Seabank Kennel

10/12/2026

We spent the weekend at the ESCNE & TarTan Gordon Setter Club doubleheader hunt test at Ladywoods Game Preserve down in Douglas, MA.

Thank you to the judges and a veritable host of volunteers trying to keep everything running smoothly despite a strong entry in all the divisions.

I am very pleased to announce that Q earned his sixth and final pass to earn his Master Hunter title. And, therefore, pending official recognition, he can be referred to as:

GCH Shikari Dream Past the Wit of Man MH

He is from the Dexter x Aanya litter and joins his mother and brother, Obie, as GCH + MH titled dogs. To put it in perspective, there are somewhere around 65 Vizslas all time who have achieved these two titles in combination.

Congratulations to his primary owners, Nancy & Barney Leonard!

He had to be whisked away without a final ribbon picture, and so we’ll make do with these.

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In other news, congratulations to Tru, Ruby, and Sansa for all making solid progress towards finishing their JH titles. And to Phoenix for adding two more JHA level passes to his tally!

10/05/2026

We spent the weekend in the jungle competing in the Nutmeg GSP Regional Championship.

I came away pleased with the four dogs I ran: Havthor, the Hobgoblin, Toaster, and the Pippipotamus. Pippi might have gotten a little thrown off by some bracemate shenanigans, but she looked energized on the ground even if the brace ended prematurely.

The other three all had strong hour performances despite the cover — and the relative heat of Saturday afternoon.

Nevertheless, El Tostador (aka BillyMac) was awarded second, and Havthor third! Thank you to the judges, Tim Cavanaugh and Roger Hatch, for their time in the saddle for what could not have been an easy assignment.

Congratulations to all the placing dogs!

Thank you, too, to the village who helped put the event on — bird planting, hospitality, and scouting.

Thank you, as well, to Jess Woolston for scouting all the dogs in gnarly conditions.

09/29/2026

With apologies for the delay in posting regular training updates, it has been a busy summer getting dogs broke, helping owners train their dogs, and starting new dogs before their first hunting season!

Nevertheless, the hunt test and field trial season has begun! We had a nice soft entry into the swing of things at the NNEBC/Katahdin GSP doubleheader hunt test at Sharpe’s Farm two weekends ago. Congratulations to Alison Martins’s Roaring Red Flame Phoenix for finishing his JH and starting his journey to JHA! Thank you to all the judges who appreciated him! We had a good time!

We then spent last Thursday through Sunday at ‘the Brittany bonanza’ as I call it: Thursday was the one-day trial hosted by Central New England Brittany Club, followed by the three-day Southern New England Brittany Club trial. Happily, the metereologist’s proclamations about the end of times were greatly exaggerated!

Thank you to both clubs and all the volunteers for putting on two full trials! It takes a village and we appreciate you!

Fresh out the whelping box, Pippipotamus had a nice strong run with three (?) good finds to take 3rd in Thursday’s 23dog Open Gun Dog! Bravo! It was a good feeling to get all four dogs — Pippi, Bob MacKenzie (aka Hank), the Bleebs, and Chaos Monkey — around clean, two of whom for the first time.

Friday started with the 16dog Open All Age and I am pleased to announce that Havthor won the stake and the Hobgoblin took 4th! Hoorah!

Open Limited Gun Dog started on Friday and wrapped up on Saturday and out of 16 starters, the Chaos Monkey ran in the first brace and stayed on top to claim her first blue ribbon! Bravo, Bramble!

Saturday saw the start of Open Gun Dog, but it would conclude on Sunday morning. While we didn’t have the tempest that was forecast, it was wet and damp, running birds caused at least one downfall! Nevertheless, with a decent race and a Hail Mary find, the Bleebs ended up claiming fourth and earning her ticket to WCA Nationals in December.

Thank you to all the judges for looking at my dogs ! And thank you to Jess Woolston for scouting the hooligans.

It’s also a true pleasure to compete against Ben Lorenson and Kyle Merrill of Stoneridge Kennels, talented handlers and true sportsmen. Hope to see you again in December.

08/02/2026

As many of you know, I was lucky to learn from Bill Gibbons out in Arizona. Today marks eight years since he passed. Miss you and think of you often — and hope I’m doing you proud.

I think he would have liked all of these dogs: the ones getting broke and the ones that are early in their competition careers and here for lots of steady, consistent birdwork before we go the road again.

07/23/2026

With apologies for a delay in posting, but we’ve been hard at it! I enjoy being at home in the summer because it’s an obvious extended parcel of time to go through the slow, steady process of getting dogs broke.

One of the things I like about the West Method is that it is slow, smooth, and easily tuned to the individual dog. And to use broad strokes, while you are establishing a way of communicating (silently) with the dog through the pinch collar and the ecollar, you are also asking the dog to recognize the situations in which all it needs to do is stop and stand still.

Thank you to the owners who have trusted me with their dogs this summer. Here are some the dogs in progress: Rush Hour & Rush Hour 2, Moondance, The Midget, 🌟, and Miguelito.

07/16/2026

(This was one of those instances where you have no idea if or when Facebook will actually share an article link.)

But here is the preamble it should have had. This is another great article by Linda Kaim at Lionheart K9 — and one which provides an uptodate review of actual science.

I use ecollars every day. The one time I can say I messed up a dog with an ecollar was when I presumed that she was being stubborn (which she had certainly been), but failed to ask myself why was she not responding to her usual level of ecollar cue.

The answer as it turned out was that the ecollar stimulation was not working below level 4 (of 7) even though the little green light would blink whenever I pressed the stimulation button. While the technology had failed in a unique manner, I had factually failed the dog by not recognizing that there was something atypical going on.

Maryland's best dog and puppy training. Puppy training, basic obedience, aggression, anxiety, housebreaking and more.

