The 11th annual AKC Meet The Breeds event is being held at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City on Jan. 25 and Jan. 26, 2020.

Dexter the Skye Terrier

I attended the family-friendly event for the first time this morning. The AKC markets the event as an “educational extravaganza that gives animal lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with hundreds of adorable dogs and cats while learning about responsible pet ownership.”  The event is truly a dog lovers dream.

My main mission in attending was to pet as many of the cute dogs I could.  Considering there are more than 100 dog breeds in attendance this was an especially “RUFF” goal.  Did I succeed or will I have to go back tomorrow?  Read on to find out!

Top 5 Reasons To Attend AKC Meet The Breeds:

1. Dogs, Dogs and More Dogs:

The opportunity to meet, greet and pet over 150 dog breeds in person is unparalleled. The Jacob Javits Center is huge so it has no problem accommodating all the cuties. The dogs are adorable and well behaved.  They love interacting with guests but they sometimes do get tired and take a snooze like this beautiful Irish Red White Setter.

2.  Learn About The Breeds:  

The AKC dog clubs are truly breed experts! The handlers are knowledgeable and really want to help guests find the perfect breed to join their family. The booths are a lot of fun!  The clubs actually compete for “Best Booth” in their respective categories.  It was hard to choose but the Boxer booth stole my heart…

AKC Meet The Breeds

3. Opportunities to win fun prizes:

You can take a fun photo which enters you to win tickets to the Westminster Dog Show, so make sure to stop by the Westminster Kennel Club booth for your chance to win. As you can see I had a blast posing with this “Best in Show” winner.  I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for 4 tickets to the show 2/10-2/11/20.

4. Agility Demonstrations & Puppy Pack Park:

A fan favorite at the event is the Agility and Police/Detection dogs shows. You can also visit the all new attraction Puppy Pack Park. The attraction is set up to replicate a dog park. Guests are welcome to walk around the park and pet purebred dogs who are on-leash with their owners to discuss raising a puppy!

5. Unique Souvenirs and Pet Supplies: 

There is a fun selection of souvenirs that you can only get at the AKC Meet the Breeds event.  I also discovered some unique treats and supplies which my fur baby Ginger is going to love including these grain-free “Wag More Bark Less” Mini Biscuits.  You can buy your own here — > Wag More Mini Biscuits  

And a 6th “purrrfectly” fun reason to attend is for the feline lovers…

Cats-  The International Cat Association (TICA) have many of their cat breeds on hand. I’m highly allergic so I did not venture to that part of the show although I peered longingly up the hallway.

Winning Art

Whether you are looking for the right breed to join your family or just love admiring all the cuteness, AKC Meet the Breeds is a perfect spot to spend a January afternoon in the city.

What a cutie this Maltese is.

Curious as to which breeds are in attendance?  Here is a complete list –>  AKC Breeds.  I failed in my mission to pet each breed so if you see me wandering around tomorrow say hi and let’s grab a selfie with a cute pup! Tomorrow’s mission is to narrow down my favorite dog of the breeds I just discovered existed today.

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