AKC - The Official Registry for Purebred Dogs

For the uninitiated, the words "AKC Dog Breed" might be confusing. What exactly does the acronym "AKC" stand for? It stands for the American Kennel Club. The AKC serves as 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. In other words, it is the standard by which all dogs live to qualify as a purebred breed. 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.

Dogs that have a natural affinity to chase other animals and work as superb hunters are placed in the Hound Group. They can be either slow and methodical or fast and impatient like the Greyhound.

Next, the Sporting Group is active, hard-working dogs. They need a lot of exercise and will spend hours retrieving and spotting objects for their owners. Both the Cocker Spaniel and Golden Retriever are examples of 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.

The Non-Working Group, on the other hand, is a collection of dogs that do not fit in the other categories. 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.

Finally, the Terrier Group shows animals that love to hunt mice, including Yorkies and Scottish Terriers.

There is yet another group called the Miscellaneous Group which is where the AKC puts new breeds that are still establishing themselves in the registry. While the AKC is still the most popular club in the United States, there are a number of other clubs, including the United Kennel Club, the American Canine Association, the Canine Kennel Club and the North American Purebred Dog Registry.

For any dogs born outside the United States that wish to be considered in the AKC, they owner can apply and allow the AKC to consider their application. British dogs, for example, go through the Kennel Club, while Australian dogs are registered in the Victorian Canine Association and Canadian dogs apply to the Canadian Kennel Club.


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Moses Wright is a pet lover and loves to help new pet owners with pet problems and solutions at home. You can find more pet dog breed selection information on his site.