The AKC Fit Dog Title is an official recognition from the American Kennel Club for dog owners who commit to keeping their dogs (and themselves) physically active. In 2023, the AKC introduced three Fit Dog titles – Bronze, Silver, and Gold – as part of its Fit Dog program to encourage healthy exercise habits. These titles are open to all dogs (purebred or mixed breed) and are earned by completing a series of fitness activities together with your dog. Once earned, the title becomes a suffix to your dog’s AKC name (for example: Fido, FITB for Bronze) and you’ll receive an official certificate.
The AKC Fit Dog title program provides a fun, structured way for owners and dogs to get moving, improve their health, and be rewarded for their efforts. It’s a non-competitive program, meaning you’re not competing against anyone else; you simply complete the requirements at your own pace and send in your documentation to earn the title.
The main goal is to encourage regular exercise and strengthen the bond between dogs and their owners. With many pets (and people) being overweight, AKC saw a need for a structured fitness initiative. The Fit Dog program initially launched in 2018 as a way to get people and dogs active together. Early initiatives included community fun walks and even a free AKC Fit Dog Club magnet for owners who met certain walking goals. By 2023, AKC expanded the program to include official titles so you can earn recognition for maintaining a healthy lifestyle with your pup
Benefits for Dogs: Regular exercise helps dogs maintain a healthy weight, builds muscle tone, and improves cardiovascular health. It also provides mental stimulation and can reduce behavioral problems that stem from excess energy or boredom. A tired dog from a good long walk or play session is often a happier, calmer dog at home. The variety of activities encouraged by the program – from walks to swimming to agility – can also expose your dog to new experiences and skills, boosting their confidence.
Benefits for Owners: It’s not just the dogs who benefit – owners do too! Committing to the Fit Dog program gives you a reason to get outside and be active on a regular basis. Many participants report better personal fitness, more motivation to stick to an exercise routine, and the joy of bonding with their dogs through shared activities. Walking or jogging with your dog, for example, can improve your cardiovascular health and mood. The program can also be a social outlet, especially if you join community runs or group dog walks through an AKC Fit Dog club. You might meet fellow dog lovers and make new friends along the way.
Structured Motivation: Another big benefit of AKC Fit Dog titles is the structure and motivation they provide. It’s easy to say “I should exercise my dog more,” but having a clear checklist of goals (like walking X minutes per week for 8 weeks, or completing a 6-week fitness class) can keep you accountable. The titles serve as milestones to work toward.
Plus, at the end of the journey you’ll have a tangible reward – a title certificate and the pride of achieving Bronze, Silver, or Gold status.
The AKC Fit Dog titles come in three levels of achievement, progressing from easiest to most challenging. Each level has a set of requirements measured in “points”. To earn a title, you and your dog must accumulate a certain number of points by doing approved fitness activities. Here’s an overview of each level:
The Bronze Fit Dog title is the entry-level (think of it as Level 1) in the Fit Dog series. It’s abbreviated FITB in AKC records. Bronze is open to any dog at least 6 months old, and it requires 5 points worth of activities completed from at least two different categories. In practical terms, this means you can’t earn all 5 points doing just one type of activity – you need a mix of exercises.
What does 5 points equate to? AKC has defined six categories of fitness activities (explained in the next section), each with point values. For Bronze, some examples of how you could reach 5 points are:
There are many possible combinations, which makes the Bronze title very achievable. The key is to include at least two categories of activity – for instance, you can’t just do two fun runs and nothing else. But you could do one fun run and one walking plan, or one course and one swim, etc.
Most Bronze participants choose the walking option as one of their categories, since it’s accessible to everyone. In fact, walking 75 minutes per week for 8 weeks is a common way to fulfill a big chunk of the Bronze requirements. That breaks down to roughly 10–11 minutes of walking per day – a great starting goal for a sedentary dog. Others might take an AKC Fit Dog class if one is offered in their area by an approved instructor. However you choose to do it, once you’ve earned 5 points and checked off activities in two or more categories, you’re ready to apply for the Bronze title!
