Gun Dog Forum

Hey all I just wanted to let you know that we are starting a Pointing Dog Club through UKC. It is a club in West Michigan that will focus on areas of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinios. As soon as the website is up and running I will let you know. Please let me know if anyone needs more information.

We will be doing 3 hunts with the club this spring/summer

Feb/Mar- Fun hunt. Rothbury, MI
You pay for birds plus $5 to the club. Get evaluations on your dog working. Have fun with fellow hunters and do some hunting. This is open to all upland hunting dogs. Not just pointing breeds.

April-
Wild bird trial (grouse/woodcock) somewhere in Michigan.

Early June-
Liberated (planted) bird trial - Rothbury Michigan

Thanks!

Proably opening a can of worms here.....but why the UKC and not the AKC? Isnt UKC euorpien? Are there differences in the test evaluations between the two?

UKC is headquartered right in Michigan in Kalamazoo to be exact. So no they are not Europien.

Yes they have different testing standards.

AKC test are all on planted birds (from what I have read and beein informed)
UKC allows for wild bird trials (which we will have one in April) along with planted trials (june and fun hunt date)
UKC natuaral ability test is open to dogs up to the age of 3. Which I like personaly as I don't like to push a pup to the limits to just get them ready for testing. I like this so that I can take my time and allow my pup to be a pup and such. Just personal prefrence and I have heard all sides of it and I am ok with those sides as well.

To me PERSONALLY I like UKC events more than AKC. To me they are more laid back and relaxed. Seem more real life for the most part and UKC has more areas a dog can be titled in. Such as UKC offers titles in the show ring, hunting, weight pulling, agility, dock jumping (coming this year), obedience, protection (don't know the exact name for this, it is where the dog will atack a stranger on command but has to not do anything until commanded and then has to release immedietly on command), Jack Russell Terrier races and many more.

I also like UKC a bit more due to them recognizing more breeds than the AKC.

These are just a list of the breeds from the Gun Dog group in UKC that the AKC does not recognize but UKC does.

Large and Small Munsterlanders
Boykin Spaniel
Bracco Italiano
Braque D'Auvergne
Braque de l'Ariege
Braque du Bourbonnais
Braque Francais, de Grande Taille
Braque Francais, de Petite Taille
Braque Saint-Germain
Cesky Fousek
Deutscher Wachtelhund (German Spaniel)
Drentse Patrijshond
Epagneul Blue de Picardie
Epagneul Breton
Epagneul Picard
Epagneul Pont-Audemer
French Spaniel (Epagneul Francais)
French Wire-Haired Korthals Pointing Griffon
Frisian Water Dog
German Longhaired Pointer
German Rough-Haired Pointer
Hungarian Wire-Haired Vizsla
Irish Red and White Setter
Kooikerhondje
Lagotto Romagnolo
Old Danish Bird Dog
Perdiguero de Burgos
Perdiguero Navarro
Podenco Canario
Podenco Ibicenco
Portugese Pointer (Perdiguero Português)
Pudelpointer
Spanish Water Dog
Stabyhoun


I am glad you asked and I don't intend this to become a debate of which is better. As I like both. Just wanting to inform everyone of something that is being formed. We MAY also associate eventualy with AKC too but we will have to feel it out and see what happens. And believe you me I don't have a clue what most of the above breeds are but I am going to find out!

Thanks for the info, just always figured UKC was for folks across the pond..<shrugs>

No problem! Thanks for asking!

Do you know the dates for your wild bird trial? Also will you be having a "Couples" Trial in Open Class? Will you be holding one or two trials over the weekend?

I know that this is a ways out. But I am beginning to plan my trial season for Vern, and I would really like to come out for the trial, but I need to be able to run Vern in a Wild Couples.

Also I don't know where you are in your planning, but I am a Licensed UKC Judge, so if you need a Judge, let me know.

Explain to me what couples is? I know we were going to run on a Saturday Sunday in April. I believe 12 and 13th. Also PM me what you would charge to judge. We have yet to get a location for this trial. Todd from UKC is going to try and get that taken care of I believe. Any help we can get is always appreciated.

Couples is braced competition in UKC. Most trials in UKC as in Europe are Solo. Only Open Class dogs can run Couples in UKC.

Say hi to Todd for me. Is he going to run his dogs? It would be fun to see his dogs run.

I am not sure.....

We will hopefully have a meeting that he can make in December. I will check with him on couples as well. Thanks for the explenation!