American Kennel Club

The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. The AKC registered just over 900,000 dogs in 2003. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, it also promotes events for purebred dogs, including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official forming of the AKC, and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship.

Recognized breeds

As of October 2004, the AKC recognizes only 157 of the hundreds of dog breeds known around the world, and another 51 rare breeds can be registered in its Foundation Stock Service.

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The AKC divides dog breeds into seven groups, one class, and the FSS, consisting of the following as of October, 2004:

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• Sporting Group: 26 breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/sporting_group.cfm developed as bird dogs.
• Hound Group: 22 breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/hound_group.cfm developed to hunt using sight (sighthounds) or scent (scent hounds).
• Working Group: 24 large breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/working_group.cfm developed for a variety of jobs, including guarding property, guarding lifestock, or pulling carts.
• Terrier Group: 27 feisty breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/terrier_group.cfm developed to hunt vermin and to dig them from their burrows or lairs.
• Toy Group : 21 small companion breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/toy_group.cfm.
• Non-sporting Group: 17 breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/non-sporting_group.cfm that do not fit into any of the preceding categories.
• Herding Group: 18 breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/herding_group.cfm developed to herd livestock.
• Miscellaneous Class: 4 breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/miscellaneous_class.cfm that have advanced from FSS but that are not yet fully recognized.
• Foundation Stock Service (FSS) program: 51 breedshttp://www.akc.org/breeds/fss_breeds.cfm. This is a breed registry in which breeders of rare breeds can record the birth and parentage of a breed that they are trying to establish in the United States; these dogs provide the foundation stock from which eventually a fully recognized breed might result. These breeds cannot participate in AKC events until at least 150 individual dogs are registered; thereafter, competition in various events is then provisional.