Akc Dog Breeds - Guide To Getting A Recognized Breed

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. When they are eight weeks old, the breeder receives a registration application to enter each puppy into the AKC registration. When the new owner of the puppy names their pet, they can register and send the application into the AKC for official recognition.

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. They can be either slow and methodical or fast and impatient like the Greyhound.

Moving on, the Sporting Group refers to hard-working dogs that are energetic. They need a lot of exercise and will spend hours retrieving and spotting objects for their owners. 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. They are highly concerned with protecting their home 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.