With a joyful bark and bound, Philo, a 5-year-old Samoyed, pressed his shoulders against his padded harness. Behind him, a cart loaded with gray concrete cinder blocks slowly moved forward, as his handler called out, “Work, work, work.” On that day, Philo pulled a load of more than 1,800 pounds—winning the event at Doggie U […]

  New York, NY – The American Kennel Club announced today that Glenn Lycan has joined the AKC Event Operations Department as Director, Event Operations Support, effective immediately. Lycan, who joined the AKC in 2002, most recently served as Director, Call Center and Registration Support. In his new role, Lycan will assist conformation and obedience […]

By Cheri Rankin It all started when my daughter, Erin, wanted a "sled dog" for her fourth birthday (because she was enamored of sled-dog movies like Iron Will and Balto). I've been a dog lover all my life and had always had a dog growing up, but at that point we had not had a […]

The number-one breed of the 1940s, the Cocker Spaniel, enjoyed a renaissance in the 1980s, climbing to the number-one position. The breed was the most popular dog in the nation from 1983 to 1990, giving it the distinction of holding the number-one spot for more years than any other breed to that point (23). After […]

The Boston Terrier became the first breed to enjoy the number-one position for two decades, though the breed fell to the number-two position in the 1920s after its initial reign atop the list in the 1910s. The records of the Boston Terrier Club of America show that the breed was number-one or number-two for every […]

Accepted in 1908, the German Shepherd Dog overtook the Boston Terrier in 1925 and became the number-one dog of the 1920s. The breed then disappeared from the top ten until after World War II, when it reemerged as the number-six dog of the 1950s and has remained among the most popular breeds to the present […]

  Welcome to the AKC . We have put together definitions for dog words that you may not be familiar with. If you have additional questions regarding the glossary, please contact our Special Services Department. A Abdomen The belly or under surface between the chest and the hindquarters. Acetabulum The concave lateral portion of the […]

AKC Gazette breed column—An experienced dog trainer points out how puppy classes and early socialization help ensure a puppy will become a well-adjusted, well-mannered adult dog. As a professional dog trainer, I get calls every day from owners looking for help. The discussion starts with me asking how I can help them. If the caller […]

Tips for Shooting Unforgettable Dog Videos Dogs provide endless opportunities for hilarious or heartwarming videos. But a bad angle, messy background, or malfunctioning camera can ruin the moment, forever. We talked to two video pros about what beginners can do to improve their results. Naomi Boak, president of Boak & Co., is an Emmy award-winning […]

AKC Community Donates $14,250 to Secure Newtown's New K-9 Officer 'Saint Michael'   New German Shepherd Dog Sworn In At 'Baro' Tribute Ceremony   Newtown, CT — Newtown’s newest K-9 Officer ‘Saint Michael’, a two-year-old German Shepherd Dog, was sworn in today during a ceremony to pay tribute to the Newtown Police Department’s recently deceased […]