Breed clubs are important to the hobby for several reasons. One of the primary reasons is in resolving disagreements over what characterizes a breed. Not all so-called "all-breed" kennel clubs accept all breeds, or recognize certain varieties of dogs as constituting a true breed. In this instance, a breed club may maintain its own registry of lineage while at the same time lobbying for the acceptance of its breed by one or more kennel clubs.
Other breed clubs are for owners of well-established breeds who merely enjoy interaction with fellow owners of similar dogs. These breed clubs leave the function of a registry to such major kennel clubs as the American Kennel Club, the United Kennel Club, The Kennel Club, and the like and exist more for social purposes, the dissemination of news about the breed, and in some instances the organization of single-breed shows.
Several global companies are headquartered in the northwest corner of Arkansas, including Wal-Mart (the world's largest public corporation by revenue in 2007), J.B. Hunt and Tyson Foods. This area of the state has experienced an economic boom since the 1970s as a result.
In recent years, automobile parts manufacturers have opened factories in eastern Arkansas to support auto plants in other states. Additionally, the city of Conway is the site of a school bus factory.
Tourism is also very important to the Arkansas economy; the official state nickname "The Natural State" was originally created (as "Arkansas Is A Natural") for state tourism advertising in the 1970s, and is still regularly used to this day.
Keeso Kennels Neapolitan Mastiffs
Mikayla Kennels - Siberian Huskies
Papillon Pups Australian Shepherd and Wirehaired Pointing Griffons
*Pfsstcats Maine Coons & Munchkins
Sundown Kennels German Shepherds
The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. The AKC registered just over 900,000 dogs in 2006, of which the largest numbers were for the labrador retriever (123,760) and Yorkshire Terrier (48,346). Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official forming of the AKC, and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship.