When college students decorate the walls of their dorm rooms, the subjects of the posters they choose may vary. But when Kevin Mason decided to hang an image in his room during his final year at Florida State University in Tallahassee, he chose a Bulldog. However, Mason didn’t own one — at least, not yet. […]

Aficionado may not be a strong enough term to describe partisans of the Belgian Sheepdog. It takes the word appassionata to really convey the keen devotion of the breed's fanciers toward their dogs. The Belgian Sheepdog inspires such intense loyalty because they themselves live and love with such great passion. Their unique combination of intelligence […]

In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were created and first awarded in 1999 to honor our best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our Sport on a national […]

There are two kinds of pointers at dog shows. The first type is the Pointer, an elegant dog with a dished face, tail shaped like a bee stinger, and the hard-wired instinct to signal the location of camouflaged birds with the slow-motion lift of a front paw. The other pointers, by contrast, are found in […]

Have you ever wondered what it means to be AKC-recognized? How does a dog become AKC-recognized? Learn about the entire breed recognition process.

From the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever, to the German Shepherd Dog and the German Shorthaired Pointer, some of America's most popular dogs are large breeds, achieving an adult weight in the range of roughly 45 to 90 lbs. These large dogs are different from smaller dogs and extra-large breeds in more than just size […]

A passion for terriers and dog shows led 17-year-old Royal Miller, from Pennsylvania, to become ranked as #7 Junior Handler in the Terrier group. "I never expected to be in the top 10 in my group because of COVID-19," Royal explains. "Yet there I was, winning in juniors and moving up to #7 in the […]

Getting a dog should be a well-planned decision to ensure a lifelong commitment. Dogs are not objects that are returned if you change your mind because they have become too big, too energetic, or too time-consuming to care for properly. For the greatest chance for success, put forth the effort to find the best match […]

In 1977, 14-year-old Maris Sienstecker read about a pregnant blue whale dying a slow death on a whaling dock. The story upset the teenager to such an extent that she and her mother resolved to help other marine mammals avoid a similar fate. Together they founded Save the Whales. The Seaside, California organization dedicated its […]

What better way to brighten the holidays than with fabulous photos of your adorable puppies and beautiful dogs? Good pictures will show your dogs to their best advantage on social media and to puppy buyers. And of course, they make holiday cards that friends and family will treasure. Taking good photos of dogs is harder […]