On Sept. 17, 1884, 12 sportsmen — each representing a dog club that had recently held a bench show or had run field trials — met in Philadelphia to discuss the formation of a new "club of clubs." The following month, the group met in New York City and adopted a constitution, by-laws and a name: the American Kennel Club. The need for a reliable stud book in the United States was vital, so in 1887 the American Kennel Club combined their records with The National American Kennel Club's Stud Book, which was first published in 1878. The result was the most thorough stud book the Americas had yet seen. Soon all dogs shown in the United States were required to register with the American Kennel Club, and by the early 1900s their rules governed all national dog shows.