Pasanita is a non-profit organization and a member of the American Kennel Club. Its mission is to foster and promote the training of dogs and to conduct obedience trials and matches under the rules of the American Kennel Club. The Trials and Matches are held each year at Brookside Park, Pasadena. Any profits derived by the club are donated to the Pasadena Humane Society where Pasanita holds a Life Membership.
Pasanita Obedience Club, the west's oldest obedience club, was first organized in 1940 as a dog training class and was called the Santa Anita Obedience Club. They held no regular meetings and collected no membership dues beyond the small fee for training.
The Club was later re-organized and established as a separate unit from the training class. At the time of the re-organization the name was changed to Pasanita Obedience Club – a combination of the former name of Santa Anita and the city of Pasadena.
