We love all dogs, but it's a fact that specific breeds are naturally better at performing certain functions than others. Some purpose-bred dogs have innate skills as hunting companions; others assist in the herding of livestock; and others serve as guardians of people and property. When you and your dog participate in a performance sport [...]

Airedale Terrier American Water Spaniel Boykin Spaniel Chesapeake Bay Retriever Clumber Spaniel Cocker Spaniel Curly-Coated Retriever English Cocker Spaniel English Springer Spaniel Field Spaniel Flat-Coated Retriever Golden Retriever Irish Water Spaniel Labrador Retriever Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Poodle Sussex Spaniel Welsh Springer Spaniel

You might think your sweet and affectionate spaniel was born just to be cuddled and adored by you, but you’d be wrong: Spaniels were actually first bred to be hunting companions! Their role was to hunt, find game, and then drive them out of their hiding places (also called “flushing”). Want to see those [...]

Not everyone will understand the importance of “rat catchers,” but if you live in the countryside, you sure do! “Rat catchers” rid farms of destructive vermin – and the hunting and teamwork skills required to do so are the foundation of the sport of Barn Hunt. Dogs and their handlers work as a team to locate [...]

You’ve played ball with your Retriever about a million times in your backyard or at the park, but do his fetching abilities automatically mean he’d make a good hunting companion? Not necessarily. The only way to really know is to participate in a Retriever Hunting Test. Ever since the first AKC retriever hunting [...]

Spaniel Hunting Test Newcomers Have Early Success! First Irish Water Spaniel Master Hunter Upland Airedales Earn Their First Field Titles  

 Pointing Breed Hunting tests are non-competitive pass/fail tests which assess each dog independently based attributes such as display of desire, boldness, independence, speed with a useful pattern of running across difficult or confusing scent patterns to pinpoint the location of birds. Other categories judges will score are; bird finding ability, pointing, trainability and in [...]

TITLE APPLICATIONS Advanced Title Application Lifetime Achievement Title Application   EVENT APPLICATION Spaniel Hunt Test Event Application

TITLE APPLICATIONS In addition to achieving the core Hunt Test titles of; Junior (JH), Senior (SH) and Master (MH), there are three additional certificate titles that are offered as mentioned in the Regulations & Guidelines for AKC Hunting Tests for Retrievers, Chapter 2, Section 6-7. Master Amateur Hunter Title Certificate Order Form (Fillable PDF) Master National [...]

  A new Meet the Breeds in the Field Video is now available! New! Meet the Breeds in the Field Video A survey was recently conducted amongst dog owners who are active in the sport. Here were the findings: 2023 Survey Results Hunt Test Call Back Procedure

Event Service Fees (Jan 2013) Changes to Spaniel Hunting Test Regulations (Nov 2011) The AKC's Position Regarding Club Events Held on Private Property (June 2007) Event giving clubs often conduct their activities on private property. It is the joint responsibility of the Club and the land owner to reach a mutual understanding regarding the obligations of both parties [...]

Spaniels are flushing breeds. Their purpose is to hunt, find game, flush and retrieve birds in a please and efficient manner. The objective of the hunting test program is to help the hunter develop a useful hunting companion by providing a means to gauge a dog's ability against three standards of accomplishment-Junior Hunter, Senior Hunter [...]

DQ by Judges (Jan 2026) Score All Abilities / Master Dog / Awarding Ribbons (Jan 2026) Amateur Handler Limit / Handler and Judge Relation (May 2025) MNRC Entry Size and Resources (Jan 2025) Six Various Clarifications (Oct 2024) Talking to Dog in Junior (Jul 2023) English Springer Spaniels Eligible (Nov 2022) Clarifications -Amateurs / Blind Retrieves (Oct 2022) Wirehaired Vizsla Eligible / Two Hunt Tests Per Yr. for [...]

Field Trial Grounds being Developed in Alabama by Department of Conservation and Natural Resources First Dog to Earn MHA — ‘Battue‘ Growing Up With Field Dogs Get Started Growing Up In A GSP Family Kaitlyn Walsh -- A Young Handler for the Hunt Test Crowd "Miles" -First Junior Hunter Advanced Title Portuguese Pointer: First to Obtain [...]

