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Since 2022, MSDA has been offering very popular Flushing Dog Training Days. Starting in 2024, this has expanded to include different groups to address the wide range of upland hunting skills needed based on the experience of our handlers and dogs. This page provides information for the “Skill Building Group” training days.
The Skill Building Group (SBG) training days are led by Trish Jackson and Janet Ciarico. They generally are about a half-day session, e.g., 9 am – 12 pm. The training is geared toward those handlers and dogs who are training for spaniel hunt tests at the junior and senior levels, or who simply want to develop a well-trained flushing/hunting dog. Participants will engage in group exercises and receive tailored assistance in foundational flushing skills (e.g., teamwork, hunting, recall in the field, whistle commands, delivery to hand) that vary from session to session. The participation fee is $30 per dog with a maximum of one dog per registrant. Although birds may be used by session leaders for training dogs when appropriate, they are not available for purchase.
Next Training Day:
The next training day is Saturday, February 22 at at the dog training area on Sycamore Landing Road in the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in Poolesville, MD. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the January training day was cancelled and those registrations were rolled forward to February, so the usual preregistration process will not be followed this month.
The February 22 session will focus on:
- Teaching a reliable sit in the field; and
- Hunting/quartering in the field (handlers should choose a foundation skill to focus on, or a problem you’d like help with (for example: hunting, covering the field, turn whistle, sit on whistle or shot, recall).
Much more information about 2025 training dates and the training day registration process is provided below the photos. When open, the pre-registration form is available at the very bottom of this page.
More photos of training days and other events, taken by our members, are on our Flickr site.
2025 Training Dates:
2025 dates for the Skill Building Group are listed below. All 2025 sessions are currently planned for Saturdays, usually at the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in Poolesville, MD. However, dates and locations are subject to change.
- January 25
- February 22
- March 22
- April 26
- May 24
- June 21
- July 5
- August 23
- September 20
- October 11
- November 15
- December 6
Note that Friday-Sunday, April 11- 13, will be MSDA’s Spring Hunt Test Weekend at Mt Ararat Farms in Port Deposit, MD. Entries will be taken via HuntSecretary.com. Much more information about the hunt test weekend will be available soon. Meanwhile, handlers are strongly encouraged to volunteer to help at the hunt tests on April 12 & 13. To volunteer, please contact Roseanna Bennett via Roseanna@mdsportingdog.org.
Registration Process and Other Important Info:
Flushing Dog Training Days have been created to further the training desires of MSDA members. Registration preference is generally given to MSDA members, and additional criteria may apply to some sessions. However, non-members are usually welcome to attend a training day before they apply for membership in MSDA.
We welcome observers to the sessions. If you are attending as an observer, you may not participate in the training, and we ask that you listen and learn, but not interrupt the group during the session. There is no charge to observe, but you must fill out the preregistration form so we know who is attending. The applicable liability releases are also required. Observers may not bring dogs, even just to sit on the sidelines.
Preregistration is online only via a form that is made available at the very bottom of this page. Registration is NOT first come-first served. Instead, the form is open for several days, after which priorities are applied and the training day list of attendees is established. Completing the preregistration form does not guarantee you a spot in the upcoming training day, since these sessions are often oversubscribed and some registrations may be waitlisted.
All attendees are required to sign an MSDA liability release. Many of you have already signed this on your membership form or when attending an MSDA activity. If we have your form on file, you do not need to sign again. Otherwise, please read it and be sure that you are willing to sign before you register for the Training Day. In addition, for sessions at Mt. Ararat Farms, all attendees will also have to sign the liability release for Mt. Ararat Farm each year.
Owners and handlers are reminded that they are responsible for their own dog’s actions and that good sportsmanship is expected at all times. If dogs (or humans!) exhibit inappropriate behavior or aggression, you will be directed to leave immediately and may be excluded from future MSDA activities. Such decisions are made exclusively by the event chair, or other event committee member in the chair’s absence.
If you are interested in receiving specific information about training with MSDA’s Flushing Dog Program, including timely email notification when dates are selected and when registrations will open and close for each date, sign up for our mailing list, which is managed by MailChimp (or edit your preferences if you’re already on the list). On the form, be sure to mark “Yes” for “Interested in Training for Flushing Dogs”.
The Flushing Dog Training Days – Skill Building Group is led by Janet Ciarico and Trish Jackson. Reach them via SBG@mdsportingdog.org.
No training sessions are currently open for preregistration. Please consult the schedule near the top of this page for the next training day.