Hunting & Heritage  |  01/16/2025

Learn From the Experts at Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic Bird Dog Stage


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Kansas City show to feature some of the nation’s top dog trainers

By Mikayla Peper, Media Relations Specialist for Pheasant Forever and Quail Forever

The Bird Dog Stage at this year’s National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic will boast hundreds of years of collective training experience, brought together in one place to help you and your favorite hunting companion find more birds next fall.

As Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever fans flock to Kansas City this March 7-9, so too will the nation’s top gun dog trainers. For DIY handlers, whether you are dreaming of your first bird dog or settling in for your fifteenth, there’s not a more valuable or impressive gathering of dog training professionals in the country.

The three-day schedule is packed with seminars and training sessions to help you hone the skills of your working dog, keep it healthy and running strong, and fine tune your relationship with him or her.

Longtime pros Ronnie Smith, Mike Wieben and more will cover pointers, flushers and retrievers alike. These presentations and more will cover everything from how to be a good leader for your dog, to shed hunting training, to tips for developing new puppies.

Dr. Seth Bynum and Dr. RuthAnn Lobos, the catalysts behind Pheasants Forever’s “Ask A Vet” series, will join in. Bynum and Lobos will cover sporting dog nutrition, as well as what to carry in your first aid kit and how to use it. They will also be answering questions during live “Ask a Vet” seminars each day.

Here is a rundown of top presenters on the stage:
 

Jump to Stage Schedule


Bird Dog Stage Highlights

Dr. Seth Bynum, Dr. Ruth Ann Lobos, Ronnie & Susanna Smith, Rick Smith

Dr. Seth Bynum

An Idaho-based veterinarian, avid wingshooter and former journalist, DVM Seth Bynum (@birddogvet) specializes in canine reproduction and serves as adjunct faculty at Washington State University. Fond of using both shotgun and camera in the uplands behind his German shorthairs, Dr. Bynum is also a contributing writer and photographer for MeatEater’s "Ask A Vet" series.

Dr. RuthAnn Lobos

Dr. RuthAnn Lobos (@VetLobos), DVM CCRT CCVAT, currently serves as a senior veterinarian for Nestle’ Purina PetCare, dedicating her career to helping advance the science of nutrition for pets to live better, longer lives. Residing in Boulder, Colorado, she spends her evenings and weekends practicing as a relief veterinarian. Outside of work, Dr. Lobos enjoys fly-fishing, working with sporting dogs, and upland bird hunting. She graduated from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.

Ronnie and Susanna Smith

Ronnie Smith's life has revolved around bird dogs and the family business of raising and training some of the best bird dogs in the country at Ronnie Smith Kennels LLC, located in northeastern Oklahoma. Susanna is a bird dog lover and renowned trainer in her own right. Since 1982, Smith has been giving seminars across the country, helping people to better understand their dogs and how to interact with each individual breed, building his distinction as a premier dog trainer.

Rick Smith

Rick Smith is a renowned field trialer and trainer, Brittany Hall of Fame inductee, and a Smith Training Seminar instructor. Cousin to Ronnie Smith and the son of legendary dog trainer Delmar Smith, Rick conducts seminars on an international scale and continues to raise his outstanding line of Brittany bird dogs. Rick’s training techniques work across the spectrum of bird bogs out there. From puppyhood to finished bird dogs, Smith is at the top of his class as a trainer.


Mike Wieben, Tom Dokken , Dr. Cartrell Cooper

Mike Wieben

Pro trainer Mike Wieben is one of the Midwest's premier dog trainers for shed hunting, upland hunting and waterfowling, focusing on hunting techniques as well as all-around obedience for gun dogs. Wieben is the head dog trainer with 20 years of experience at Dokken's Oak Ridge Kennels, Inc. located near Northfield, Minnesota, and is a certified NASHDA master judge.

