American Kennel Club Welcomes Danish-Swedish Farmdog to the Registry

It's time to step to the side and let the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) latest inductee move to the front of the line. Yes, the breed chosen to kick-start the new year is the feisty little Danish-Swedish Farmdog who, just after the clock struck midnight, joined one of the most elite clubs in the world.

Taking his place among the Working Group class of dogs and becoming the 202nd breed to make it onto the coveted AKC pure-bred registry, this Jack Russell doppelganger hales from (no surprise) Scandinavia. Suspected to date back over 1,000 years, this compact pooch was originally bred to be a multipurpose Farmdog that could not only guard people and livestock from intruders but also earn his keep as a hunting companion and resident rat-catcher. Think of the Swiss Army Knife, yet furry and high energy.

Enter the Industrial Revolution and the subsequent decrease in farming that made this popular four-legged worker almost obsolete. If not for the determination of breeders in Denmark and Sweden who held the dog in such high regard, the Danish-Swedish Farmdog would not have survived to flourish and ultimately rank amongst the AKC’s best of the best in 2025. In fact, this little dog was so favored amongst the two countries that neither was prepared to relinquish their claim to him. Hence the breed’s name.

Now, the AKCs Working Group category of dogs includes breeds such as Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, and Huskies. A category of dogs considered strong, watchful, alert and “naturally productive”. So, how does a pint-sized pooch qualify for this type of accreditation?

The Danish-Swedish Farmdog was originally brought in via the AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS). Not quite as coveted as the actual Breed Recognition program, it accepts requests from breed clubs or from individual petitioners wanting to introduce a lesser-known breed into the Foundation. Whether rare or domestic, the application must include a history of the breed and indicate its origin. Once the breed has been accepted into the FSS, a club needs to be created (if not already in existence) with a designated individual liaising with the FSS department.

Once through that step, the next step is to get the dog breed listed under the AKCs “Miscellaneous Class” category. That includes a range of standards and reports such as the dog conforming to existing AKC guidelines for breed standards. Whew!

So, while agility may not be listed as his forte, this little Farmdog has certainly jumped through a number of hoops to capture the coveted 202nd spot on the registry. And well done, because the AKC’s world-renowned reputation and commitment to maintaining the integrity of their pure-bred dog registry is unflinching when it comes to taking on new members.