08/05/2026
Got this off of Dog Forum. Excellent read!
AI Is the Next Battleground for the Future of Purebred Dogs -Ingra Aamodt
For decades, we’ve worked to educate the public about responsible dog ownership, preservation breeding, and the importance of buying from health-tested, ethical breeders. At the same time, animal rights organizations have become increasingly effective at influencing public opinion through websites, articles, social media, and search engines.
Now, the conversation is changing again.
People are no longer relying solely on Google to find information. Increasingly, they’re asking ChatGPT, Google AI, Gemini, Claude, and other AI assistants questions like:
* “What is the best breed for my family?”
* “Where can I find a reputable breeder?”
* “Should I adopt or buy a puppy?”
* “How do I avoid a puppy mill?”
* “Are Airedales good with children?”
* “What health tests should a breeder perform?”
The answers AI provides will influence how millions of people think about purebred dogs and where they begin their search for a puppy.
The question is simple:
Who do we want AI to learn from?
Should it learn from organizations whose mission is to eliminate purebred dog breeding? From backyard breeders with polished marketing but little accountability? From anonymous blogs and social media posts?
Or should it learn from the people who have spent generations preserving these breeds?
No one is better qualified to educate prospective puppy buyers than the American Kennel Club, our parent clubs, regional kennel clubs, and preservation breeders. Together, we possess generations of knowledge about breed history, purpose, temperament, health testing, genetics, structure, grooming, training, and responsible breeding.
The challenge is that expertise doesn’t automatically become visible to AI.
Just as websites were once optimized for Google through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), we are entering an era of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—creating and organizing content so AI systems recognize it as accurate, trustworthy, and authoritative.
This isn’t about gaming AI.
It’s about making sure the best information is the easiest information for AI to find and recommend.
Imagine if every parent club created the definitive online resource for its breed.
Imagine if every breed club published comprehensive educational articles answering the questions puppy buyers actually ask.
Imagine if every regional kennel club strengthened its educational content about responsible dog ownership and breeder referrals.
Imagine if the AKC coordinated this effort by helping clubs build content that AI consistently recognizes as authoritative.
Instead of allowing others to define preservation breeding, we could ensure that prospective owners receive accurate, balanced, evidence-based information before they ever contact a breeder.
This is an opportunity to educate—not just people who already attend dog shows, but millions of families who may never have met a preservation breeder before asking AI for advice.
The organizations that begin building AI authority today will help shape the conversation for years to come.
A Call to Action
Most of us aren’t on the boards of the AKC or our parent clubs—but every one of us belongs to organizations that can influence this conversation.
If you’re a member of a parent club, regional kennel club, or local all-breed club, bring this idea forward.
Ask whether your club has an AI strategy.
Ask whether your website is being updated to become the definitive educational resource for your breed.
Encourage your communications, education, and website committees to learn about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and how AI is changing the way people search for information.
The next generation of puppy buyers will not search the internet the same way previous generations did.
If we want AI to direct people toward preservation breeders, health testing, breed education, and responsible ownership, we need to become the sources AI trusts.
For generations, preservation breeders have protected the future of our breeds.
Now we must also help protect the future of the information about our breeds.
The future of purebred dogs won’t be shaped only in the whelping box or the show ring.
It will also be shaped by the answers people receive when they ask AI their very first question.
-Ingra Aamodt