06/02/2026

With apologies for the delay in posting some results: with my trial season starting the day after Christmas and just wrapping up this last weekend, some things have slipped.

We wrapped up the Ten Days of To***co Valley trials with the Hudson Valley GSP Club trial at Flaherty. This was many of the same folks that had put in the inaugural To***co Valley Regional Championship — and all their work is greatly appreciated.

We had a light showing with the Raspberry Beret taking 3rd in Open Gun Dog and her son, the Man in Black, winning the Amateur Walking Derby with Jess handling him.

We then took a few dogs up to Fryeburg, ME to try our luck in the woods. The grounds have rarely suited me and my dogs, but the club and people always have. I handled four dogs including an unexpected reunion with a short, hairy dog — because nobody expects Miroslav Šatan. And for a good bit of the brace, I thought Demon and I were going to be in the hunt (but an equally diabolical bird spoiled that party). After her glory with Cash the weekend before, Jess took a swing at handling a broke dog for the first time. And we greatly appreciate judge Kelli Short’s coaching while Jess handled the Hobgoblin for the first time. An ambiguous circumstance kept him out of the formal placements but earned the two of them an Award of Merit.

We wrapped up the New England trial season with the Connecticut Valley Vizsla Club trial at Flaherty. Conditions were jungalicious, but besides Saturday morning being rather wet and hypothermic, it was a good weekend. As chair of the event, too, I want to thank all the entrants, judges and volunteers, and especially the remainder of the committee for making it a smooth, amicable, and fun event.

I won’t mention the heartbreaks, but we had a good showing. Spudtastic had a strong race and a solid covey find to claim Open Derby! Doug McKenzie pulled out a great run with two strong finds (including his first on a woodcock), a ridiculously honorable honor, and a stop to flush to win the 3pt OGD! Bravo, D-Pants!

His half-sister, the Chaos Monkey, earned fourth in the stake with a four-find jamboree. And again, so happy her owner could be there on a horse to watch her!

Incidentally, both Spud and Danny were bred by my good friend, Holly Hatfield! Thank you for such lovely dogs.

Throwing her in the deep end, albeit with scouting by my good friend, Allen Welch, Jess took the Hobgoblin out for Amateur Gun Dog — and with a strong, smooth race with three finds, he too won a 3pt major and his name on the Patrick Cooke Memorial Trophy. Congratulations to his owners, David Melnick & Meredith Wadsworth (who is also his breeder). Thanks for the opportunity to run this great dog.

All my dogs were scouted by Jess Woolston whose help has been invaluable this season.

All my dogs are fueled by Purina ProPlan — and we appreciate their support of the great sport of field trialing as well.

05/14/2026

Kudos to the Hudson Valley German Shorthair Club, and in particular Jared Smith and Cory Roy, for all their effort to put on the inaugural To***co Valley Gun Dog Championship here at Flaherty FTA.

There were five pros and thirty-six dogs drawn for the three days. And from start to finish, the event had the atmosphere and attitude of a championship. Bravo to the HVGSP and its crew of volunteers in putting this on and pulling it off in style.

Events like this are dependent on sponsors and we thank Purina, Gun Dog Supply, Kane Active Recovery Footwear, and Totally Hook’d fish treats for dogs for their support.

Thank you to the judges for their time in the saddle and congratulations to all the placing dogs.

I am pleased to announce that our own BillyMac took 3rd in a field of strong dogs! He was ably scouted by Jess Woolston and is fueled by Purina ProPlan.

I also had the pleasure of scouting the winner, Go**ds, for Mike Mullineaux. He is a special dog and it was a great performance. Congratulations to Julie, his owner!

Shiner aka ‘The Hobgoblin,’ and the only grey dog entered, was being carried till the final day after a strong, three-find race. Always a pleasure to run him and remind folks that there are great other-colored dogs out there, too.

The youngest of the three dogs I ran, Summit also ran — just not for long enough. Rain and wet birds. Enough said. We’re still very excited about him.

05/14/2026

We spent last weekend at the Nutmeg GSP Club field trial at Flaherty. Thank you to the small, dedicated team of volunteers for putting on a hospitable, organized trial!

I managed to get four of five dogs around clean with bird work in the OGD — and was pleased to hear from both judges and spectators that had seen most of them run in the fall that the string was now looking even stronger and more confident.

With two other pros here in preparation for this week’s championship, the OGD had an even deeper pool of talent than at the PANE trial. I am pleased to announce that Paisley took 3rd and Bramble 4th! Bravo, ladies!

Even better, Bramble’s owner, Rebecca, was there to watch her own dog’s improvement over the week.

Thanks again to all the judges for looking at my dogs and to Jess Woolston for scouting for me.

We are currently camped here for the inaugural To***co Valley Regional Championship!

05/05/2026

This past weekend we had the much shorter drive to Flaherty FTA to take part in the PANE trial! Thank you to the core of dedicated club members and volunteers who made this a hospitable, well-organized trial.

Besides a slightly later start due to rain on Saturday, and a strong enough northwesterly wind that seemed to keep everything on just this side of chilly, we had great weather for running dogs.

First up was Open Derby and I am delighted to report that the Man in Black took 2nd with a strong race and two bird contacts to earn second! (It should be noted that only two placements were handed out in the stake too.)

Then came Open Limited and the Pippopotamus took a solid fourth in a strong field of dogs. She is really starting to put it all together and be a consistent contender.

The next day we ran in Open Gun Dog and the Chaos Monkey ran in the first brace and held on for fourth. It was made even better with her owner on hand to ride in the gallery to watch her dog. This was also her first broke dog placement.

Thanks again to all the judges who looked and and appreciated my dogs. And thanks, too, to Jess Woolston for once again scouting all my dogs.