A Few Puppy Don’tsHaving a new puppy is a lot like parenting. We need to find the line between being overprotective and providing the puppy with a safe environment to let his personality develop. A few of the don’ts about puppy rearing: Puppies love to play, but don’t get too rough. Be careful playing games […]

Seventeen-year-old Linnea Corlette and her All-American Dog, Reece, won first place in the Rally Advanced class with a nearly perfect score of 99 at the AKC Juniors Classic. The annual national competition spotlights junior handlers working with their dogs in Obedience and Rally. The event was held in December in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with […]

Five Fun Tricks You’ll Want to Show Off In just a few easy lessons, your dog can learn to be the life of the party. This manual covers “Sit Up,” “Speak,” and other crowd-pleasing tricks that never fail to delight. But trick training isn’t just for laughs. It’s a great way to spend quality time with […]

The decision to bring a puppy into your life should be made only after the careful consideration of many factors. But that decision is just the beginning. Now comes the process of finding him. It can be joyous, nerve-wracking, time-consuming, and exhilarating. It can also be a little overwhelming. We’re here to walk you through […]

Training with Treats Just about any dog can learn such basic commands as sit, come, and heel. Some can add a few others to their repertoire. Still others may be able to master surprisingly complex tricks. No matter what level of skill you’re aiming for, training your dog simply requires an investment of time, patience and, […]

Canine Body Language: Your dog is trying to tell you something You probably talk to your dog. He doesn’t reply. Or so you think. Dogs are actually very talented at communicating their wants and needs, their happiness and fear, and quite effectively, their warning signals. Dogs convey their messages primarily through body language (though barks, […]

Nope, crate training isn’t cruel. Dogs actually prefer to have a “den-like” space to themselves, just like their ancestors did. Crates mimic the close quarters of a wolf’s den, so think of it as a place where she can be at ease. And as the pros will tell you, it also simplifies housebreaking. That said, […]

Photo by Michael Blake Southern Californian Michael Uy lives for the outdoors and luckily his canine companion keeps up with him. Abbie holds her own with Uy whether jogging, mountain biking, hiking or even paragliding. One of their favorite stops is the local dog beach where they both like to swim in the ocean. During […]

Melanie Woods and her mother Colleen Woods of Sewickley, PA, rescued Luci, who is now a multi-dog sports titled competitor through AKC Canine Partners. Both Melanie, a junior handler, and her mother show Luci in AKC Agility, Obedience, Rally and Coursing Ability. Luci also competes in Barn Hunt through the Barn Hunt Association (BHA); the […]

This story originally appeared in the summer 2012 issue of the AKC Canine Partners News and later was reprinted in a 2013 issue of AKC Family Dog magazine. The story won first place in the 2013 Dog Writers Association of America writing competition in the category of “Magazine Feature Article with the topic of Rescue.”Since […]