Press
Release
______________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Brandi Hunter
Date: July 31, 2017 Phone: 212-696-8220
THE
AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB ANNOUNCES
PUPPY
OF ACHIEVEMENT CERTIFICATE PILOT PROGRAM
New York, N.Y. – The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s
largest purebred dog registry and advocate for all dogs, is pleased to announce the start of its new conformation Puppy of
Achievement (POA) certificate program.
The program
is designed to create incremental steps of success for those participating in
conformation with their puppies. POA
points will be earned by winning regular puppy classes or going Best of Breed
or Best of Opposite Sex in the 4-6 Month Beginner Puppy (BPUP)
competition. Dogs that earn 10 POA
points will receive a certificate for their accomplishment. All
dogs exhibited in the regular puppy classes or in BPUP competition will be
eligible to earn POA points. There is no
special entry requirement and no fee associated with the program. Dogs can start earning POA points at shows beginning
September 1, 2017.
“We’re excited to launch this program as a way to encourage
new puppy owners to continue participating in the sport. Our surveys have shown that new exhibitors are
encouraged and likely to continue beyond five shows when they achieve some
success,” said Doug Ljungren, Vice President of Sports and Events. “The Puppy of Achievement certificate program
is meant to provide a realistic goal new exhibitors can strive to attain while
they and their dog gain experience. We
look forward to helping new exhibitors stay engaged and encouraged.”
“The POA program is seamless for clubs, superintendents,
and judges, as points are earned in existing classes,” said Bri Tesarz, Manager
of Dog Show Rules and Programs. “As
always, we are here to help make participation in this program as easy and
enjoyable as possible.”
AKC is launching the Puppy of Achievement as a pilot
program. At the end of one year, all
owners who have received a POA certificate will be surveyed about their
experience, and next steps will be determined.
To learn more about the Puppy of Achievement program, please
visit www.akc.org/events/puppy-of-achievement/.
Questions can be sent to eventnews@akc.org.
###
About the American Kennel Club
Founded in
1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which
maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the
sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding
the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and
breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed
and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the
purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being,
works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog
ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are
held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility,
obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt
tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC
Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of
the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org.
AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel
Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks,
registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.
Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers
