American Kennel Club Promotes Responsible Dog Ownership

Posted by Clare Bristow

AKC Pet Promise On 1 September the American Kennel Club's (AKC) month long celebration of responsible dog ownership begins. Dog clubs and organizations will be holding events throughout the month, and there are two AKC flagship events being held on Saturday 15 September.

The aim of the month long event is to educate people on the importance of being a responsible dog owner and to celebrate the bond between humans and dogs.

"As dogs are increasingly viewed as family members, the need for all dog owners to train their pets to be good citizens and practice responsible dog ownership is more crucial," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "More communities and businesses would have dog friendly policies if they felt confident that all dog owners would be courteous and respectful."

Unfortunately there will always be dog owners who won't train their dogs properly, let them trespass over other peoples' property, and who refuse to clear up after their dogs - they give all dog owners a bad name, and it's little wonder that there seems to be a growing anti-dog sentiment.

As responsible dog owners ourselves, the best thing we can do to counter this anti-dog feeling is to consistently show non-dog owners that dogs can be well behaved in all sorts of different environments, they make great companions, and we take our responsibilities for owning a dog seriously.

As part of the celebration the AKC is encouraging people to sign its Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise, in which you show your commitment to providing proper care for your dog - click here for a printable version.

Events are being held in most States throughout September, and will include things like:

Microchip clinics;
Health clinics providing advice on spay and neuter, general health and dog first aid;
Information on Dog Breed Rescues and Rescue Groups;
Obedience, Agility, Rally, and Performance demonstrations;
Therapy, Search and Rescue Dog and Police K9 Unit demonstrations;
Safety Around Dogs presentations; and
AKC Canine Good Citizen tests.