The Silver Fit Dog title (abbreviated FITS) is the next step up. Important: You must have earned the Bronze title before you can get Silver. Silver requires 10 points from at least two categories. Essentially, it doubles the effort of Bronze and adds a bit more challenge.
For Silver, you’ll be building on what you did for Bronze. Many of the categories have “additional” requirements for the Silver level. For example, if you did the independent walking for Bronze (75 min/week for 8 weeks), to count walking again for Silver you need to do another 8 weeks of 150 minutes per week with your dog (so two more months of walks beyond Bronze). This ensures you continue the habit. Similarly, if you attended one group walk for Bronze, Silver might ask for two or more group walks beyond that. Participated in one community run for Bronze? For Silver you might need two additional organized runs completed. The program is designed this way to keep you progressing and not just repeating the exact same activities.
Some ways to earn 10 points for Silver could be:
The Gold Fit Dog title (abbreviated FITG) is the highest level of the program – the gold medal of canine fitness! To go for Gold, you must have completed Bronze and Silver first. Gold requires 20 points from at least two categories, which is double the Silver requirement. Earning this title demonstrates a long-term, consistent dedication to keeping your dog fit and active.
At the Gold level, the requirements build further upon Silver. Continuing the walking example: if you used independent walks as one of your categories, you’ll need to add another 8 weeks of 150 minutes/week beyond what you did for Silver (so essentially months 5 and 6 of regular walking). By the time you finish, you’d have logged 24 weeks (about 6 months) of steady walks with your pup – a wonderful achievement in itself. For group walks, you’d likewise do additional outings beyond the Silver level.
Other categories similarly expect more or higher accomplishments. Perhaps you’ll take an advanced AKC Fit Dog Level 3 course (if available) or even become involved enough to lead community walks. You might participate in several organized runs or dog 5Ks throughout the year. If your dog is a budding athlete, you could also earn more AKC performance titles (e.g. advanced agility, another Fast CAT, etc.) or a breed club working title like an advanced pack hiking title – each new title can contribute points.
Achieving the Gold AKC Fit Dog title is something to be very proud of. It represents many months (or even years) of effort. At this level, you and your dog have likely made fitness a permanent part of your lifestyle. Not only will your dog be healthier for it, but you’ll have a wonderful collection of memories – morning jogs, trail hikes, swim days, club meetups – that you shared together on the journey to Gold.
How exactly do you earn “points” toward a Fit Dog title? The AKC has outlined six categories of activities that count. You can pick and choose from these to reach your point total. Each category has a point value (or multiple levels of points) and specific guidelines. Here are the six categories of qualifying activities for AKC Fit Dog titles:
In summary, you have a lot of flexibility in choosing activities. Some people might stick with just two or three categories throughout (like walking + running events + a sport title). Others might dabble in everything. The only rule is to use at least two categories for each title, and not reuse the exact same accomplishment for the next level. The program is meant to fit individual preferences – whether you’re a casual walker or an avid competitor, you can tailor the journey to you and your dog.
Earning an AKC Fit Dog title is simple and flexible. Here’s a streamlined guide to help you get started:
1. Make Sure Your Dog Is Eligible
Dogs must be at least 6 months old. Purebred dogs need to be AKC registered or have a PAL number. Mixed-breed dogs can participate through AKC Canine Partners.
2. Choose Your Title Level
Everyone starts with the Bronze title. Review the AKC FIT DOG checklist for the level you’re aiming for. Each level requires a certain number of points from at least two activity categories.
3. Complete the Required Activities
Pick qualifying activities like:
4. Track and Document Your Activities
Use photos, app screenshots, certificates, or AKC’s documentation form to verify what you’ve done. For walking, a weekly summary from a smartphone app or a handwritten log is enough.
5. Submit Your Application
Download the AKC FIT DOG Title Application form. Include:
Once approved, AKC adds the title to your dog’s official record and sends a certificate.
