Photo courtesy of JLFurtography All across North America, dogs of all breeds, sizes, and ages, are taking part in a team sport designed to encourage burning off energy through running, jumping hurdles, and catching tennis balls, all within a short amount of time. If this sounds like something your super quick, smart, energetic dog might be […]

By Jerry D. Mann, Field Director -- Sporting Breeds As I entered the grounds for the Mid-South Hunting Retriever Club fall hunt test near Bruce, Mississippi I hurriedly approached the contestants' sign-up area to obtain a copy of the event catalog and locate the running site of the Master test. It was with anxious anticipation […]

First NAVHDA based club to host an AKC Hunt Test By Bonnie Hidalgo, Executive Field Representative A reciprocal agreement for dog registration between the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) was announced in July 2007. The reciprocal agreement makes it easier to register a dog with AKC if […]

by Elissa Kirkegard Ch. Realta's Galileo CD TD SH MHU QAA CGC (IWSCA ALL AROUND RETRIEVER AND IWSCA WCX) Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks? Nine year old veteran retriever and hunting dog, Gali, owned and handled by Elissa Kirkegard, took to the spaniel hunt test game with gusto. This is the […]

By Wayne Bleazard, Executive Field Representative Most ten year old girls are interested in the latest styles and fashions and Justin Bieber! Kelsey Deuth's ideas about important things focuses on the animal kingdom. She LOVES all animals, especially dogs, and enjoys helping Kim and Doug Shade, a professional trainer from Oregon, at their kennels. She […]

By Milton S. Holcombe On the weekend of April 18-19, 2009, the first revised edition of the AKC Advanced Judges and Handlers Seminar was held at Forest Lake, Minnesota. This seminar was sponsored by the Northern Flight Hunting Retriever Association and the Lake Country Retriever Club. Chuck Stokes was the lead person for Northern Flight […]

Ever hesitate to bring up a hard-to-pronounce foreign name because you’re afraid you’ll pull a Travolta and totally butcher it? To help you avoid these uncomfortable moments, WOOFipedia presents this handy pronunciation guide to five breeds whose names you’re embarrassed to say aloud at the dog park. Entlebucher Mountain Dog ENT-leh-boo-cur This Swiss herder’s name […]

By: Zach Simpson Zach Simpson is a16-year-old from Wadsworth, IL, who knows exactly what he wants for his future. An All Honors or Advanced Placement student, this Junior is heavily involved in competitive shooting as well as his Hunting Test activities with his Vizsla, Otis, who Zach trained and handled to his Master Hunter title. […]

By: Emily Easton For the Eastons of Dallas, PA, dogs are a true family affair. Starting with their first Vizsla, Dallas, in 1996, the Easton family -- Ralph, Diana and daughters Laura, now 20, and Emily -- has participated in conformation, field trials and hunting tests. Emily is a 6th grader with academic goals to […]

Growing Up In A GSP Family Ten-year-old Brandon Novoa, a 5th grader at Boston Valley Elementary in Boston, NY, has reason to feel proud: He recently put a Junior Hunter title on one of his parents' German Shorthaired Pointers. Active in school extracurricular activities such as the school newspaper, orchestra (playing violin), chorus and various […]

By Joyce Hughes -- Event Secretary and PKC Treasurer The Coursing Ability Test (CAT) is a new AKC coursing event for all dogs -- purebreds and mixed breeds. It's an event filled with amusement, entertainment and comical antics from our beloved canines. Pocatello Kennel Club, Inc. in Southeast Idaho, held its first CAT Event in […]

"After the event, they were having practices, and one of the people running the event suggested I bring out Dino and see if he would chase the lure. I had absolutely no idea what Dino would do so I brought him out and he chased the lure partially around the big field." Phillips began seeking […]

New Event for the Wrinkled Sight Hounds -- Dogue de Bordeaux by Gale Bandsma The C.A.T. is an introductory event similar to the sport of lure coursing. AKC describes it as a healthy and fun activity for all dogs (at least 12 months old and registered as an AKC, FSS, or Canine Partners dog). The […]

By Carol Chittum AKC's newest dog sport offering, Coursing Ability, more than proved its validity to the fancy at the recent Tests hosted by Cascade Coursing Club (all-breed AKC lic. Lure Coursing club) in conjunction with Olympic Kennel Club's all-breed shows. OKC has as a goal, to provide as many performance events as possible so […]

by Lynn Leach When can I start teaching my pup to herd? Can I enter this clinic - my pup is five months old? I know she isn't ready, but is there something I can start working on? These are all very good questions I hear repeatedly. I also hear many incredibly varied answers. Herding […]

I remember the first time I put a shepherd's whistle in my mouth--a silent little bubble dribbled out one side while my eyes nearly popped from the unreleased pressure behind the instrument. By day two, a reedy pitiful note would moistly eek out on occasion if I held my mouth just right. A few days […]

Gripping can be a very controversial subject. I believe the answer is reflected in the kind of work the handler needs to complete and the urgency of the job. For example, some people may have a small herd or flock that has been trained to respect dogs. If a problem arises, they may have time […]

by Tammie Rogers I am amazed at a herding dog's courage. We often ask our dogs to control and pilot animals that can weigh hundreds of pounds more than they do. We ask them to manage ewes with baby lambs and cows with newborn calves. We ask them to move livestock that doesn't want to […]

by Lori Herbel We've all had those great moments in herding when our own outstanding handling expertise and our dog's natural, God-given talents have put us in awe and made our hearts swell, and given us cause to be proud to be herders. But why, oh why do those moments seem to be much fewer […]

Clinic by Lori Herbel "My dog has become really pushy lately. We seem to be in constant battle all the time. I can't figure out why!" "I've never started a dog in herding before. I have no clue what to do. Help!!" "Why does my dog quit when I try to teach him new things? […]