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Posts tagged "american kennel club"


Animal Planet Airing AKC/Eukanuba National Championship

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts)
Feb 5th 2010 3:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pets News

Lisa Croft-Elliot/(c) Animal Planet

For two days in December, nearly 4,000 dogs from across the nation and around the world gathered in Long Beach, Calif. to compete in the American Kennel Club (AKC)/Eukanuba National Championship. The event has the distinction of being the only dog show in the United States that is organized and held solely by the AKC, the country's oldest and only not-for-profit purebred dog registry.

With $225,000 in prize money available, the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is the largest prize-money dog show in the world, according to Animal Planet, which will air highlights from the event on Feb. 6.

Elite dogs competed in several separate events, including Best in Show and AKC invitationals in agility and obedience. In addition, the Eukanuba World Challenge -- presided over this year by Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson -- featured dogs from 41 countries. The event brings together "some of the world's most beautiful and diverse dogs," promises Animal Planet. (Be sure to watch for Sadie, a black Scottish terrier, pictured left, who was ranked the number-one dog going into the competition.)

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship premieres on Animal Planet and also on the Discovery Channel on Saturday, February 6, 2010, from 8-11 PM (ET/PT).
    

See, Hear, Taste and Smell the World as a Dog Does

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts)
Dec 23rd 2009 11:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Meet the Breeds

Helena Sung

Neither rain nor unfinished holiday shopping could keep crowds away from the American Kennel Club's "Meet the Breeds" event on December 12 and 13 in Long Beach, Calif. Held in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, thousands of spectators braved unseasonably cold rains for the chance to meet some 160 different purebred dog breeds, and even to experience the world as a canine.

A dog sensory exhibit sponsored by Eukanuba gave people the chance to see, hear, smell and taste as a dog does. "I've always wondered what my dog smells," said one man, sniffing at glass beakers filled with varying intensities of spearmint scent to compare a canine's sense of smell to a human's. Dogs have 125 to 220 million olfactory receptors, says Eukanuba, while humans have a mere 5 million. Bloodhounds have an estimated 300 million olfactory receptors. It means a dog's sense of smell is 1,000 to 10,000 times stronger than a human's.
    

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Scottie Named 'Sadie' Wins Best in Show at AKC/Eukanuba National Championship

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts)
Dec 15th 2009 1:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pets News

Courtesy American Kennel Club

She did it again! Sadie, the four year-old Scottish Terrier who won Best in Show at the National Dog Show in Philadelphia last month, won top honors at the 2009 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, Calif. on Sunday night, taking home her 110th Best in Show title, as well as a $50,000 cash prize.

"I feel really proud of her that she's showing great for us all year long," Sadie's handler, Gabriel Rangel, told Paw Nation. Cheering on Sadie, whose formal name is Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot, was her owner, Amelia Musser, who had traveled from Mackinac Island, Mich. "It feels really wonderful to be here," Musser tells Paw Nation. "We're just thrilled with Sadie."

Traditionally, champion dogs compete at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship by invitation only. But this year, in recognition of the AKC's 125th anniversary, the event was open to "any AKC registered purebred unaltered dog six months of age or older." Nearly 4,000 dogs competed at this year's event, which included agility and obedience contests, as well as an international competition of dogs from 41 different countries.

"It's very special to win on the 125th anniversary of the American Kennel Club," Rangel told Paw Nation. "It's a unique thing."

Next up for the number one ranked dog in the country is the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in February. How does Rangel feel about Sadie's chances there? "We're all thinking of the dream of getting Best In Show at Westminster," Rangel admits. "You have to be ready and perform well, but it all depends on what happens at the show. It's like at the races. Not always the favorite horse wins. Somebody could come from behind. But, definitely we have a beautiful dog that we love regardless of what she does."
    

