The sport of AKC Scent Work® makes a game out of your dog’s favorite activity — sniffing. Scent work asks a dog to locate a hidden cotton swab scented with essential oil. Besides being incredibly fun, the sport has many benefits, and any dog, purebred or mixed breed, is welcome to compete. Why Try Scent […]

Training your dog to come when called is a lifesaving skill that owners must take the time to teach to puppies and older untrained dogs. But perfecting the response to this command doesn’t happen overnight, especially with easily spooked or distracted dogs. I teach these training games as a safeguard, in case a dog gets […]

Learning Objectives With teacher assistance and through guided reading, students will learn how to subtract within 10.  As a Social Studies Lesson extension, they will learn about different canine careers. Grade Levels K-2 Common Core Standards CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.OA.A.1 Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, […]

An important aspect of being a responsible dog owner is being sure your dog is in shape. No matter how cute an overweight dog is, they could still be at risk for health problems. Certain breeds will be affected more than others by even the slightest weight gain, so it’s important to maintain your dog’s […]

For much of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show’s 142-year existence, winning the country’s most famous dog show meant the fast track to retirement. Sure, sometimes a plucky soul returned the following year for another grab at the brass ring: After all, the very first Westminster Best in Show winner, the Smooth Fox Terrier Ch. […]

Ever wonder how the sighthound got its name? Just as the label suggests, many years ago they were bred to pursue their prey by sight rather than scent, which requires a display of fantastic athleticism and keen eyesight to stay in hot pursuit. Today’s Sighthounds demonstrate their Coursing skills by following a plastic bag attached to a […]

Spanning five days, the Rose City Classic in Portland, Oregon, is one of the largest and most popular dog shows in the United States. More than 185 individual breeds will be represented from January 16 -20, starting with specialty shows on Wednesday and followed by four days of all-breed shows. On top of conformation, performance and […]

  The AKC Detection Dog Task Force has launched its Pilot Detection Puppy Rearing Program – an opportunity for breeders and owners to work closely with experts on raising dogs that will have the potential to be trained for explosives detection work. The United States has a serious shortage of qualified dogs to perform the […]

Linda Jarvis, an AKC Breeder of Merit, started breeding Airedale Terriers in 1984. A resident of New Bern, NC, Linda is a past president and current board member of the Airedale Terrier Club of America and is very active in the sport of dogs, attending seminars and judging. AKC: How did you get started in […]

Pedigrees are the breeder’s roadmap. They tell us where we’ve been, and they can help guide us in the future. What kind of traveler are you—the adventurous type who takes off without a map and explores unknown byways, or the planner who carefully maps a journey with a very specific destination? Or are you so […]