Tuesday, August 20, 2019 The American Kennel Club’s Government Relations Department (AKC GR) has learned that the Legislation and Rules Committee of Stamford, Connecticut’s Board of Representatives is scheduled to consider an ordinance proposal tonight that seeks to limit consumer choice by requiring pet shops in the city that sell dogs and cats to source […]

-Conference aims to examine possible solutions to the shortage of detection dogs- The American Kennel Club will host the 2019 AKC U.S. Detection Dog Conference Tuesday, August 27th - Thursday, August 29th, 2019 in Durham, NC to explore solutions to the shortage of domestic dogs for explosives detection in the United States. The Conference will bring together […]

August 19, 2019 URGENT:  The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to take action TODAY on problematic and overreaching requirements that would apply to all dog and cat owners in the county.  The proposed ordinance would also criminalize certain accepted animal husbandry practices as performed by animal owners.  Click here to view the […]

The pathway to becoming a full-fledged detective has had its challenges for Rocco and Rider but it has never been a mystery to either, or their Midwest owner/handlers. The AKC Scent Work® Detective title, considered the pinnacle of success in the popular sport, went unclaimed since its inception on Oct. 1, 2017, until July 14 […]

The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program has been the gold standard of behavior for all dogs — both purebred and mixed breeds — since 1989. Thirty years later, one million dogs have passed their CGC test! On August 14, 2019, the AKC recognizes the millionth CGC dog — Fiona the Bernese Mountain Dog, owned […]

The AKC board of Directors formed the AKC Detection Dog Task Force in 2016 to explore and implement solutions to the shortage of American-bred explosives detection dogs. Currently, the demand for US-bred and born detection dogs far exceeds available supply, while reliance on foreign-bred sources introduces many risks. The US government currently purchases 80-90% of […]

Congratulations on making the decision to welcome a new furry friend into your home. Just as it’s important to ask breeders questions about their practices before purchasing a puppy, it’s equally important to do a little digging before rescuing a dog from a shelter. Here are some pre-adoption questions to ask to make sure the […]

  Founded in 1884, the AKC is the largest purebred dog registry in the world. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes […]

How much do you know about what goes on in your pup's head? Do you believe it's all pretty simple in there? Just thoughts about dinner, the cat next door, and more dinner? Think again. Dogs have been known to learn hundred of words, do arithmetic, and guess what people and other dogs are thinking. […]

Monday, August 12, 2019 The American Kennel Club’s Government Relations Department (AKC GR) is pleased to announce that amended New Jersey Assembly Bill 4552 was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy on Friday, August 9. See AKC’s position statement on Protection for Puppy Purchasers. As introduced, A.4552 sought to prohibit predatory pet leasing schemes […]