SunSage Sporting Dogs - From Hunt to Hearth
25 years of experience hunting, handling, and training
If you are looking for a well-trained, eager, and reliable hunting partner in the field, as well as a happy and content companion for hearth and home, I look forward to visiting with you. My top priority is to help you find the best gun dog for your needs.
Tyla Metzentine-Kuhn
About SunSage Sporting Dogs
Meet Tyla...
My life has always been rooted in animals and the outdoors. With more than 25 years in the sporting industry, I’ve witnessed the remarkable bond that forms between hunters and their dogs. In today’s landscape, where countless “breeders” and options exist, finding the right partner can feel overwhelming. At SunSage Sporting Dogs, every pairing is intentional—guided by experience, integrity, and a deep respect for both the hunter and the dog. My commitment is to help you find the companion that best complements your family, lifestyle, and time in the field.
Much of my time is spent in the field working alongside the dogs—training, handling, and hunting to refine their natural abilities. I’ve also had the privilege of spending time in the United Kingdom, shooting over spaniels and collaborating with respected breeders to further develop and strengthen the SunSage bloodline. These experiences ensure each generation reflects the finest qualities of the working English Cocker: drive, temperament, and biddability balanced with a calm, affectionate nature at home.
Each dog in the SunSage program reflects our standard of proven performance from hunt to hearth—combining instinctive field ability with sound health, temperament, and structure. Through selective breeding, health testing, and real-world performance, we aim to preserve the heritage of the sporting spaniel while nurturing a lifelong bond between hunter and home.
Cockers
At SunSage Sporting Dogs, quality always outweighs quantity. Each dog is purpose-bred to preserve the heritage, integrity, and classic form of the working Cocker Spaniel—small, compact, and powerful. No dog is bred without first proving itself both in the hunt field and through comprehensive health testing. Field ability is demonstrated through daily work, hunting experience, and the achievement of AKC hunting titles. Health is verified through Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) evaluations of hips, elbows, and patellas, certified eye exams, and DNA testing for breed-specific conditions. Every SunSage pairing reflects intention, integrity, and respect for the breed—producing dogs that perform with heart in the field and live as devoted companions at home.
Pointing Dogs
While SunSage Sporting Dogs is widely recognized for our work with flushing spaniels, our foundation in the sporting industry began with English Pointers—the breed that first shaped our understanding of bird dogs, fieldcraft, and true hunting partnership. Those early experiences laid the groundwork for a lifelong appreciation of pointing breeds.
Today, that legacy continues through our training and evaluation services for pointing dogs. We assist clients in identifying and acquiring quality dogs, as well as developing tailored training programs to cultivate natural instinct, steadiness, and style. Each dog is approached as an individual, with a focus on clear communication, proper exposure, and consistent handling that refines their confidence and performance in the field.
Whether you’re looking to start a young pointing dog, advance an experienced one, or seek expert input before purchase, SunSage offers the insight and structure to help you reach your goals. The same principles that guide our spaniel program—intentionality, integrity, and respect for the sporting heritage—extend fully to our work with pointing breeds.
We offer both started and finished gun dogs, representing both spaniels and pointing breeds. For those who prefer to bypass the early puppy stage, our trained dogs provide a seamless transition—combining established obedience, field experience, and the foundation needed for success in both hunting and home life. All SunSage dogs are well-socialized and raised to thrive in their new environments, embodying the true “hunt-to-hearth” standard. Matching the right dog with you and your family is our top priority, ensuring a rewarding partnership and a truly enjoyable hunting companion.
Started & Finished Dogs
We offer both started and finished gun dogs, representing both spaniels and pointing breeds. For those who prefer to bypass the early puppy stage, our trained dogs provide a seamless transition—combining established obedience, field experience, and the foundation needed for success in both hunting and home life. All SunSage dogs are well-socialized and raised to thrive in their new environments, embodying the true “hunt-to-hearth” standard. Matching the right dog with you and your family is our top priority, ensuring a rewarding partnership and a truly enjoyable hunting companion.
Expert Dog Training Services
Our training programs are designed to bring out the best in each dog, whether developing obedience, gun-dog skills, or preparing for AKC hunting titles. Every program is customized to match your dog’s temperament, drive, and learning style. From foundational obedience to advanced fieldwork, we emphasize clear communica
Dog Training
Our training programs are designed to bring out the best in each dog, whether developing obedience, gun-dog skills, or preparing for AKC hunting titles. Every program is customized to match your dog’s temperament, drive, and learning style. From foundational obedience to advanced fieldwork, we emphasize clear communication, consistency, and confidence—creating a dog that performs with reliability in the field and composure at home.
Handler Coaching
At SunSage Sporting Dogs, we believe the best results come from teamwork between handler and dog. Through personalized coaching, owners are encouraged to take an active role in their dog’s progress. I provide one-on-one instruction in training techniques, field handling, and competition preparation, helping you build confidence and a stronger working partnership with your dog.
Beyond individual development, our coaching program fosters a community of like-minded handlers, owners, and competitors who share a passion for the sporting tradition. Whether stepping into your first AKC hunt test or traveling to a new event, you’ll find camaraderie, mentorship, and support from others who understand the journey. No one enters the field alone—you become part of a network built on shared experience, encouragement, and success.
Hunt Services
For those seeking a true field experience, SunSage offers guided upland hunts using well-trained working dogs from our proven program. These hunts provide an opportunity to enjoy the partnership and precision of skilled dogs working the field as intended—flush, retrieve, and honor. Each hunt is structured, intentional, and aligned with the SunSage standard of ethical, effective bird hunting.
Whether you’re an experienced wingshooter or new to the sport, guided hunts deliver an authentic connection to the field and a firsthand appreciation for the heritage of working dogs. Every outing reflects our commitment to fair chase, respect for the game, and the authenticity of maintaining and furthering our sporting heritage and lifestyle.
Consultation
I offer personalized consultations covering everything from puppy selection and training plans to competition strategy and kennel facilities. With decades of experience across the sporting industry, I can also help you make informed decisions that align with property goals management, property development, and long-term sporting vision.
My Guarantee
I guarantee all of my dogs to be free from congenital defects and disease, free from parasite infestation at time of sale, and selectively bred to preserve true breed-type, ability, and temperament. This guarantee is backed by the following health test performed on all dogs sold:
DNA Genetic Testing
OFA Eye Certification
DNA Genetic Testing
Conducted on all breeding sires and dams (off-spring from parents, that are both clear of the following genetic tests, will also be clear) and includes Degenerative Myelopathy, Exercise-Induced Collapse, Familial Nephropathy (cocker spaniel type), Glycogen Storage Disease VII, PFK Deficiency, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration.
OFA Hips & Elbows
OFA Eye Certification
DNA Genetic Testing
Screenings for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia are performed by a veterinarian with x-rays sent to OFA for grading and certification.
OFA Eye Certification
OFA Eye Certification
OFA Eye Certification
OFA (Orthopedic Foundations for Animals) Eye Certification examinations are screening exams performed by board certified veterinary ophthalmologists. A dog that is registered by OFA ERC has been examined and found to unaffected by major heritable eye disease. The screening and examinations are performed annually as many ocular diseases may not appear until late in life.
The combination of annual screening eye exams and DNA genetic testing to help rule out heritable disease, shows our commitment to ensuring the quality of dogs we produce as well as our integrity to the breed. All breeding dogs are screened each year with the genetic testing being valid for life. Every puppy or dog sold has a valid eye certification exam and paperwork at the time of sale.