Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club, along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, 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. The AKC sponsors more than 22,000 sanctioned events each year for purebred and mixed-breed dogs. Special programs dedicated to training dogs, including the AKC Canine Good Citizen® program and S.T.A.R. Puppy® program, help dogs become well-behaved companions for their responsible, caring owners.