02/22/2025
This sounds like a great opportunity for future hunters. I have spent many weekends at this location. Should be a great venue.
Maryland Sporting Dog Association is a multi-breed hunting dog club that holds many training and hunt test events. They welcome Airedale participation, so those of you in eastern states might consider getting to know them. Their website, https://mdsportingdog.org/ will give you all their information.
Meanwhile, here’s some information on their upcoming events from the latest newsletter of the Maryland Sporting Dog Association:
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Instinct Clinics at 2025 Spring Event
Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship MD
Friday afternoon 2/28,
Saturday morning and afternoon 3/1
and Sunday morning 3/2
MSDA will hold Bird Instinct Clinics on Friday February 28, Saturday March 1 and Sunday March 2 on site during the MSDA Spring Event. For a bird dog with little or no field experience, this is a great way to get started. This is a fun, relaxed and encouraging activity. The Instinct Clinic consists of individual work with each dog and handler. Trainers get the dogs excited about the birds, and then the dogs are able to scent and find a bird, triggering their basic hunting instincts. Each dog gets 10-15 minutes in the field, including a bird "contact" (e.g., flush or point). Clinics are run by AKC hunt test judges and experienced handlers. All potential bird dogs are welcome.
Planned session times are:
• Friday, February 28 afternoon session from 2-4 pm
• Saturday, March 1 morning session from 10 am – 12 pm
• Saturday, March 1 afternoon session from 2-4 pm
• Sunday, March 2 Morning session from 10 am – 12 pm.
It’s important to note that the schedule for all sessions is WEATHER PERMITTING. Also, the Friday afternoon session is for potential flushing and retrieving dogs only - no pointing breeds. Pointing breeds are welcome at the Saturday and Sunday sessions.
The walk-up registration fee is $25 per dog, on a space available basis. Running orders are first-come first served. Much more information about the Instinct Clinics is available at https://mdsportingdog.org/instinct-clinics-current/.
Bryan Sirotkin will be returning to to take more great photos of dogs meeting their first bird!
For questions about MSDA’s Spring Event Instinct Clinics, please contact Steve Roth via [email protected].
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AKC Fetch Testing at 2025 Spring Event
Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship MD
Saturday & Sunday, 3/1-3/2
All levels (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Retriever) are being offered with two judges offering concurrent events with four events on Saturday and four events on Sunday. You can earn all four Fetch titles in one weekend by passing each level once under each of the two judges! Space is still available. Pre-entries at a discounted rate will close Friday, Feb. 21 at 5pm. Entries will continue to be accepted as space allows after that date and day of. We will be very flexible to allow people to do their runs around their other commitments. Enter online at https://eagerdog.com/e/raq225
For questions about AKC Fetch Testing at Spring Event, please contact [email protected]
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**MSDA** Saturday, March 22 (McKee-Beshers WMA, Poolesville MD) Flushing Dog Training Day – Skill Building Group.
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**MSDA** Saturday, March 29 (Mt Ararat Farm, Port Deposit MD) Flushing Dog Training Day – Advanced Work Group
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AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests
Saturday & Sunday, April 12-13
Mt Ararat Farm, Port Deposit MD
Entries close April 1
at HuntSecretary.com
Entries are open and already about thirty dogs have signed up for each day of MSDA's Spring AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests on Saturday & Sunday, April 12-13 at Mt Ararat Farm, Port Deposit MD.
The AKC Hunt Test Premium is available and entries are open at https://www.huntsecretary.com/eventinfo_A.asp?mhuntid=1006992.
Contact the Event Chair, Bret Hassel, via [email protected] for more information.