Meet the Breeds - What A Weekend!

by Eliot Glazer (Subscribe to Eliot Glazer's posts)
Oct 22nd 2009 9:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Cats, Pet Clothes, Photo Galleries
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Meet the Breeds
NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Karen Dewey pets her dog "Garth", a bloodhound, during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images)
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Meet the Breeds

    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Karen Dewey pets her dog "Garth", a bloodhound, during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images)

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Cindy Lopez shakes hands with a black lab during a demonstration at the "Meet The Breeds" show in the Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Lopez works with NEEDS service dogs. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Cindy Lopez

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Diane Bove shows her black Selkirk Rex cat, during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Diane Bove

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: An Exotic breed cat is shown during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. An Exotic, is a mix between an American Shorthair and Persian. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images)

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Two Borzoi dogs, owned by Debra West, are shown on the floor during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images)

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Hahl Perry walks his Afghan Hound outside the Jacob Javits Convention Center during the "Meet The Breeds" show October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images)

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: A Beagle and its owner Nanette Prideaux, pose during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images)

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: "Garth", a bloodhound, receives attention from his owner Karen Dewey (L) and a spectator during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Karen Dewey

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Owners and their dogs get ready to walk on the floor during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images)

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 17: Hundreds of spectators view the different breeds of dogs and cats during the "Meet The Breeds" show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center October 17, 2009 in New York City. Forty-one CFA registered cat breeds and 160 AKC registered dog breeds were shown at the Meet the Breeds event. (Photo by Afton Almaraz/Getty Images)

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This past weekend, Paw Nation visited the American Kennel Club's "Meet the Breeds" event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Packed wall to wall with dogs, cats, breeders, specialists, merchants, and veterinary professionals, the weekend-long showcase featured hundreds of extremely patient animals, ready to be pet for hours on end.

Some famous faces were there, including Whoopi Goldberg, Mario Lopez, and Cindy Adams. We're pretty sure we even passed fashion icon Michael Kors after we finished up at the Havanese booth, one of 160 stations occupied by specific breeds and their respective specialists, all of whom were eager to provide the history behind their beloved pooch of choice.

Amid the amazing dog-trick demonstrations and swarms of cat ladies (no, literally, there were a lot of ladies dressed up like cats), we were lucky enough to stumble upon a booth for the Fundle, a pet sling we've been eyeing for a number of months. We're happy to report that the Fundle is even better than we imagined.

Hope to see you next year, Meet the Breeds! You'll be able to tell it's us by the Fundle we haven't taken off in 365 days.
    

Poll: Which Is Your Favorite Dog Toy?

by Paw Nation Staff (Subscribe to Paw Nation Staff's posts)
Oct 19th 2009 9:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, AKC Top 125 Dogs

Which canine toy will be top dog? Pound Puppies/AP

In honor of the American Kennel Club's 125th Anniversary, we're searching for the top 125 dogs in pop culture! Do you prefer Snoopy or Scooby Doo? Cujo or Clifford The Big Red Dog? Make your woof heard in the AKC 125 Popular Dogs Poll Series! Each Monday, we'll poll you about your favorite dogs in pop culture, then the AKC will reveal the top dogs!

    

Canine Good Citizen Trains Dogs and Their Owners

by Sonia Zjawinski (Subscribe to Sonia Zjawinski's posts)
Sep 1st 2009 3:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Training

Who could doubt these two were good citizens? Photo: Mary Bloom © AKC

How many times have you applied for an apartment only to be turned away because of your dog? We know how you feel.

While Rent.com recently gave us tips on how to woo a landlord to the furry side, one program that's been gaining popularity is Canine Good Citizen (CGC).

Started in 1989 by the American Kennel Club, CGC is a two-part, 10-step certification program that stresses responsible pet ownership and basic doggy manners. Similar to basic training and puppy school, CGC teaches dogs how to properly socialize with both other pups and people, walk on a loose leash, and (most importantly for potential landlords) the ability to be left with a trusted person and still remember his or her training.

To date, more than half a million dogs have received CGC certificates. So how do you get started?

Find a training club near you and ask if they offer CGC classes or find a CGC evaluator and ask them for the best and closest place to get trained.

Once you complete the certification process you'll not only have a well-behaved dog, but a certificate to prove to potential landlords that your pup knows how to be a good tenant.

