SUMMIT TWP — The tall grass in a field off Hinchberger Road was still Saturday, Nov. 1, but Hazel, a brown Pointador dog, combed the area at a fast pace, her nose sniffing the air to pick up the particular scent of a quail.

After a few minutes, and with no barking or sounds at all, Hazel’s owners and trainer could tell when she found the quail under the brush. Her body goes stiff, her tail parallel with the ground and her nose angled toward the ground, pinpointing the small bird.

This was a training exercise for the 3-year-old dog, who, despite being young, has already earned accolades with the American Kennel Club. Her owners, Nicole Zirpoli and Brandon Green, of Butler, have just gotten into the sport of field training with their dog, alongside Zirpoli’s parents, Mike and Sue Zirpoli,

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