NAVHDA BLUENOSE CHAPTER
Promoting the Versatile Hunting Dog in North America
About NAVHDA, our BLUENOSE CHAPTER and the Versatile Dog
The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) is a nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to foster, promote, and improve the versatile hunting dog breeds in North America; to conserve game by using well trained reliable hunting dogs before and after the shot; and to aid in the prevention of cruelty to animals by discouraging nonselective and uncontrolled breeding, which produces unwanted and uncared for dogs.
Our Purpose: The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association is a legally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering, improving, promoting, and protecting the versatile hunting dog in North America.Underlying these aims is the desire to serve the interests of game conservation, prevention of cruelty to animals, and the gun dog hunter by helping the hunter to train his dog to work before and after the shot, on land and in water.NAVHDA is an excellent complement to the activities of sporting dog breed clubs and field trial organizations. It was created to supplement the activities of those clubs by providing a proven, standard method of evaluating the performance of all versatile hunting dogs, consistent with North American hunting practices, regardless of breed.
How We are Organized: NAVHDA is organized on two levels: The first level, NAVHDA International, operates under bylaws approved by its membership. These bylaws provide for officers elected by popular vote who, together with appointed directors, constitute an Executive Council charged with furnishing direction and guidance to NAVHDA programs. The second level, local chapters of NAVHDA, are the "grass roots" organizations, which sponsor the training and testing programs. There are sanctioned chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
Our Bluenose Chapter has many members that are happy to help new and prospective members understand and get involved in our system. Serving the Maritime Provinces, our Bluenose Chapter hold many local events and are happy to welcome all levels of versatile dog enthusiast.
The Versatile Dog
Versatile Hunting Dog In The Field - In the field, a versatile dog should exhibit a fine nose, staunch pointing and the desire to search for, track and retrieve game in a cooperative manner. A versatile dog needs to further prove his independence, stamina and quality of nose by transferring his search for, and retrieving of game, to the water. NAVHDA's testing program provides an opportunity for dogs to exhibit these characteristics while remaining obedient and in control at all times. True versatile dogs should perform all tasks with enthusiasm and be willing to work with, and for, their handlers.The versatile breeds, as we know them today, are products of Europe. No distinctive versatile hunting breed has been developed in North America.
At the present time, NAVHDA recognizes studbooks for the breeds listed below.
Name of Breed and Name Abbreviations
BRACCO ITALIANO...........................BI
IRISH SETTER......................................IS
BRAQUE D’AUVERGNE.......................BA
LARGE MUNSTERLANDER......................LM
BRAQUE DU BOURBONNAIS..............BB
PICARDY SPANIEL.................................PS
BRAQUE FRANCAIS...........................BF
POINTER...............................................PT
BRITTANY.........................................BS
PORTUGUESE POINTER.........................PO
CESKYFOUSEK..................................CF
PUDELPOINTER.....................................PP
DRENTSE PARTRIDGE......................DP
SLOVAKIAN WIREHAIRED POINTER.......SH
ENGLISH SETTER..............................ES
SMALL MUNSTERLANDER......................SM
FRENCH SPANIEL.............................FS
SPINONE.............................................SP
GERMAN LONGHAIRED POINTER......GL
STICHELHAAR......................................ST
GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER.....GS
VIZSLA...............................................VI
GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTER.......GW
WEIMARANER......................................WM
GORDON SETTER..............................GO
WIREHARIED POINTING GRIFFON.........GR
IRISH RED & WHITE SETTER.............IR
WIREHAIRED VIZSLA............................WV