Out & About: Hunting dog clubs organize for more clout

OUTTRAIN – Sporting-dog clubs in Washington are joining under a new umbrella group to have a stronger statewide voice, especially in maintaining public areas to train and trial their dogs.

The Washington Sporting Dog Training Association was recently established by representatives from many of the state’s nonprofit sporting-dog clubs.

Many of these clubs already are affiliated with the nation’s two largest dog registries, the American Kennel Club, and the United Kennel Club, said Cindy Olson, association secretary and member of the Washington Retriever Club.

“This new association for the owners of sporting breeds creates a major unified voice that can advocate more effectively to ensure state and federal agencies are responsive to the dog-training needs of owners of sporting dogs,” said Jean Fowler, a member of the Rainier Hunting Retriever Club.

“We’ve seen way too many of the historical dog-training locations here in Washington State – including properties that were purchased for dog training – diverted to other uses, or restricted so severely that they’ve become inadequate for dog training.

“The historical dog-training uses for those properties need to be respected and restored.”

West Side clubs are founding the new group in response to the loss of training grounds that could spread to the East Side, Olson said.

The state Fish and Wildlife Department has closed most of the public lands to dog training in the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area. Olson said dog training could be further restricted in Scatter Creek and Wenas wildlife areas, and some privately owned training areas are at risk.

Terrie Sato of the Puget Sound Labrador Retriever Association said the department has promoted the benefits of hunting birds with a trained dog as a conservation tool, especially in terms of not wasting game.

“But it’s impossible to go hunting with a well-trained dog if there isn’t any place to train your dog before you go hunting,” said Sato, a longtime participant and judge for AKC sanctioned hunting-related retriever events.

Jim Olson of the Rainier Hunting Retriever Club and Fish and Wildlife Department volunteer, said the association should help coordinate volunteer services.

Info: Cindy Olson, email cindyto@q.com, (253) 209-0436.