Bird Dogs,Bird Dogs & Training  |  02/04/2016

Join Purina at 2016 Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic


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Meet top bird dog trainers and get expert advice on nutrition and conditioning while visiting the Purina booth at the 2016 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri, Friday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 21.
 
Pheasant Fest kicks off with a Bird Dog Parade featuring about 40 breeds. Then, Purina Pro Plan brand dog food and SportDOG Brand are bringing the country’s best bird dog trainers to the Bird Dog Bonanza Stage for hourlong seminars throughout the weekend. These trainers also will be on hand at the Purina and SportDOG booths to answer your questions.
 
Here are a few of the professional trainers who will be present at this year’s Pheasant Fest:
 
  • Delmar Smith, a member of the Field Trial Hall of Fame, honed his skills teaching the public how to get the most from their dogs over his 55-year training career operating Delmar Smith Kennels in Edmond, Oklahoma. Smith dogs have performed in all 50 states and some foreign countries.
  • Ronnie Smith, like dog trainers in previous generations of the Smith family, knows that bird dogs are more than just a business, they are a passion and a way of life. He has operated Ronnie Smith Kennels in Big Cabin, Oklahoma, since 1982.
  • Rick Smith continues the Smith family tradition of his father, Delmar, and cousin, Ronnie, as he presents seminars across the country. A Brittany Field Trial Hall of Fame member, Rick has handled dogs to win three National Open Brittany Championships, seven U.S. Open Brittany Championships, six International Brittany Championships, and more than 100 Open Brittany All-Age stakes.
  • Karl Gunzer has professionally trained five National Finalists and a two-time Canadian National Champion. Competing in eight National Championships with 24 different dogs, he has won more than 40 Open stakes and 60 Derby stakes. Today, as Senior Manager of Purina’s Sporting Dog Program, Karl’s team attends more than 500 field trials and championships a year, some of nearly 1,600 sporting events sponsored annually by Purina.
  • Bob West led the development of the Purina Sporting Dog Program for nearly 30 years. He’s been a longtime contributor to the Pheasants Forever Journal, Pheasants Forever TV, Cabela’s TV, and Gun Dog Magazine, and also serves on the board of the Bird Dog Foundation.
  • Brian Zanghi, PhD, a Purina Research Nutritionist, studies the role nutrition plays in optimizing the performance of active dogs and in maintaining overall health for adult and older pets. His work led to the development of the Purina Pro Plan SPORT PRiME and ReFUEL nutritional supplement bars for active dogs and Purina Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND Adult 7+ dog food.
  • Tom Dokken, with more than 40 years’ experience, is the owner of Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennels, the largest gun dog training kennel in the upper half of the United States, and Dokken Dog Supply, based in Northfield, Minnesota. He is the inventor of the DeadFowl Trainer, author of Retriever Training: The Complete Guide to Developing Your Hunting Dog, and leading innovator in shed antler hunting with dogs.
  • Josh Miller and his dog “Easton” are one of the leading shed dog hunting teams in the U.S. Miller also is the only two-time North American Shed Hunting Dog Association World Champion. He operates River Stone Kennels in New Richmond, Wisconsin, where he trains gun dogs of all breeds.
Photos, Samples and Reviews at Purina Booth
           
Stop by the Purina booth to pose for pictures with your bird dog and Purina’s professional trainers and take home a souvenir print. While there, visitors also can learn more about the Purina Pro Plan SPORT dog food portfolio and pick up a sample of Purina Pro Plan brand dog food while limited supplies last.
 
Has Purina Pro Plan brand dog food already helped you and your bird dog achieve success in the field? Click here to write us a review, or leave us one at the Purina booth!