WHO WE ARE

The Volunteer Chapter of NAVHDA is dedicated to fostering a collaborative community of versatile hunting dog enthusiasts across Tennessee and neighboring states. We support handlers of all experience levels by providing structured training, official testing opportunities, and a shared network of knowledge to elevate both dog and handler.

About the Volunteer Chapter

About NAVHDA

From the NAVHDA Website:

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. 

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.

Recognized Versatile

Hunting Dog Breeds

The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association defines the versatile dog as one “that is bred and trained to dependably hunt and point game, to retrieve on both land and water, and to track wounded game on both land and water.” ~NAVHDA Aims, Programs, Test Rules

NAVHDA officially recognizes 35 distinct breeds of versatile hunting dogs, reflecting a rich diversity of physical characteristics and field styles. Within our shared network, these breeds are bound by a unified standard of excellence: the innate versatility to locate, point, and retrieve upland game, recover wounded waterfowl, and serve as steadfast, well-mannered family companions.

Blue Picardy Spaniel (BP)

Bracco Italiano (BI)

Braque d’Auvergne (BA)

Braque du Bourbonnais (BB)

Braque Francais (BF)

Braque St. Germain (BG)

Brittany-Spaniel-BS

Cesky Fousek (CF)

Drentsche Patrijshond (DP)

English Setter (ES)

Epagneul Breton (EB)

Epagneul De Pont Audemer (EP)

Epagneul De Saint-Usage (ED)

French Spaniel (FS)

German Longhair (GL)

German Shorthaired Pointer (GS)

German Wirehaired Pointer (GW)

Gordon Setter (GO)

Irish Red & White Setter (IR)

Irish Setter (IS)

Large Munsterlander (LM)

Perdiguero de Burgos (PB)

Picardy Spaniel (PS)

Pointer (PT)

Portuguese Pointer (PO)

Pudelpointer (PP)

Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer (SH)

Small Munsterlander (SM)

Spinone (SP)

Stabyhoun (SB)

Stichelhaar (ST)

Vizsla (VI)

Weimaraner (WM)

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (GR)

Wirehaired Vizsla (WV)

NAVHDA Sponsors &

Conservation Partners