th AKC National Tracking Invitational (NTI) was held at the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont, Kentucky on September 17-18, 2011. This event was open to dogs that had earned the Champion Tracker title from January 1, 2005 to June 30, 2011 and garnered 46 entries; the highest number of entries ever […]

Thanks to Avery and Mara for sharing their experience in Junior Showmanship. We wish to feature as many juniors as possible, so please send your stories to juniors@akc.org. Avery Miller Hello, my name is Avery Miller and I am 12 years old. I started in the competition dog world with Barn Hunt about 5 years […]