AZOD is very proud to welcome the American Kennel Club

 

By Andy Kohly

 

Shooting Dog Editor

 

 

The AKC maintains a registry of recognized breeds; adopts and enforces rules and regulations governing dog events; and fosters and encourages interest in, and the health and welfare of, purebred dogs. AKC also approves and maintains the official records of over 15,000 sanctioned and licensed events each year. These events, which draw nearly two million entries annually, include dog shows, field trials, obedience trials, agility trials, earthdog tests, lure coursing, hunting tests, herding trials, tracking, and coonhound events.

The American Kennel Club currently recognizes and includes more than 140 breeds in its stud book, and various dog registries throughout the world recognize more than 400 breeds. Some of the breeds are of relatively recent origin, while other breeds have existed since the dawn of civilization.

The American Kennel Club encourages and strongly supports sporting activities such as hunting and field trials; in working circumstances such as herding, tracking, and pulling; and in competition events such as dog shows, obedience trials, agility trials, and other performance events and tests. The AKC believes that dogs should be properly cared for, humanely trained, and not pushed beyond reasonable limits for which they were bred.