Dog News

Peggy Ambrosch

Troy, PA

The CEO should get a pay cut, to help offset the fees.

Ridiculous!

Diane McClurg

Gainesville, TX

While the AKC thinks that increasing the fee won’t affect the exhibitors - I believe it will.

Laura Coomes

Ocala, FL

I think it's time to cap salaries and move from expensive property in NY.

Laura Libner

Grand Rapids, MI

I understand that prices are going up exponentially, as everything gets more complicated and expensive.

The sport is increasingly becoming more of a luxury that is difficult to sustain because of this very thing.

I’ve enjoyed almost 40 years of sporting events with my involvement in dog shows.

I've had a good run in it. But because of excessive inflation, and not working full time anymore, I don’t see myself participating as much with rising costs and rising show expenses.

This will be a deterrent, for sure to continue in the sport.

Robyn Michaels

Chicago, IL

Contributing to inflation

Lynda Lamensdorf

Memphis TN

Handlers won't care, their clients will pay the freight, as usual. The breeder/owners who show will feel the heat....Just biz as usual for AKC... who never saw a source of money they didn't love, a new way to gouge out of the backbone of the fancy.

Diane Schlicht

Lakeville, Minnesota

I think raising the fees seems a bit like the tariff nonsense we see in our government. The tariffs are to make it harder for product to come into the country and punish those who provide the product. The problem is, the product gets more expensive, so fewer people ever buy the product once the tariffs raise the price. In this case, the "product" is a dog show entry. If clubs are supposed to keep offering shows so participants can earn championships, the cost to those shoe giving clubs increases with each entry. What do the clubs do? THEY raise the entry fee, and now fewer people are able to afford to show their dog to a championship or beyond. I'm a non-competitor at this point. Too old to go in the ring, and I've stopped breeding after 50 years, but it does allow me to "see" what is happening to the sport I have participated in and loved for those 50 years. Just my humble opinion.

Pam Mandeville

Somerset, NJ

Let's get real: anyone reading this can afford a $1 increase. That's not the point. In light of the expense of unnecessarily maintaining offices in Manhattan and the $3 million paid to the top 3 officers (IRS form 990 for 2023), coupled with the lack of transparency about AKC income, I get that it's the proverbial last straw. It's also meaningless in regard to the future of AKC which is looking more and more dismal every day.

Verlene Miller

Anniston, AL

If they need to make more money, leave their Park Avenue office and move everything to Raleigh. The CEO doesn't need a multimillion dollar salary.

I will show a lot less, maybe move to UKC. A lot of show people are very angry. A lot will show less and move to UKC.

Julianne McCoy

Columbia, SC

This is outrageous. This will put a strain on those paying for entries and with fees going up and AKC wanting more on top of the increases for registering litters and other costs, this is going to put a real strain on exhibitors and clubs.

Exhibitors will not be able to afford entering more than one dog regardless of competition and more clubs are going to start folding. Owner/Handlers already have an unfair advantage in regular groups against professional handlers. If exhibitors cannot afford to show their dogs then they will all cease to register their litters.

Right now at some shows entry can cost $35 then you add 4.50 or 5.50 you are looking at $40+ per dog entry by exhibitors. Will no longer be able to afford to enter more than one dog in addition to other costs going up. AKC should be finding ways to bring costs down not up. Supply and demand. If costs are low then entries go up and AKC and clubs make money. Costs go up then that means less entries and AKC and clubs make less money and eventually not enough money to even put on a dog show. True future is not looking good for dog shows.

Ray Harrington

Venetia, PA 15367

Cut overpriced salaries and you do not need to raise service fees!

Wayne Rossmiller

Vacaville, CA

The increase you plan will only do one thing, promote the business of dog showing by professional handlers. The wealthy can hire a pro, pay the travel and boarding fees, and entry fees that the handler just tacks on to their bill. The everyday person handling their own dog can't afford this and will eventually find this as a sport only for the rich. You as a kennel club should realize that this sport is a place for people who love dogs, and enjoy the camaraderie involved. The AKC is slowly becoming a business not a fancy. I know you will do what you will but after registering puppy mills and now raising rates it is becoming apparent that this is only about dollars. I have been a breeder for 50 years and am very disappointed in the AKC. As entries keep falling, you still don't get it! With all due respect!

