Introduction to the American Kennel Club (AKC)

The American Kennel Club (AKC) was founded in 1884. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of purebred dogs. The AKC registers millions of dogs and hosts thousands of events annually.

In its early years, the AKC focused on regulating dog shows and establishing breed standards. It created the first breed standards for numerous breeds and established rules for conformation shows to ensure fair judging.

Apart from dog registration, the AKC runs unique programs like the Canine Good Citizen program. This initiative promotes responsible pet ownership and certifies dogs that demonstrate good manners at home and in the community.

The AKC Museum of the Dog, located in New York City, houses one of the largest collections of canine-related art and artifacts in the world. It reopened in 2019 after being relocated from St. Louis, Missouri.

The AKC does not recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier as a breed. Instead, it recognizes the American Staffordshire Terrier, which shares a common ancestry but has developed into a different breed through selective breeding.

The AKC once registered a dog named 'AKC's First Internet Dog,' symbolizing the organization's embrace of modern technology in the late 1990s.