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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 “Advanced Work Group” training days.
The Advanced Work Group (AWG) training days are led by Steve Surprenant and Brian Schmidt. They generally begin at 8 or 8:30 am and aim to finish by early afternoon. They are being held at Mt Ararat Farm in Port Deposit, MD.
The Advanced Work group is primarily a practice opportunity for experienced, master-level experienced handlers. Participants should be comfortable working independently and efficiently, as this is a peer-to-peer training environment with minimal formal instruction. The participation fee is $30 per dog, plus $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.
Next Training Day:
The next training day is Saturday, May 24 at Mt Ararat Farms in Port Deposit, MD. y entered in the Master Gundog Challenge will be eligible to participate in the gundog training portion of this training day. (There will not be an Advanced Work Group training day in April due to hunt tests.)
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.
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:
2025 Training Dates:
2025 dates for the Advanced Work Group are listed below. Please note that these are subject to change. All 2025 AWG sessions are planned for Saturdays at Mt Ararat Farm in Port Deposit, MD.
- January 11
- February 22
- March 29
- April *
- May 24
- June 14
- July 12
- August 9
- September **
- October 18
- November 8
- December 13
*Note that Saturday & Sunday, April 12 and 13, in lieu of training, will be MSDA’s Spring Hunt Test Weekend at Mt Ararat Farm in Port Deposit, MD. Entries for the AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests are open at HuntSecretary.com until April 1. Advanced Work Group handlers are strongly encouraged to volunteer to help at the hunt tests. To volunteer, please contact Roseanna Bennett via Roseanna@mdsportingdog.org.
PLUS, Something New! We are proud to announce an exciting new event to be held for the first time to challenge master level flushing dogs. This Master Gundog Challenge is designed for elite gundogs – spaniels, retrievers, and other flushing breeds – to demonstrate their proficiency in advanced upland work, waterfowl work, and teamwork. The Master Gundog Challenge also will be held at Mt Ararat Farm as part of the Spring Hunt Test Weekend on Friday, April 11.
Saturday-Sunday, April 26-27 is Mid-Atlantic Hunting Spaniel Club’s hunt test weekend. See HuntSecretary for Premium and to enter. Entries close April 15.
**In lieu of an Advanced Work Group training day in September, MSDA will holding its annual Field Day on September 13 at Rebel Ridge where Advanced handlers are strongly encouraged to volunteer to help work with beginner and intermediate level flushing dogs.
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 Farm, 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, including the Advanced Work Group, is chaired by Steve Surprenant. Contact Steve via Surprenant@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.