The concept of the Spaniel Hunting Test began as a request for an AKC sanctioned event to be known as the "Spaniel Gun Dog Qualification." It had been recommended that AKC sanction Spaniel breed specialty clubs to hold these tests for the purpose of gauging a dog's natural abilities during demands of actual hunting conditions [...]

A new brochure explaining the basics of Spaniel Hunting Tests is now available. The brochure provides an introduction to the AKC Hunting Test program by explaining the standard procedures and basic requirements for each test level. The brochure is meant to allow new participants to become more familiar and comfortable with the event before giving [...]

Who is THAT Junior Handler? The Role of an AKC Field Rep Blue-Green Algae and Dogs: Symptoms and Prevention Welcome Tommy to the World of AKC Retriever Hunting Tests Junior Kelsey Deuth - One Cool Cucumber!  1st AKC Advanced Judges & Handlers Seminar EJ Wendel – All Around Junior Handler Zipper: German Shorthair Is the AKC [...]

In the 1980s hunters with good retrievers, but without the resources, or time, to be able to be competitive in field trials were anxious to have an avenue to test their dogs for hunting abilities. The Qualifying and then Hunting Dog stake at field trials satisfied that need for a while, but did not offer [...]

Hunting Tests for Pointing Breeds were developed so people would have an opportunity to demonstrate a dogs ability to perform under actual hunting conditions. Judges should evaluate a dog's natural abilities as well as those traits obtained through training. Hunting Tests are for people of all ages, male and female and for dogs at least [...]

2013 Versatile Weimaraner Earns JHR Title 2011 Pictures of Hunt Test Judges Riding 4-Wheelers/ATVs 2009 Nutmeg German Shorthaired Pointer Club by Chuck Kimbrel AKC Sporting Breeds Hunt With Wounded Warriors Montana Brittany Club by Tom Maneely St. Croix Valley Brittany Club and Twin Cities Vizsla Club 2008 Gordon Setter Club of America South Dakota Pointing Dog Club Holds [...]

This program was formulated due to the overwhelming success of the Retriever Hunting Test program. In 1986 Director of Field Trials and Hunting Tests, A. Hamilton (Ham) Rowan, Manager of Performance Events, John Carroll, and AKC Field Representative, Bob Bartel developed the plans for the fledgling Pointing Breed Hunting Test program. The regulations were approved on [...]

TITLE APPLICATIONS Advanced Title Application Lifetime Achievement Title Application Master Hunter Excellent Lifetime Achievement Title Application   EVENT APPLICATIONS Pointing Breed Hunt Test Event Application Special Event Application

Title Recognition Program   As of April 1, 2013, the AKC recognizes titles earned in Association events. Owners may apply to have the titles recorded on their dogs' AKC records. titles then will be displayed on pedigrees and other AKC documents AKC Acknowledges Titles   AKC's Announcement Acknowledging Titles Holding in Conjunction with an AKC Event Title [...]

Holding Barn Hunt Events in Conjunction with AKC Events Barn Hunt events may be held in conjunction with AKC events provided they are held "separate and apart". Separate and apart means there must be a clear demarcation between the two events. The clear demarcation can be achieved in a number of ways --- Different times [...]

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has proposed changes to the General Regulations Relating to Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and to Wildlife and Environmental Areas (WEAs).  The effect of the proposed changes will: (1) Allow dogs to be used for hunting non-protected birds during any period when at least one species of small game is [...]

Some dog breeds are great with locating big or small game, some can flush it for you, and others retrieve it. Learn which hunting breed may be best for you.

Hunting with dogs is an exciting way to channel your dog's natural instincts. Learn some basics about how to safely hunt with your dog and how to train them to work in the field.

Here is the sequence of events for the TSA/ACS Hunt test. Remember, it should be done in the same order every time. 1. A walk to the site for Chase Retrieve (located near the site for the Hidden Grass test). 2. Chase Retrieve - Tease the dog with the scented rolled towel in a manner that [...]

I will be blogging this week on the hunt test assessment. I would like to thank those who have sent videos of their assessment attempts; it shows me what I need to do to make the process standardized for everyone. The reason this test is important is that it is a test validated across 600 dogs [...]

If your dog loves to chase squirrels and dig for moles, then they would love the sport of Barn Hunt. Dogs get to hunt for rats, which are safely enclosed in heavy PVC tubes that are hidden in hay bales. The sport is for all dogs of all breeds, including mixed-breeds, like Hexie, who is [...]