Regional Clubs

No matter what your interest in dogs, the chances are good that there’s a dog club near you where you can meet people who share your interests. AKC recognizes thirteen different types of clubs:

Administers the development of new clubs so that they can qualify for the holding of licensed events. New clubs must first:

1. Identify the club’s main purpose for forming (type)
2. Select a locality not served by an existing club of the same type
3. Choose a name which identifies the primary activity the club conducts and the locality in which it is situated
4. Adopt a set of bylaws that provides for the democratic functioning of the club
5. Be comprised of a diverse and representative number of local households for that type of club
6. Hold Sanctioned “B” and/or “A” matches before requesting license status

Processes sanctioned clubs requests for license status

Processes license club requests for AKC membership

Approves member club bylaws and review of non-member club bylaws

Provides assistance in resolution of club disputes

At the present time more than 5,000 clubs are eligible to conduct events under AKC Rules and Regulations. Clubs are first approved to conduct sanctioned matches — Plan B and/or Plan A events, followed by license events.

AKC membership is granted to eligible Parent clubs; it is also granted to those All-breed clubs, Group, Obedience clubs and multiple breed Field Trial clubs that successfully complete the Plan B and Plan A Sanctioned Match Program, hold license events in at least 10 consecutive calendar years, continue to meet the household requirements, and are governed by an acceptable set of bylaws.

For more information, contact the AKC Club Relations department at clubrelations@akc.org.