And don't worry if your dog isn't a spring chicken; dogs of all ages and breeds can participate. "One of my favorite teams of all times," CGC Director, Dr. Mary Burch, tells Paw Nation, "was a 94-year-old lady in Georgia with her 16-year-old Dachshund. When that team passed the test, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. They proved you can teach an old dog new tricks." And, we suppose, an old lass as well!

Dr. Burch will give demos of CGC training at the main demo ring at this year's Meet the Breeds event in New York City.
    

How Much Do You Know About Bulldogs?

by Rebecca Quimby (Subscribe to Rebecca Quimby's posts)
Aug 27th 2009 11:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Meet the Breeds

Jean Hetherington has been breeding and showing bulldogs since 1964. She's also been an American Kennel Club judge for over 20 years. She first became interested in bulldogs when she and her husband, who had one as a child, bought one for his family. After a month, Jean was won over and wanted one for herself. "Their personality is like no other," she told Paw Nation." They are entertaining, stubborn, comical and just fun to live with."

Hetherington -- who recently won the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Non Sporting Group Breeders award -- generously agreed to answer our trivia questions about this fascinating breed. See how well you do!

How Well Do You Know Bulldogs?

What is the official AKC name of the breed?

  • Bulldog
  • English Bulldog
  • French Bulldog
  • British Bulldog

What were bulldogs originally bred for?

  • To help cowboys herd bulls
  • To herd the bulls for Pamplona's Running of the Bulls
  • A sport called bullbaiting
  • To be lapdogs for Spanish royalty

What breeds were part of the original bulldog?

  • Boxers and Pugs
  • Mastiffs and Pugs
  • Pugs and Pitbulls
  • Mastiffs and Pitbulls

What are bulldogs' typical health concerns?

  • They don't do well in heat
  • Heart problems
  • Hip dysplasia
  • All of the above

According to AKC Dog Registration Statistics, how popular are Bulldogs?

  • #10
  • #3
  • #24
  • #17

Which of the following is true about bulldogs?

  • They crave constant attention
  • They require minimal exercise
  • They have an affectionate temperament makes them great family pets
  • All of the above

Learn more about your favorite breeds at the upcoming Meet the Breeds event in New York City on October 17th - 18th. For more information, visit MeetTheBreeds.com.
    

Missing Cat Returns Home After Six Years

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts)
Jul 8th 2009 11:00AM Filed Under: Cats, Pets News

Dopey the cat seems unfazed by his incredible adventure. Photo: American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery

When Dopey, an orange tomcat, suddenly went missing, Donna Lane-Mills of Sacramento, California searched frantically for the family cat. She posted fliers and called local veterinarians and shelters --- all to no avail. Her six year-old daughter cried herself to sleep at night. Prior to disappearing, the droopy-eyed feline had been born at their home in 2000 and lived with them for three years. As weeks and months slipped by, the family feared the worst. "We thought he had been hit by a car," says Lane-Mills.

Six years after Dopey's mysterious disappearance, Lane-Mills received an astonishing message on her work voice mail. A representative from the American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery program (AKC CAR) informed Lane-Mills that Dopey had been found -- alive and well -- at an animal shelter not 20 miles from her home.

"I was totally shocked," Lane-Mills told us. "I didn't believe it at first. We kind of assumed something tragic had happened to him."

Luckily, Dopey's six years away from home were quite the opposite. Somehow the orange tabby found himself in a neighboring town, 40 miles from home. An elderly woman took in the lost cat and doted on him (she outfitted Dopey with the snazzy moon and stars collar in the photo, above) over the years until she passed away. After her death Dopey was taken to a shelter where he was scanned for a microchip. The tag the Lane-Mills family had embedded in Dopey when they originally had him was IDed, leading to the happy, albeit overdue, reunion.

So, how's Dopey doing back at home?

"He's doing great," says Lane-Mills. "It's almost as if he's never left."

Asked if Dopey remembered his original family, Lane-Mills says, "I don't know. It's kind of hard to tell with cats. But he sat up, purred, and loved being petted." Dopey, now nine, hasn't changed much though. "He still has the same personality; he's still stubborn," laughs Lane-Mills. "In the mornings, he'll stick his face in our cereal bowls, even though we're not done eating yet."
    


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