The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official forming of the AKC, the National Dog Show and the AKC National Championship sponsored by Royal Canin, formerly the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. Unlike most other countries' kennels clubs, the AKC is not part of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.
The American Cocker Spaniel is a breed of sporting dog. It is a spaniel type dog that is closely related to the English Cocker Spaniel; the two breeds diverged during the 20th century due to differing breed standards in the US and the UK. In the United States, the breed is usually called the Cocker Spaniel, while elsewhere in the world, it is called the American Cocker Spaniel in order to differentiate it from its older English cousin. The word cocker is commonly held to stem from their use to hunt woodcock in England, while spaniel is thought to be derived from the type's origins in Spain.
The Canadian Kennel Club, founded in 1888, is the national kennel club of Canada. The Canadian Kennel Club maintains breed registries services for all purebred dogs it officially recognizes and provides governance for all CKC approved dog conformation shows, dog trials and canine events.
Cocker Spaniels are dogs belonging to two breeds of the spaniel dog type: the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel, both of which are commonly called simply Cocker Spaniel in their countries of origin. In the early 20th century, Cocker Spaniels also included small hunting spaniels.
A conformation show, also referred to as a breed show, is a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.
Charles Alfred Cruft was a British showman who founded the Crufts dog show. Charles first became involved with dogs when he began to work at Spratt's, a manufacturer of dog biscuits. He rose to the position of general manager, and whilst working for Spratt's in France he was invited to run his first dog show at the 1878 Exposition Universelle. After running dog shows in London for four years, he ran his first Cruft's dog show in 1891, and continued to run a further 45 shows until his death in 1938, as well as running two cat shows in 1894 and 1895. He was involved in a range of dog breed clubs, including that for Schipperkes, Pugs and Borzois. He and his wife upheld a story that they never owned a dog, and instead owned a cat, however Cruft admitted to owning at least one Saint Bernard in his memoirs, published posthumously.
Ch. Canigou Cambrai, also known as Albert (1992–2008), an English Cocker Spaniel, is the most recent of his breed to win best-in-show at Crufts in 1996, the seventh occasion it was awarded to a Cocker Spaniel and the first time for forty six years. For a while he was the most successful black male Cocker Spaniel of all time in the UK, and his descendants continue to be multi-show winning champions around the world.
Ch. My Own Brucie was a male American Cocker Spaniel who was the Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1940 and 1941. He was sired by popular sire Red Brucie and died as a result of a kidney and liver ailment. Obituaries described him as the most photographed dog in the world.
Ch. Obo (1882–1895), was an American Cocker Spaniel who is considered to be the father of the modern breed, though physically, he was different from today's American Cocker. During his day, he was a successful show dog, winner of many Best-in-Show titles.
Kathleen Florence May Pelham-Clinton, Duchess of Newcastle OBE, was a well-known conformation show judge and dog breeder who influenced the Borzoi and Wire Fox Terrier breeds.
Ch. Zentarr Elizabeth (2005–2017), also known as Elizabeth, was a Lhasa Apso show dog bred and handled by Margaret Anderson who won Best in Show at Crufts in 2012. She also placed third at the Eukanuba World Challenge in 2011.
Ch. Torums Scarf Michael in Liverpool, England, was a Kerry Blue Terrier who is best known for being the 2000 Best in Show winner at Crufts, and 2003 Best in Show of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. He is the first dog to win the "Triple Crown" of dog shows, having also won the 2002 AKC/Eukanuba National Invitational Championship.
Ch. Jafrak Philippe Olivier, also known as Philip, was a male Giant Schnauzer who won the title of Best In Show at Crufts in 2008. He had previously won the Working Group in 2004 and 2005.
Ch./Am. Ch. Afterglow Maverick Sabre, also known as Ricky, is a black Standard Poodle show dog owned at that time by his handler Jason Lynn together with John and Sandra Stone, who won Best in Show at Crufts in 2014. After the win, Ricky's owners stated he would retire from show ring competitions in the UK. He has also had a successful career in America.
