Are you familiar with the Italian Bergamasco, the patient sheepdog pictured here? Or the powerful hunting dog, the Dogo Argentino?

These are just two of the fourteen dogs who are hoping to become fully recognized by the American Kennel Club in the next few years. Before the AKC fully recognizes a breed, the dog and its parent club must go through an application stage called the Miscellaneous Class. The requirements are daunting. The parent club has to submit a detailed breed history, various photographs of the puppies and dogs, and strict breeding and judging standards. But for these devoted breed proponents, the payoff is worth the effort. Full recognition gives their dogs the opportunity to compete at the AKC dog shows and be in competition to win the coveted Best in Show prize. For now these breeds are working toward the date when the 14-member AKC Board of Directors vote to award them full recognition. You may not know these dogs today, but there's no doubt you'll be seeing their names in the coming years.

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