AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy: 20 Steps for Success The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program focuses on all the things every puppy and owner need to have a great start together. STAR stands for Socialization, Training, Activity and a Responsible owner and in six weeks of STAR puppy classes, puppies and dogs learn the following behaviors and skills: […]

A key component of the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program is a responsible owner. Our Canine Good Citizen® Responsible Dog Owner's Pledge is for the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Program too. Responsibility should start the moment you decide to add a new dog or puppy to your family. AKC CGC℠ Responsible Dog Owner's Pledge I will be […]

About the AKC Community Canine℠ Title AKC Community Canine℠ is the advanced level of the AKC's Canine Good Citizen Program. Dogs who pass the AKC Community Canine test earn the official AKC Community Canine title that is designated by the letters "CGCA" (Advanced CGC) on the dog's title record. Whereas Canine Good Citizen tests are […]

[AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship]   Gun Dog Homepage Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  |  Photo Coverage Day 8  |  Day 9  |  Day 10  |  Final Day  |  In Conclusion  |  Photo Coverage   Day 1 – AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship The 2013 AKC Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championship returns to Branched Oak Lake near Lincoln, NE for the 20th […]

First, you have to have a mental image of a perfectly correct "square flank". This involves the relationship between the dog and SHEEP not the handler. Dogs do not square flank off the handler, they square flank off the sheep. As the dog runs in half circle or part of a circle around the sheep […]

The Stop will be one of the most important commands a handler can teach their dog. The dog stopping in an exact spot can make the difference in accomplishing a chore correctly, winning or losing in a trial situation, or even saving a dog's life. Introduce the stop command to a dog away from stock. […]

by Lori Herbel We've all had those great moments in herding when our own outstanding handling expertise and our dog's natural, God-given talents have put us in awe and made our hearts swell, and given us cause to be proud to be herders. But why, oh why do those moments seem to be much fewer […]

By Joyce Norris I have been raising and leasing ducks for herding trials for about 6 years. Most judges and exhibitors say "They are the best ducks they have ever seen." This does take some work. My ducks work well in groups of 5. If a duck gets split off by a dog it will […]

By Karla Deithorn, Executive Field Representative When a terrier or a Dachshund does not progress through the levels of Earthdog tests to the owner's expectations, a common question asked is whether or not you need to train the dog for the tests. There are a wide variety of opinions on this subject and that is […]

Beagle Field Trials, a sport found only in the United States and Canada, started with this announcement in the Sunday Boston Herald on October 26, 1890: "A group of Beagle Owners would hold a Beagle field trial in Hyannis, Massachusetts, in a fortnight." This Group called themselves the National Beagle Club of America, and the […]