AKC - The Official Registry for Purebred Dogs

Many potential dog owners looking for a dog will be familiar with the acronym "AKC Dog Breed". It seems to pop up over and over again. For those in the know, they will realize that AKC stands for the American Kennel Club and is the registry for all purebred puppies in the United States of America.

This club holds obedience competitions and dog shows, maintains dog standards and registers puppies of AKC-recognized breeds. Simply put, this is the benchmark by which all dogs are judged against to be seen as purebreds. There are over 100 different dog breeds registered with the AKC.

You do, however, need documentation from both the puppies parents In order to register the puppy. Purebred litters are registered shortly after the puppies are born. The breeder will get registration forms to enter individual puppies into the AKC registration when the litter is 2 months old. New owners can decide to register their puppies by sending in applications to the AKC for a bona fide acknowledgment.

There are eight different types of AKC dog breeds, including the Hound Group, the Sporting Group, the Working Group, the Non-Working Group, the Toy Group and the Terrier Group. Each dog competes within their group and within its breed during competitions.

The Hound Group is dogs that work as excellent hunters and love to chase other animals. Some can be fastidious and measured or hasty and eager like the Greyhound.

Moving on, the Sporting Group refers to hard-working dogs that are energetic. They need to expend their energy through exercise and can spend hours happily fetching and spotting objects for their masters. The Golden Retriever and Cocker Spaniel are dogs belonging to the Sporting Group.

The Working Group is breeds such as the Doberman Pinschers or Rottweilers. Their main priority is to safeguard their territory and family. They tend to be strong and full of spirit, with a innate desire to safeguard and keep watch.

There is also the Non-Working Group, which is a category for dogs that do not belong to the other groups. Everything from the Standard Poodle to the Boston Terrier belong to this group.

As the name hints, the Toy Group consists of dogs that are smaller in size, an example being the Miniature Pinscher.

Last but not least, Yorkies and Scottish Terriers, like other dogs that have the innate desire to hunt mice are categorized under the Terrier Group.

AKC has a category, the Miscellaneous Group for dogs which are in the process of getting accreditation in the registry. Although AKC is the most well-known club in USA, there are other clubs like the United Kennel Club, the American Canine Association, the Canine Kennel Club and the North American Purebred Dog Registry.

Owners can request that their dogs be accredited with the AKC and submit a formal request, allowing AKC to assess their application. For instance, Australian dogs are accredited in the Victorian Canine Association while Canadian dog owners need to register their dog under the Canadian Kennel Club.