Squeeze film dampers (SFD) are used to reduce dynamical loads in rotating machinery or to improve their performances in numerous industrial applications. The present paper considers the response of a dual shaft system with a SFD mounted on one of its bearings. The study is concerned with the overall system's dynamics in presence of a sealed SFD bearing with a lateral feeding groove and more specifically with the characterization of such damper in operational conditions. The design characteristics of the SFD are based on the linear approximation and the optimization w.r.t. sensitivity of appropriate eigenmodes of a numerical model of the dual shaft test rig. In order to gain more insight into the SFD operation, the experimental kinematic and pressure measurements data are processed within a numerical model of the fluid film using the short bearing approximation of the Reynolds equation and taking into account the flow into the groove. The work holds for low Reynolds number and completely sealed SFD were vapour cavitation is completely absent.