About Mountaineer Kennel Club

About Mountaineer Kennel Club

Mountaineer Kennel Club is an all-volunteer nonprofit that has been incorporated in northern West Virginia since 1945. Its stated purpose is to encourage the responsible breeding, training, handling and maintenance of dogs by both current and prospective dog fanciers, and it describes itself as a proud sponsor of the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

Classes

The published class list covers Fundamentals of Obedience, Puppy Kindergarten at two levels, Show Handling or conformation, Novice Rally, Introduction to Scentwork, Advanced Scentwork, and a CGC Prep class. Classes are published as starting at $95 per five-week session and run in the evenings on a seasonal schedule. The club notes that its Mylan Park training location is a busy venue with plenty of people passing through, which it treats as an advantage for socializing a dog to new situations.

Community work

Beyond classes the club takes an active role in outreach events aimed at educating the public about dog ownership, and names past participation in Bark in the Park, Dog Splash, the Black Diamond Cluster Dog Show and Bark for Life of Monongalia County. It also runs seminars and general meetings, and members are encouraged to volunteer at classes and the annual dog show.

Membership

Board and general membership meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month, with the general meeting open to members, past students and other interested people who have registered in advance. Classes are held at the Hazel and J.W. Ruby Community Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown; club mail goes to a PO box in Dellslow.