Advanced Work for Flushing Dogs

Related pages:

---

Since 2022, MSDA has been offering very popular Flushing Dog Training Days. Starting in 2024, this 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 “Advanced Work Group” training days.

The Advanced Work Group (AWG) training days are led by Bret Hassel and Brian Schmidt. They generally begin at 8 or 8:30 am and aim to finish by early afternoon, though times may vary. They most frequently are held at Mt Ararat Farm in Port Deposit, MD.

The Advanced Work group is a practice opportunity for experienced, often master-level, handlers who are committed to advancing their handling skills and their dog’s performance. Participants should arrive with a clear training plan for the day since this is a peer-to-peer training environment with no formal instruction. In addition to field work, AWG provides the opportunity for hunt dead and water training.

All handlers are expected to work together, help each other and fill needed volunteer roles, not just work with their own dogs. These are not training sessions where you show up, run your dog when it’s your turn and then go sit in your truck or go home.

The participation fee is $30 per dog, plus usually $11 per chukar (preordered). There is a maximum of two dogs per registration and four birds per dog. Usually, there is a maximum of 14-16 dogs. MSDA members who are otherwise qualified generally have priority for registration.

Next Training Day:

The next training day is planned for Saturday, January 10 at Mt Ararat Farm in Port Deposit, MD. The general schedule for the registration process for the upcoming training day is as follows:

• Friday, 12/26 8 am – Preregistration opened using a form available at the bottom of this page. Note that the process is NOT first-come-first-served.
• Tuesday, 12/30 5 pm – Preregistration closed.
• Thursday, 1/1 – Invoices are emailed to participants. If the session is oversubscribed, you instead may be notified that you have been waitlisted.
• Saturday, 1/3 5 pm – Payments and all training plans are due. If payment is not completed by the deadline, you may lose your registration if there is a waiting list.
• Saturday, 1/10 – Training Day! (8 am – early afternoon)

You may be sent one or more emails in the week before training day with additional information and details.

Much more information about 2026 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.

Photographer Matt Toth has taken some photos at training days. All of his photos, just a few of which are shown below, are available at www.mtfieldsports.smugmug.com , or follow links for specific MSDA training dates below.

From March 24, 2023:

From July 8, 2023:

Kate Ostrowski, who trains with the Advanced Work Group, also has taken photos of the action. Visit Kate’s Flickr album to see photos from the 5/24/2025 training day.

Upcoming Training Dates:

Tentative training dates (always subject to change!) for the Advanced Work Group for 2026 are:

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.

Registrants for the Advanced Work group must submit a brief written training plan, typically just a few sentences, for each dog that you are running. The plan will help you and others focus on your goals for the day and help each other out. Include any issues that you want to work on and how you want to proceed, especially during the land work. Don’t try to put too much in your plan; it’s better to have a simple plan that you can measure against than try to do too much where your efforts become diluted.

All attendees are required to sign liability releases. Handlers accept the MSDA liability release as part of the preregistration process. Many of you have already signed this on your membership form or when attending another MSDA activity. In addition, for sessions at Mt Ararat Farm, all preregistrants also will have to accept the liability release for Mt Ararat Farm. Guests and any other attendees also must provide the required liability releases – please download these and bring signed copies along, or the event leader will have you sign when you arrive.

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.

In-season females are allowed at training days, though you must inform the event chair as soon as possible so that we may make adjustments and also so that other handlers are aware.

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, including the Advanced Work Group, is chaired by Bret Hassel. Contact Bret via Hassel@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.