Tom Dokken

The inventor of the DeadFowl Trainer, Tom has more than 40 years of training experience. He owns Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennels, the largest gun dog training kennel in the upper half of the U.S., and Dokken Dog Supply. He is the author of Retriever Training: The Complete Guide to Developing Your Hunting Dog, the leading innovator in shed antler hunting with dogs, and Senior ProStaff member for SportDOG Brand® and Purina.

Dr. Cartrell Cooper

Dr. Cartrell Cooper has been a trailblazer in the canine world since the late 1970s, shaping how we train, understand, and care for our beloved bird dogs. From training competitive field dogs in his intercity yards to training Dual Champions, Dr. Cooper’s journey has earned him global recognition as a respected authority among dog owners, hunters, and trainers alike. Dr. Cooper is the founder of Big D’s Dog Training and the National Dog Trainers Association.


Nowhere else on Planet Earth are there as many top upland bird dog experts in one room, ready to share their knowledge and make you and your bird dog a better team! The full Bird Dog State schedule follows. We’ll see you in KC!


Seminar Schedule

2025 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic:
Bird Dog Stage Seminar Lineup

P
Time Topic Speaker(s)
Friday 1:00 Training Your Dog to Find Shed Antlers Mike Weiben
1:30 Fueling Success - Maximizing Nutrition for your Hunting Dog Dr. RuthAnn Lobos
2:00 Core Bird Dog Behaviors and Mindsets Ronnie and Susanna Smith
2:30 Strategies for the Urban Dog Trainer Dr. Cartrell Cooper
3:00 Control Tactics - Start to Finish Tom Dokken
3:30 How to be a Good Leader for Your Dog Rick Smith
4:00 Strategies to Keep Your Dog Healthy While Afield Mike Wieben
4:30 When Should I Spay or Neuter my Hunting Dog Dr. Seth Bynum
5:00 The Steady Pointing Dog Ronnie and Susanna Smith
5:30 Ask the Experts - Over 200 years of Dog Training Experience Panel
Saturday 10:00 How to be a Good Leader for Your Dog Rick Smith
10:30 Training Your Dog to Find Shed Antlers Mike Wieben
11:00 Strategies for the Urban Dog Trainer Dr. Cartrell Cooper
11:30 Core Bird Dog Behaviors and Mindsets Ronnie and Susanna Smith
12:00 Fueling Success - Maximizing Nutrition for your Hunting Dog Dr. RuthAnn Lobos
12:30 Control Tactics - Start to Finish Tom Dokken
1:00 How to be a Good Leader for Your Dog Rick Smith
1:30 When Should I Spay or Neuter my Hunting Dog Dr. Seth Bynum
2:00 Developing a Pointing Dog Ronnie and Susanna Smith
2:30 Strategies to Keep Your Dog Healthy While Afield Mike Wieben
3:00 Ask-a-vet - Get your questions answered! Dr RuthAnn Lobos & Dr. Seth Bynum
3:30 Strategies for the Urban Dog Trainer Dr. Cartrell Cooper
4:00 The Steady Pointing Dog Ronnie and Susanna Smith
4:30 Ask the Experts - Over 200 years of Dog Training Experience Panel
Sunday 10:00 How to be a Good Leader for Your Dog Rick Smith
10:30 Training Your Dog to Find Shed Antlers Mike Wieben
11:00 Fueling Success - Maximizing Nutrition for your Hunting Dog Dr. RuthAnn Lobos
11:30 Developing a Pointing Dog Ronnie and Susanna Smith
12:00 Control Tactics - Start to Finish Tom Dokken
12:30 Strategies for the Urban Dog Trainer Dr. Cartrell Cooper
1:00 When Should I Spay or Neuter my Hunting Dog Dr. Seth Bynum
1:30 How to be a Good Leader for Your Dog Rick Smith
2:00 Ask the Experts - Over 200 years of Dog Training Experience Panel

The 2025 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic will take place at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City on March 7-9. Tickets and more information can be found at: PheasantFest.org.