AKC Title Recognition Programs

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The AKC will recognize titles earned by dog and handler teams in these sports:​

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• Diving Dogs Almost any dog can do it, as long as he loves water, knows how to swim, and has a natural passion for retrieving.

• Barn Hunt Dogs and their handlers work as a team to locate and mark rats (which are always safely held in aerated tubes) hidden in a maze of straw or hay bales.

• Disc Dog has taken the basic game of fetch with a flying disc and expanded it into a whole bunch of fun games!

• In Flyball, each dog dashes over a line of low hurdles to reach a box. Once there, they use their paws to push a spring-loaded pad and release a tennis ball into the air that they catch and bring back to their handlers. Once back to the starting line, the next dog takes his turn.

​​​AKC Specialty Titles

• Public Service Dog Titling Program honors and recognizes police dogs that assist our men and women in law enforcement.

• Search and Rescue Title recognition is offered for FEMA certified Urban Search and Rescue dogs, as well as Wilderness Search and Rescue dogs. 

• Parent Club Performance Programs allow specific dog breeds to be acknowledged for successfully performing the functions for which they were developed. Here's a list of Parent Club Titles. Other breeds can participate in some of these programs such as carting.

• Therapy Dog is an AKC program which recognizes the necessary therapy work performed by dogs through accepted organizations based on the number of visits. 

Of course, each sport and event has it's own set of rules. Find them all here.

Ready to get started? Find an AKC Conformation, Companion or Performance Event by date, state, club, breed or other factors.​

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AKC Virtual Programs

AKC Virtual Sports and Titling is an easy and exciting way to get started in dog sports.

• The ACT Virtual Program allows dogs and their handlers to participate in Agility Course Testing from home.

• The Virtual Obedience Test provides an opportunity for handlers to train their dogs, evaluate their skills and teamwork, and get started earning titles in the sport of Virtual Obedience all from the comfort of home.

• The qualifying scores and titles earned in the Rally Virtual Program are the same as those earned at in-person events.

• The Virtual Scent Work Test provides dogs and owners a way to engage in an activity which utilizes a dog’s natural ability to detect search items.

• Virtual Home Manners The evaluation of a dog’s ability to perform ten home manners skills will be done by a video recording. Two levels of Home Manners will be offered – Virtual Home Manners Puppy (VHMP) and Virtual Home Manners Adult (VHMA). 

• ​Virtual Trick Dog
  Have your tricks
  tested virtually by
  an AKC Approved
  CGC Evaluator.

• In a Virtual Water
  Test, the owner or
  handler submits a
  video of a dog
  performing the
  water test. The dog’s
  performance is evaluated by two field trial or hunting test judges. 

Need more help finding the right sport for you and your dog? Take this quiz.

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 Dog Training Resources

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Whether your goal is puppy socialization and/or participating in dog sports, training is key to m aking your dog more confident and comfortable in a variety of situations. It’s also a lot of fun for both people and dogs.

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Dog training is also a considerable part of responsible dog ownership.

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SEKC offers a variety of classes throughout the year.

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You'll find lots of training and sport videos on AKC-TV as well as articles on dog training for home and sports under the "Expert Advice" tab on their website.​

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There's also AKC's Canine College, which features web-based training for owners, breeders, judges, groomers and others involved in the canine world.

You may also want to check out The AKC GoodDog! Helpline, which provides telephone consultation with a team of expert trainers who can offer instant information for immediate concerns.