Merle in dogs is one of the most intriguing coat patterns in the dog world, both in its appearance and its genetics. Also known as dapple, merle is characterized by irregular blotches of fur set on a lighter background of the same pigment, such as solid black on gray (called blue merle) or solid brown […]

Chances are, eons ago, one of your parents sat you down, all strained smiles and adult awkwardness, and had that “birds and bees” talk. But did anyone ever have that same conversation with you about your dog? If you’ve decided to get into casual breeding, you need to know how to tell if your bitch […]

Issues at the City, County, and Metropolitan Levels, and in US Territories The AKC Government Relations Department is pleased to assist dog owners with canine legislation issues in their local communities, but we can’t help unless we are aware of the proposal. Please contact us at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org when new laws are discussed or introduced […]

After receiving public comment on a proposed Dog Kennel Ordinance, the Rockingham County, VA, Board of Supervisors voted to table the proposal at its September 28 public hearing. As noted in a previous alert, the proposed ordinance could have impacted local hobby kennels.  Although some positive changes were made to the original version of the […]

On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, at 6:00pm, the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing and possible vote on a proposed Dog Kennel Ordinance that could impact local hobby kennels. The original version of the proposed ordinance was first presented and tabled by the Planning Commission on July 6, 2022 (See previous […]

Election Day is right around the corner. On Tuesday, November 8, all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate, 36 governorships, and many other state and local elections will be contested. To preserve the future of purebred dogs, it’s important to identify dog-friendly candidates and […]

Issues at the City, County, and Metropolitan Levels, and in US Territories The AKC Government Relations Department is pleased to assist dog owners with canine legislation issues in their local communities, but we can’t help unless we are aware of the proposal. Please contact us at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org when new laws are discussed or introduced […]

The AKC/Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy & Junior Stakes is held in conjunction with the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin   Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL Friday, December 13, 2024   The AKC/Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy & Junior Stakes is a competition created especially for purebred dogs aged 6-18 months (Puppies 6-12 months/ […]

Queen Elizabeth II was an animal lover since she received her first Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Susan, as a gift for her 18th birthday in 1944. The Queen had more than 30 Pems in her lifetime, but she stopped breeding in 2015 to not leave any young dogs behind after her death. "This devoted breeder and […]

In Aesop’s ancient fable about the hare and the tortoise, the flashy, fast, head­ strong rabbit lost the race to the slower but steady turtle. The moral demonstrated the virtues of a methodical, well-thought-out approach to life. In the canine sporting world, flash and speed certainly play an important role, but it can also be […]