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. 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. If you would like to register your puppy with the AKC, you will need papers from both parents. Purebred litters are registered shortly after the puppies are born. The breeder will get registration forms to enter individual puppies into the AKC registration when the litter is 2 months old. 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. Some can be fastidious and measured or hasty and eager like the Greyhound.
Next, the Sporting Group is active, hard-working dogs. They need to expend their energy through exercise and can spend hours happily fetching and spotting objects for their masters. 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.
Their main priority is to safeguard their territory and family. They typically have plenty of power and energy with strong protective instincts. 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 suggests, the Toy Group features dogs that are smaller in size, such as the Miniature Pinscher. Finally, the Terrier Group shows animals that love to hunt mice, including Yorkies and Scottish Terriers.
AKC has a category, the Miscellaneous Group for dogs which are in the process of getting accreditation 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. 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.
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.