A Dog Pet Dog World: How the AKC Won the CX Game

Hosting an event for dog people to pet dogs is an easy way to please customers.

The weekend of January 28^th, 2023, the Javits Center in New York City hosted the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) “Meet the Breeds” event. The National exhibition boasts that it gives “dog lovers a unique opportunity to meet, play with, and learn about hundreds of dogs.” I went for the dogs, but left with some new learnings about customer engagement that can make all customer experience interactions feel as pleasant as petting a puppy.

Here are the reasons this event was such a success—and how it could have been even better.

1. PRO: Intelligent, thoughtful, and collaborative vendors.

The more vendors representing dog breeds that the AKC could get to this event, the better for the AKC. The Kennel Club’s goal was to maximize the number of vendors to, in turn, maximize profits (each vendor paid $2500 to show for the weekend). Additionally, the more dogs, the more marketable the event becomes to dog lovers.

This did not, however, mean the AKC was going to lower its standards to accommodate more dogs. Every breed had about half a dozen canine representatives with one human assigned to each. Whether the dog was a Rottweiler or a Chihuahua, it was well-trained, well-behaved, and socialized to ensure a safe experience for all of the attendees. If the dog did not meet this standard, it would not be welcome.

The breeders, enthusiasts, and rescue workers that brought these dogs were there primarily to share their love of dogs (and, in some cases, to promote their dog bloodline). Not only was each vendor unbelievably passionate about the uniqueness of their dog breed (I made the mistake of offending someone by comparing the Pomeranian to the Finnish Laphund, I am sorry to everyone involved) but they were knowledgeable and excited to teach others about this thing they have dedicated their lives to. Perhaps most importantly, the vendors were greatly concerned with both the welfare of the dogs and the well-being of the customers. Who could ask for more in a customer experience?

2. PRO: Humane conditions for the dogs

It should come as no surprise, then, that while the AKC ensured it hosted the best vendors it could find, the vendors were equally as solicitous in ensuring they were bringing their dogs to a place where the canines would be treated fairly.

This was a challenge, however. There were hundreds of people packed into the space, all touching the dogs, hugging them, squeezing them, sometimes even trying to pick them up against their wishes. The dogs had to stay cool, calm, together, and not have an accident or eat a kid’s popcorn, for seven hours straight, two days in a row. For the Golden Retriever, this is a joy. For others, like the Afghan Hound, this is as close to torture as it gets.

Thankfully, the host and the human caretakers were prepared. Because there were a good number of dogs representing each breed, when one was “working” the others had spacious and comfortable doghouses in quieter areas of the arena where they could be alone while still under the supervision of their owners.

Furthermore, when they weren’t resting or working, dogs were being walked outside, getting treats, and having an appreciated break from the chaos.

3. PRO: Friendly for people of all ages and physical abilities

Many events claim to be accessible for people with disabilities but, in practice, are hardly accommodating. When I attended the “Amazing Helpers to Mankind: Service Dog” presentation halfway through the “Meet the Breeds” event, I was skeptical. Based on this performance, the AKC was clearly confident in their ability to train dogs to support humans with special needs, but what about humans supporting other humans? Were they hosting an event that would supply the same amazing help?

Turns out, they were. All demonstrations and booths were wheelchair accessible, dogs jumped on stands to ensure people unable to bend down could still pet them, and all the dogs were incredibly docile. I watched a little girl grab a Jack Russel Terrier by the ears and snuggle him close to her, something I was sure would result in a growl and a snap, but the Terrier was fine. In fact, he was happy to be snuggling. This is because many of the dogs at the event were trained therapy dogs. So not only were the breeders and vendors ready to accommodate people with disabilities, but the attendees could engage with the dogs without fear of negative retaliation.  

4. CON: Except if you need a sensory-friendly environment

While the AKC was prepared to accommodate attendees with different physical abilities, there are other ways they could have gone above and beyond for people who require a sensory-friendly environment.

First, given that this was a very crowded event that could cause a sensory overload for anyone, it would be important to have clear signs marking where booths were, where the demonstrations were being held, and what time they could be seen. This would allow sensory-sensitive people to plan their route and attendance carefully, ensuring they don’t get too overwhelmed. While there was an agenda online, there was not one to be found anywhere at the event. Furthermore, though the booths were lined up in alphabetical order, the map did not indicate which breed was where. It was up to attendees to figure out approximately where it was based on the letter it started with—something that was more difficult than it sounds with over 100 booths crammed around the space.

Though this complaint may sound silly, I cannot think back to this event without smelling popcorn. There were a few popcorn machines around the center and each omitted an odor that spread throughout the entire space. Popcorn permeated the air, getting on my clothes and making me feel like if I never saw another popcorn machine, it would be too soon. For those with sensory sensitivities, this would definitely be enough to make the experience extremely unpleasant, no matter how much you love petting dogs.

Overall, this was a great event. The vendors were friendly, attendees seemed happy, and the dogs were well taken care of. And, though the customer experience industry still has a ways to go to accommodate customers with disabilities, the American Kennel Club definitely has taken a take a step in the right direction, teaching us all some ways we can improve our own customer experiences for every individual.

To learn more about the American Kennel Club and look up the next “Meet the Breeds” event in your area click here.

Header image: Photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash  

Photo 1: Photo by Drew Hays on Unsplash  

Photo 2: Photo by sabina fratila on Unsplash  

Photo 3: Photo by Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on Unsplash  

Photo 4: Photo by Justin Veenema on Unsplash