Category: Flushing Dog Program

Winds of Change coming for MSDA’s Flushing Dog Program

We are incredibly happy that our Training Days for Flushing Dogs have become very popular. However, the sessions filled up so quickly that we are looking at ways to accommodate more dogs and to address the wide range of upland skills needed against the experience of our handlers and dogs. For starters, we will be running two distinctly different “groups”: the Skill Building group will assist handlers and their dogs to develop and refine the skills needed to run spaniel hunt tests at Junior and beginning Senior levels and/or to develop a well-trained flushing/hunting dog. A second group, the Advanced Work group, will be strictly practice for master-level experienced handlers. We are also developing a Field Obedience class for newbies and novices, possibly starting in May. More information on that should be available soon.

For much more information on MSDA’s Flushing Dog Program and specific plans for 2024, visit https://mdsportingdog.org/flushing-dog-program/.

2024 MSDA Field Events – Dates

MSDA’s calendar of field events is filling up! Here’s what we are planning so far for 2024:

  • Bird Instinct Clinics Saturday and Sunday, March 2 & 3, as part of the annual Spring Event at Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, MD. Details will be available in January.
  • AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests on Saturday and Sunday, April 20 & 21, sponsored by the Clumber Spaniel Club of America, at Mt. Ararat Farms in Port Deposit, MD. Although Clumbers will have priority, other flushing breeds are also eligible to enter. MSDA will be providing assistance with this event. (We will not be holding our own weekend of hunt tests this spring.)
  • Field Day, our annual FUN training day for bird dogs of all experience levels, will be Saturday, May 18 at Rebel Ridge Farms in Elkton, MD. More information and on-line registration will be available in late February.
  • Fall Hunt Test Weekend will be Friday-Sunday, September 13-15 at Rebel Ridge Farms. MSDA is planning three days of AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests PLUS an in-person seminar, on Friday 9/13, for AKC hunt test judges, handlers and prospective handlers. We’re still very early in the planning process for this weekend; we may add other activities. More information will be available later in the year.
  • Training Days for Flushing Dogs has been a huge hit over the past couple of years! Specific dates, locations and formats for 2024 are To-Be-Announced.

December 15 TDFD registration has closed

Registration for MSDA members opened on Wednesday, December 7 and the Training Day filled up quickly. We regret that we are not able to accommodate any additional dogs and registration for December 15 Training Day for Flushing Dogs has been closed. If you have questions about Training Days for Flushing Dogs, please contact the committee chair, Steve Surprenant, via Surprenant@mdsportingdog.org.

Next Training Day for Flushing Dogs is Friday, December 15

The next Training Day of 2023 is planned for Friday, December 15 beginning at 8:30 am. It will be held at Mount Ararat Farm in Port Deposit, Maryland. There will be work on Land (quartering, finding, flushing and retrieving) with live birds and Hunt Dead; there will not be any structured water work.

Here is the schedule for online registration:

  • Thursday, December 7 at 8:00 am ET – Registration opens for MSDA members.
  • Saturday, December 9 at 8:00 am ET – Registration opens to all. 
  • Sunday, December 10 at 5:00 pm ET – Registration closes. If the Training Day fills up, registration may close earlier.

Registrations and payments for all Training Days will be online only and will be accepted in the order in which they are received, subject to the dates and priorities listed above. No email or phone entries will be accepted. As in the past, registration will be limited to 18-20 dogs.

Next Training Day for Flushing Dogs is September 9

The next Training Day for Flushing Dogs of 2023 is planned for Saturday, September 9 beginning at 8:30 am. It will be held at Mount Ararat Farm in Port Deposit, Maryland. In preparation for MSDA’s Spaniel Hunt Tests on Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17 at Rebel Ridge Farms, we will work on all aspects of a spaniel hunt test. Registration opens for MSDA members on Monday, August 28 at 8 am ET. Registration opens to all on Thursday, August 31 at 8 am. Registration closes on Saturday, September 2 at 5 pm. If the Training Day fills up, registration may close earlier.

Next Training Day for Flushing Dogs is July 8

The next Training Day for Flushing Dogs of 2023 is planned for Saturday, July 8 beginning at 8:30 am. It will be held at Mt. Ararat Farm in Port Deposit, Maryland. Registration opens for MSDA members on Monday, June 26 at 8 am ET. Registration opens to all on Thursday, June 29 at 8 am. Registration closes on Saturday, July 1 at 5 pm. If the Training Day fills up, registration may close earlier.