WELCOME TO VIRTUAL HOME MANNERS! If you have trained your puppy or adult dog at home and would like to earn the AKC’s Virtual Home Manners titles to demonstrate your accomplishments, this is the place for you! What is Virtual Home Manners? Virtual Home Manners (VHM) is the answer when you want to train your dog at home. […]

After his 16-year-old son, Joshua Devon Biggles, tragically drowned, Michael Biggles purchased Rambo, a male Rottweiler puppy. Biggles fell head-over-paws with the brawny working breed. So much so, that he went back the next day and bought Retro, the male littermate he didn't select. Six months later, Biggles and his girlfriend, Mariama Myers, added Rascal, […]

The town of Kittery, Maine, has scheduled a special meeting on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, for public input on proposed restrictions on dogs at public beaches. Background: The current dog ordinance, referred to as Title 6, prohibits dogs off leash and running at large while off the owner’s premises, unless, “under the control of a […]

Bulldogs are known for their dedicated demeanor and adorably wrinkled appearance. Unlike other breeds, they require a few special considerations when it comes to exercise, training, and grooming. For tips on navigating your Bulldog's first year and beyond, we've turned to Brenda Fontanos, AKC Bulldog breeder and owner of Font A Nose Bulldog in Lebanon, […]

For Valerie Schuter, doing a good deed for a dog turned into her downsizing Pinschers. The 30-year Doberman Pinscher breeder and rescue volunteer helped another breeder and ended up transitioning to the smaller German Pinschers—notably Bentley—GCH Diamond Bay A Chevelle Bentley Tribute. This conformation Grand Champion has a passion for people and racked up 13 […]

With a three-legged hop and a skip, 6-year-old Ari, aka Hero No. 1651, knows how to work a crowd. Giving his amputated limb the cold-shoulder, the Golden Retriever with the soft, friendly eyes can’t wait to cheer up anyone who needs a dose of happy. His specialty? Hospice patients, nonverbal people, children using wheelchairs, and […]

Thank you to Luke, Lexi, Rachel, Savanna and Rebecca for sharing their experiences. Have your own story? Submit it to juniors@akc.org. [accordion]   [accordion_panel title="Luke Edmonson"] Yesterday Luke and Apple competed in the MN State 4-H Dog Show. Here they are at the end of their day. The got Reserve Champion in Foundation Obedience grades […]

Tucked inside a plush beanbag-filled playhouse in South Salem Elementary School's media center is everyone's favorite staff member: Mr. Booker T. Pug. It's where he makes a difference in the lives of 900 students every day. The students who read aloud to nonjudgemental Booker and become better readers. The students who come into the media […]

Sherin Denny-Jenkins was out on a walk in Berlin in 2007 when she spotted someone coming her way with a dog. “All I could think was ‘Wow, that’s a beautiful dog!’ It was pretty and goofy at the same time,” she says. “I began talking to its owner and that was my introduction to the […]

Nobody forgets their first dog: the childhood games, the companionship, and the undying loyalty between a kid and their pup. Now, researchers in Australia have found that bonding with a family dog can give even very young children much more than lifelong fond memories. A new study published in the journal Pediatric Research finds that […]