Desi Murphy

Monroe, NY

I am in favor of the raise in Event Fee. It has not been raised since 2008. Inflation has raised so many costs to the AKC.Most Clubs will have to raise entry fees. All other costs to exhibitors have risen at the higher Inflation rate.

Diane Young McCormack

Reno, NV

(an excerpt from her book "My Life in the SPORT of Purebred Dogs.")

In late January of 2025, the AKC “requested” the current fee of three dollars per entry to increase to four dollars and fifty cents per entry. A recent article in the Canine Chronicle reported that the base AVERAGE salaries for the top five AKC executives, from their 2023 tax returns, was $909,930 - a little under a million dollars per person annually. The actual reported tax return of Dennis Sprung for November 14, 2024 was reported at $1,526,470.00 and “others” at $85,090. (Gina DiNardo, appointed new President and CEO stated her tax return for November 14, 2024 at $705,065.00 and “other” as $117,002.)

Now I do not doubt that these executives work hard for the AKC, and I certainly would never doubt their dedication to our SPORT of purebred dogs. But, so do the breeders of my breed, Dachshunds, work hard. And, now their entry fees to show their get to the fancy for approval of their breeding program, have increased a staggering 50% - that’s FIFTY PERCENT! And, that also means that the handler who was hired to show that cute Dachshund will have to increase their handling fees.

And, what about the small dog clubs who struggle just to keep up with the increase in show ground costs (my past kennel club is having to pay a local fairgrounds thirteen thousand dollars for one building and two lawn areas and ten thousand dollars for the RV parking and other expenses for a total of approximately thirty-three thousand dollars. In the past, we paid approximately twenty thousand dollars for the entire fairgrounds - not two plots of ground.. And, don’t forget to add the superintendent fees, judges’ fees and their travel expenses, stewards, hired help, trash disposal, rental of golf carts, and hospitality expenses. Wow! Close to seventy thousand dollars. Last year, this club went in with another all-breed dog club, held at a different location than the local fairgrounds. Total entry was under five hundred dogs. At the new location, the club needs an entry close to eight hundred dogs, to even think of breaking even. And, now they have to pay an additional fee to AKC of four dollars and fifty cents.

And, let’s not forget that this increase will also affect the hiring of judges. Competitors complain, and rightfully so, that they see the same old, same old judges. It’s going to continue, because these clubs will be forced to hire judges who can judge multiple groups - the same old! Wrong move, AKC!

Joan Yerkie

Whitehall, MI

Well as if the entries aren't low enough and majors not scarce enough! This should make them worse! I guess it's time to put up the motor home and show clothes and quit.

Nancy Russell

Walsenburg, CO

Instead of taking money from hardworking clubs and owners move the Offices of AKC out of NY to South Carolina and if the employees from NY choose to go to S.C. then reduce their salaries to what is comparable to employees of other companies in similar areas. Recent articles have shown that AKC employees are overpaid in comparison to employees in similar position in other companies. Why should the ordinary dog owner always get over charged in order to pay AKC employees high salaries and work in an overpriced headquarters.

Pam Kozak

Park Falls, WI

AKC needs to sell their Park Avenue real estate! Entrees are high enough already.

Suzanne Orban-Stagle

Hurlock, MD

Once again the AKC BOD has shown they really don’t care about cost for the everyday breeder/exhibitor.

Adding more and more fees does nothing but make it more difficult for people to show their dogs, but AKC long ago gave up being the protector/promoter of the pure-bred dog. It is disheartening to watch the struggle outside of the gilded offices in NYC

Janice Leonard

Denver, CO

This is counter productive! These fees are just going to hurt entries. Adding to the already increased entry fees is making more and more exhibitors enter fewer dogs in future shows. Rather than burdening the clubs and exhibitors you need to be sure you have tried to reduce your expenses to balance your budget. Your well is in danger of drying up yet you want more from it.

Dave Giordano

Annandale, NJ

I guess just one question: how could the AKC lose over $9 million in a year - what happened that you are not telling all the exhibitors and members?

Susan Nepomuceno

Beaverdam, VA

Why two increases? Increasing 2 years in a row will most likely decrease number of entries & discourage new exhibitors/handlers. The increase will reduce junior handlers, which long term will impact the future of dog sports.

Lori Mendygral

Wallingford, CT

Already too expensive