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Click each AKC Dog Sport to learn more:

What is the AKC?

Bringing Dog Lovers Together Since 1884. For more than 130 years, the American Kennel Club has been the country’s leading authority on all things dogs, acting as the premier resource for dog lovers, from the fancier to the everyday owner. Along with our affiliated organizations, we encourage dogs as family companions; advance canine health and well-being; advocate for dog owner rights; and educate the public about responsible dog ownership. We are passionate about everything related to dogs, and we celebrate the joy they bring to our lives every single day. Being a dog lover is not a pastime; it’s a way of life – and we make every moment count.

At our core, in our heart of hearts, our values are ever constant. An exhibitor will always beam with pride as she stacks her dog for a big win shot. A good retrieve has always been a good retrieve, and the soulful gaze of a trusty hunting dog will always be the sportsman’s sweetest reward. The deep satisfaction handlers derive from a flawless obedience routine is the same as it was in the early 1930s. Of course, the point of it all—past and present—has been to produce good dogs, of sound mind and body. This will always be so. We remain true to our core mission set forth by our founders which was well put by William E. Buckley, an AKC President in the mid-20th century, who once assembled the staff to remind them, “Always remember: We are a service organization. The dogs are not here for us, we are here for the dogs.”

The AKC At A Glance:

We are the world’s largest and oldest not-for-profit all-breed registry, with 201 recognized breeds and counting.
We have more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and affiliated organizations.
We receive more than 3 million entries to 22,000+ sports and events each year.
We are the number one content site for dogs, as reported by SimilarWeb, with over 8.3 million visitors to AKC.org every month.
Almost 50,000 Canine Good Citizen certifications are awarded each year.
The AKC Canine Health Foundation allocates millions of dollars in health research funds to study nearly all of the top diseases in dogs, including cancer, epilepsy, thyroid disease, hip dysplasia, allergies, heart disease, progressive retinal atrophy, and cataracts, among others.
The AKC Rescue Network is the largest network of dog rescue groups in the country, with more than 450 groups participating.
Over 5 million micro-chipped or tattooed pets are enrolled in the AKC Reunite program, and over 470,000 pets have been returned home to date.
AKC Museum of the Dog is home to the largest collection of canine art in the country.
AKC Library is America’s most comprehensive collection on the subject of domestic dogs with more than 18,000 volumes.

Can I show my mixed-breed dog at UITC events?

YES! (with stipulations) The AKC Canine Partners™ Program is an all-encompassing program that welcomes all mixed breed dogs of any age to the AKC family. Dogs enrolled as an AKC Canine Partners™ pup have the ability to participate in AKC sports and events, like Agility, AKC Rally, or Obedience. All dogs that are not eligible for AKC Purebred Registration or the AKC Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) can join the AKC Canine Partners™ Program—because all dogs belong here.

While only purebreds can join the traditional AKC Purebred Registry or AKC Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) programs, the AKC Canine Partners™ Program allows all mixed and hybrid breed dogs of any age (and their humans!) to celebrate, and strengthen, the bond you share. When you enroll your dog, you’ll gain access to a wide range of activities you can take part in together, including most AKC recognized titles and dog sports: Agility, AKC Rally, AKC Scent Work, AKC Fast Cat, Obedience, Tracking, and Coursing Ability Test.
In fact, the only a few things AKC Canine Partners™ dogs can’t do that AKC Registered Purebreds can is compete in Conformation (what you’d typically think of as a “formal” dog show). In Conformation, purebred dogs are judged against their “breed standard,” which is a set of guidelines for appearance and temperament. Since AKC Canine Partners™ pups are a wonderful mix of many different breeds, there’s really no standard to compare against. Additionally, AKC Canine Partners™ dogs can’t participate in Performance Events, including herding, hunt tests and earthdog, as these are breed-specific activities.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Showing

With owner/hander/trainer of The Good Dog Center, Carmen Hurley

Where to start if haven’t ever competed?

Basic obedience is the foundation for every sport. Once you have the foundation, you can decide if you want to do rally and/or obedience.
Scent work can be pursued with our without basic obedience skills, but basic obedience will help with everything.
Rally is a good sport to begin competing in because you can talk to your dog. However, something to keep in mind is that it’s easy to go from obedience to rally (vs. rally to obedience) because of the precision required in obedience, such as no talking, no double commands, etc. Once these obedience critical skills have been learned, it can help rally become easier.

Do I enter A or B class?

“You’re always safe in the B class for both Rally and Obedience.”

Obedience: If the handler has ever attained a CD on a dog, for all future dogs in Beginner Novice and Novice, you have to be in B; BUT, can be in Open A and Utility A until an OTCH is achieved. Once you have an OTCH, you have to always be in B for Open and Utility.
- In obedience, it’s the handler
- Each new dog can show in the A class but once a dog has earned the CDX or UD title that dog must show in the B class after 60 days of earning their title
- Virtual obedience titles don’t impact eligibility.
Rally: It’s always the dog, not the handler, except for Rally Novice A
- Rally Novice A: The dog can’t have earned a Rally Novice Title or any AKC CD or PCD (Novice or Preferred Novice) Obedience title or higher. The person showing the dog must own the dog, live in the household or be an immediate family member. The handler may not have won any AKC Rally title or any AKC CD/PCD title or higher. This class is basically for people who are just starting their show career.
- Rally Advanced – Advanced A and Excellent A: For dogs who have never attained an AKC CD/PCD obedience title or higher. There are no title restrictions on the handler. However, the handler must own the dog, be a household member or an immediate family member. With each new dog, you can be in the A class if the dog has not attained a CD/PCD obedience title or higher.
- Virtual rally titles don’t impact eligibility.

How do you advance class levels:

Earn 3 legs (qualifying score: 170 pts in obedience; 70 in rally) to advance to the next class.

Legs = qualifying score
Title = 3 legs completed, title awarded on your 3rd leg success

How long do I have to decide to enter the show?

Be sure to note when the closure dates for trials are. It’s usually 2 weeks before the trial, however it may be different for some trials. If you send an entry in and you haven’t heard from the trial secretary that they have received it, make sure you follow up immediately.

Where do I find upcoming trials and get entry forms?