I am sure most people involved with dogs have at some point heard of the AKC, or American Kennel Club. Most people associate it with purebred dogs, but may not fully understand or know what the organization does. Originally, it served as a registration service for maintaining records of purebred dogs. In the 141 years of its existence, it has morphed into much more.
The American Kennel Club was founded in 1884 by a small group of 12 dedicated dog breeders who were also members of dog clubs that had started showing their breeding stock dogs. This group of dog fanciers then formed the American Kennel Club, which started keeping records of stud dogs available for use. By 1905, the organization had grown to include 110 different breed clubs, had organized rules pertaining to dog shows, and had begun to classify dog breeds into groups based on their functions. A magazine was then published that listed stud dog records and available dogs to people around the country. Known as the AKC Gazette, it has been consistently published since January 1889. By 1956, the AKC had registered 5 million purebred dogs in total, and in 2024, over a million dogs were registered alone.
So what does it actually mean to have an AKC-registered dog? To be eligible for AKC registration, both parents, referred to as the sire and dam, must be AKC-registered purebreds of the same breed and born in the U.S. or its possessions/territories. However, to register an individual puppy, the breeder of the litter must first register the entire litter with the AKC, which will then issue individual registrations for each puppy.
While the original purpose of the AKC was to maintain a purebred dog registry, they have since branched out to just about every facet of dog ownership and welfare. Of course, they are still the place for all things pertaining to purebred dogs and their preservation, but they are also taking measures through the AKC Canine Health Foundation to identify health issues within purebred dogs. The Canine Health Foundation’s research has helped purebred dog breeders and their clubs identify genetic health faults via health testing, like finding out why King Charles Cavalier Spaniels had heart issues or why Dalmatians were being born deaf. There are over 5,000 breed-specific clubs registered with the AKC, all of which have a delegate who regularly meets with the AKC to discuss the status of their breeds.
The AKC has also branched out to include canine sports like agility and obedience, which mixed breeds can now participate in. The organization also developed the AKC Rescue Network, which has over 450 involved groups helping with the rescue and placement of “backyard” bred or puppy mill bred dogs.
While the AKC does so much more now than just register purebred dogs, what they cannot do is ensure that each of those dogs was bred by an ethical breeder. If you are in the market for a purebred AKC breed of dog, I highly recommend that you check with the parent club of any breed and reference their list of reputable breeders. Check out the AKC’s website; it is an invaluable resource on just about any dog-related topic you might have.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
