AKC Recognizes Three New Breeds for 2026

What happened

• Three breeds became eligible to compete in American Kennel Club conformation and other events on January 1, 2026: the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka, the Basset Fauve de Bretagne and the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier ¹.
• The AKC says its registry now includes 205 breeds ^1,2.

The three breeds

• Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka: a dark, curly-coated toy breed from Russia ¹.
• Basset Fauve de Bretagne: a hound with royal heritage ¹.
• Teddy Roosevelt Terrier: a terrier named in honor of the U.S. president ¹.

How a breed gets recognized

The AKC describes the process as requiring an established national breed club and an active following among owners and breeders in the United States, typically moving through its Foundation Stock Service before full recognition ¹. The three breeds will debut in the AKC’s popularity rankings for 2026 ².

For the breeds most people actually meet, see our breed profiles.