Services AKC Provides
Check out all the available sports to do with your dog on the AKC website. There it will give you detailed descriptions, what's involved, how to register your dog and where the events will be taking place.
Fast Cat
Does your dog amaze you with incredible running speed? Ever suspect your pet could break records? Then maybe Fast CAT® is the sport to try. It’s perfect for dogs that love to sprint like the wind. CAT stands for coursing ability test. Fast CAT specifically is a timed 100-yard dash. Rather than a race, the dogs run one at a time, chasing a lure to encourage top speeds. Dogs like Greyhounds have been known to reach speeds over 36 miles per hour, and even the tiny Chihuahuas have been clocked at over 19 miles per hour.
Fast CAT doesn’t require special training or equipment. It’s one of the few sports where all you need is your dog’s natural instincts. Unlike lure coursing, any breed or mix is eligible to compete, and any dog at least 12 months old that loves to run is a great candidate. And if your dog is a blazing fast squirrel chaser, a spot in the top 20 rankings might be in your future.
Trick Dog
In response to COVID-19, the AKC has opened up the Trick Dog titling program to be accessible via submission of videos which are reviewed and approved by CGC evaluators. If you don’t know a CGC evaluator you can easily search for one. This time of social distancing is the perfect opportunity to get your dog involved in the Trick Dog program. Under the new rules, AKC trick titles can be observed and earned digitally. Full rules and requirements for video submissions and each level of Trick Dog Titles (Novice through Elite Performer) are available online.
Rally
AKC Rally® may look like it’s all about obedience, but at its core, it’s a test of teamwork. During a Rally trial, you and your dog will navigate a course of 10-20 signs. Each sign indicates a different obedience skill to be performed such as sit, down, or a turn. Working with your dog at your left side, you both move through the course completing each skill. Your performance will be timed, but rather than speed, the goal is teamwork and having your dog under control at all times.
This sport is a great intro to other dog sports because it strengthens skills and increases communication. Plus, scoring is not as rigorous as in traditional Obedience. But what dogs are best suited to Rally? Any dog that can walk on a leash and knows basic manners like sit, down, and stay can start training. If your dog enjoys learning new obedience skills and works well with you, you can expect to do well in the Rally ring.
CGC and CGCA
What is CGC? At the AKC, we believe that all dogs can be good dogs, and all owners can be great owners: all it takes is a little bit of training, lots of love, and of course, plenty of praise along the way.
That’s why we created the Canine Good Citizen™ (CGC) program: a two-part course designed to help you and your dog be the best you can be–together. Since 1989, over 1 million dogs and their owners have participated in CGC, mastering ten basic skills that instill confidence and good manners in and out of your home.
Not only does CGC training create long-lasting trust between you and your pup, but also ensures you’ll be good neighbors and friends to everyone around you—and, if you’re interested in going beyond the basics, CGC also lays the foundation for other AKC sports and activities like obedience, agility, tracking, and performance events.