AKC Family Dog – MarchApril 2026 – AKC Family Dog

This is because you already demon- strated five basic handling behaviors in To transition your dog from CGC to doing clever tricks that are in the realm of astounding, you will need to use some of the basic principles of behavior, such as shaping and chaining. In the 2025 AKC Trick Dog competition, Lisa Morrissey’s Border Collie, Lily, demon- strated her ability to perform tricks while wearing a blindfold. That’s right, folks, you saw it here.

Trip, a Catahoula Leopard Dog owned by Michelle Lytle, did a routine in which he went to a Halloween party and did magic tricks for his friends. Trip transformed one stuffed animal into another, showing that he could not only perform magic, he could also work out of sight of his handler. Sometimes, in a routine for advanced dogs, the trick involves the skill and ability of the dog, and sometimes the trick involves the ingenious prop design and handling ability of the handler.

Adrienne Sherman’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Paige, successfully used an abacus in her routine. As far as the viewers could see, Paige didn’t simply move beads; she appeared to be a mathematical marvel who could add, subtract, and divide. Was it math … or trick training? Other AKC Family Dog training areas that follow CGC include the advanced levels of Canine Good Citizen (AKC Community Canine and Urban CGC), AKC Therapy Dog, AKC FIT DOG, and AKC Fetch.

The next AKC Trick Dog national competition opens August 3, and entries will be open until October 3. To find the next fun and rewarding training activity for your dog, visit the AKC Family Dog website. FD Mary R. Burch, Ph.D., is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist through the Animal Behavior Society. She is the director of the AKC Family Dog program.

10 Easy Novice Tricks n Crawl n Find it n Hand signals n High five n Hold n Jump over a low bar n Kiss n Paws up n Shake hands n Spin in circle 22 | m a r c h / a p r i l 2 0 2 6 | a k c f a m i l y d o g Courtesy Barbara Lloyd here are few sights more beau- tiful than watching a dog do the work it was bred to do.

This is especially true for me when watching Border Collies herding sheep. Last fall, my dogs and I headed out alone on a cross-country road trip from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, Canada.

38 Gotta Pet ’Em All Photos from AKC Meet the Breeds a k c f a m i l y d o g | m a r c h / a p r i l 2 0 2 6 | 1 4 Your Family Dog Paws up! 8 Paw Prints Dogs benefit teens, Pup Quiz, and more 11 Once Upon a Dog 100 years of Afghan Hounds in the AKC 12 Vet’s View Fighting off fleas and ticks 16 Training & Behavior Your neighborhood training ground 19 Canine Mind Getting tricky with your pup 42 Around the AKC The 4-H Dog Project 44 Talking Sports Bonding through agility 48 The End of the Leash Senior Chihuahuas that really move Columns & Departments Features On the Cover: Border Collie TBird Kenna Owner/Breeder: Barbara Lloyd, Thunderbird of the 4 Directions Border Collies Photographer: Barbara Lloyd the community issue M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 2 6 AKC MISSION STATEMENT The American Kennel Club is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.

Founded in 1884, the AKC and its affiliated organizations advocate for the purebred dog as a family companion, advance canine health and well-being, work to protect the rights of all dog owners and promote responsible dog ownership. Gina DiNardo, AKC President and CEO Courtesy owners managing editor PHIL DZIKIY [email protected] senior consulting editor LINDSEY DOBRUCK copy editor BUD BOCCONE creative director KATE MCCROARY publications coordinator ALYSSA LELI design projects manager CHRIS ESPIRITU publications business manager VENUS RODRIGUEZ [email protected] 212-696-8260 2 | m a r c h / a p r i l 2 0 2 6 | a k c f a m i l y d o g akc family dog articles are selected for their general interest and entertainment value.

Authors’ views do not necessarily represent the policies of the American Kennel Club, nor does their publication constitute an endorsement by the AKC. Unso- licited manuscripts, photographs, illustrations, and any other materials sent to and received by akc family dog become the property of the American Kennel Club. The AKC is under no obligation to acknowledge re- ceipt of such materials, to retain them, or to return them to the sender. AKC Family Dog, (ISSN 1559-5072), March/April 2026, Volume 24 No. 2, published bimonthly at 101 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10178, USA, by The American Kennel Club, Inc.

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This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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