​​We are Chad and Jennifer Kunz: North Dakota natives, avid outdoors people, dog lovers, and we are a small Deutsch Kurzhaar breeder. 

 

Hügel-Hafen means 'hill harbor' or 'harbor in the hills,' loosely translated. Our kennel and home are located in the heart of North Dakota along the beautiful Missouri Coteau. This area is known as the prairie pothole region for its large expanses of grasslands and wetlands, making it one of the top waterfowl habitats in North America.

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It truly is our haven, our harbor in the hills, and we feel blessed to live here near wonderful neighbors, friends, family, and small communities. We are surrounded by grasslands and wetlands which open up from our back door. We love the open spaces of the northern prairie and the extraordinary views of the landscape. The sunrises and sunsets can be breathtaking.

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​Dogs have always been a part of our lives. We grew up on farms in central ND with family dogs and in 1999, not long after Jen and I were married, we got our first AKC german shorthair pointer, Jessie. We joined the local NAVDHA club and began to learn more about training, testing, and how much more we could accomplish together. We fell in love with the breed and added a second gsp, Jake, in 2003. We enjoyed many years of hunting and making memories with them both.

 

After researching the Deutsch Kurzhaar breed, we were impressed with the testing program and requirements for breeders. We got our first DK, Cord vom Speidel in 2010. His natural abilities, testing record, personality, and companionship were truly special. He taught us more about ourselves than we ever imagined, and he was an absolute joy to hunt with.

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In 2013 we moved to the country where my great-grandparents' farmed, a long-time dream of ours. In 2016, we began looking to purchase a foundation dog to start a kennel and breeding program of our own. We found Dakota KS vom Trocken Bach from Frank and Marianne O'Leary in Walla Walla, WA. She has an extraordinary disposition and settled into our family and home with ease. Her training and testing career speaks for itself, and she is an outstanding hunting dog. We are grateful to the O'Leary's and find it more than just a coincidence that Dakota came 'home' to live in North Dakota.

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We became a DKV registered breeding kennel in 2016 and have had three successful litters. See - Our Dogs and Litters pages for more information. Hunting and training are our passions, but ultimately our dogs are part of our family and are primarily with us in the home as well.

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We have been NADKC members since 2010, joined the CDKA in 2018, and the DKGNA and CanAm clubs in 2019. We are committed members to the cause of the breed and clubs. We have met some great people and made life-long friends.

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We believe in the DK breed. They are attuned to you, noble, and confident. They are extremely skilled at hunting during the day and lying by your feet (or snuggled in your bed) at night. They are easily trained and they look to you for more - more learning, more hunting, more love. They are truly an amazing animal.

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