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Mission Statement
The Arizona Pointing Dog Club is the organization
for the hunter who wants to do more than just hunt with his
or her dog during hunting season. The club promotes the
training and use of pointing dogs in the sport of upland bird
hunting in order to enjoy the sport to its highest potential.
 Club Description
In the Outdoor World, is there any sweeter picture
than a team of dog handler and dog successfully completing a
day of upland bird hunting? Picture the hunter and his dog returning
to camp with a bag full of game, satisfaction of a job well
done and the strengthening of bond between hunting partners.
But where does a handler learn to train his dog and develop
the skills to achieve this reward?
The Arizona Pointing Dog Club (AZPDC) based in
Phoenix Arizona, is approximately eighteen years old and, with
150-160 members, is arguably the largest dog club in the state.
The AZPDC was established as a training club for anyone wishing
to learn how to train a pointing dog. We will not train your
dog for you, but we will show you how to train your dog. The
AZPDC is not breed specific; meetings and events are open to
all pointing breeds. Members participate with German Shorthairs,
Brittanys, English Pointers and Setters, Vizslas, German Wirehairs
and an occasional Weimaraner.
The AZPDC is a family-oriented club that invites
participation from women and youth. There are accomplished women
dog handlers in our group. Club members
enjoy those opportunities when we can show today's youth the
fun of the outdoors.
Currently, AZPDC offers one training day a month
where all members are invited to bring their dogs. At these
training days, experienced, knowledgeable members demonstrate
various aspects of the training process and discuss them in
as much details as the member wishes. Club training days are
an opportunity for newer members to learn about the specialized
equipment needed to train a pointing dog. Proper use of the
equipment is emphasized along with methods to reinforce desired
behavior from the dog. These training days are for all members
and dogs at any stage of training, from puppies to fully-broken
pointing dogs.
The club sponsors one
event
per month in addition to regular club meetings. Some of
the more popular events are training sessions, training seminars
by professional trainers, AZPDC Gundog and Hunter Class Field
Trials, NSTRA (National Shoot to Retrieve) Field Trials, AFTCA
(American Field) Trials, AKC (American Kennel Club) Hunt Tests,
trap & skeet shoots, dinner evenings and even weekend hunts
for Mearns and Scaled quail during hunting season.
These club-sponsored trials and hunts are quite
often social events where old friends meet and training methods
are discussed for the benefit of newer members. Other social
events include a Christmas banquet complete with lots of good
food and a white elephant gift exchange. Members are asked to
bring spouses and children and gag gifts are given away. In
April, there is an Awards Banquet when a great picnic meal is
served. New officers are elected for the upcoming year and awards
are presented to special people and their dogs. Participation
in various club activities has proven to be the best way to
meet other individuals with similar training and hunting interests.
E-mail
AZPDC
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