Registration for the Skill Building Working Group is now OPEN until 5 pm on Friday, February 13.
Skill Building Working Group
In 2024, the MSDA Skill Building Working Group (SBWG) began holding monthly training sessions that provided coaching to help handlers and their dogs build foundation skills for Spaniel Hunt Tests (SHT) and hunting.
In 2026, we are excited to have the group evolve to the next level — to help handlers prepare for SHT participation. With that goal in mind, SBWG will transition from a monthly, open-registration format that accommodated a wide range of beginners, to a set group of handler and dog teams who have their foundation skills in place, and are ready to move forward and build their skills and experience to enter SHTs; or who already participate in SHTs and want to build new skills to progress in the sport.
New SBWG Format
Group co-leads, Trish Jackson and Janet Ciarico, will conduct SBWG as a hands-on and interactive training group. They will provide handlers with individual coaching on the techniques they need to train their dogs to hunt and flush; be steady; and perform the hunt dead, water mark, and water blind exercises. They are looking for handlers who enjoy being part of a collegial group that will work together, observe and learn from one another, and pitch in to fill training roles such as tossing birds and bumpers, and planting birds in the field and for hunt dead exercises. Handlers should be prepared to attend all sessions, and to work with their dogs between sessions to make progress.
Fee and Schedule Information
SBWG will be held monthly for a 6-month period, beginning in March and ending in August. The fee is $300 per handler/dog (only 1 dog per handler), which covers tailored coaching and training, and includes the use of live and dead birds.
SBWG will convene on the 4th Saturday of the month, in south-central Pennsylvania or Maryland locations. Sessions will begin at 8:30 AM and aim to end by 12:30 PM. If any schedule adjustments are necessary, members will be notified in advance.
SBWG Schedule
- March 28 @ Pennsylvania Gamelands #243 (Dillsburg, PA)
- April 25 @ Pennsylvania Gamelands #243 (Dillsburg, PA)
- May 23 @ Mason Dixon Hunting Farm (Glen Rock, PA)
- June 27 @ Mason Dixon Hunting Farm (Glen Rock, PA)
- July 25 @ Eastview Farm (Mt. Airy, MD)
- August 22 @ Eastview Farm (Mt. Airy, MD)
Registration Information
There are 8 dog/handler spots available for SBWG. We welcome all handler and dog teams to register who 1) plan to participate or are currently participating in Spaniel Hunt Tests, and 2) have solid foundation skills with their dogs; for example, dogs should be able to:
- Walk calmly on a loose lead;
- Sit and stay as the handler moves away at short distances;
- Recall reliably from short distances on voice and whistle commands;
- Retrieve short distances and deliver to hand; and
- Wait quietly for permission to move.
Online registration opened February 1, 2026 at 8:00 AM and will close February 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The form is at the bottom of this page. Once registration has closed, Trish and Janet may ask registrants to meet before the start of the first session to demonstrate their foundation skills. Registrants will be notified about membership and invoiced by February 24.
If you have any questions about SBWG, please contact Trish and Janet at SBWG@mdsportingdog.org.
More photos of training days and other events, taken by our members, are on our Flickr site.
Registration for the Skill Building Working Group will remain open until 5 pm on Friday, February 13.