Page 55 - Chow Life - Fall 2017

is usually set in groups of four. You One thing I failed to mention before Shar-Pei person commented she has
wait in the blind before your run so is that the “live rat” tubes are not the to watch her bitch’s facial expression
that you cannot see where they are only tubes on the course. There are – her only indication is she scrunches
hiding the tubes (and one reason no decoy tubes, too. Instinct has three her eyebrows and she doesn’t stay
cell phones allowed – no one can text tubes total: One Rat, one Litter, there long. Some dogs stop only for
you, either). Make sure you potty your and one Empty. The dog just has to a moment and then move on. They
dog before you go in the blind because indicate the Rat tube because they figure they found the rat and continue
once it is loaded, you aren’t allowed to are laid out in the open with about a hunting.
leave until it is your turn to go to the foot and a half of space in between I should also add that AKC does
ring. And you don’t want your dog to them. For Novice there is only one recognize Barn Hunt titles past
pee or poop in the ring because that is live rat, but there is also one litter tube Instinct. Of course there is a fee
an automatic DQ (disqualification). and one empty tube, and all three involved, but it’s an easy process.
The Open ring is the same size as are hidden. Your dog must find and When your dog’s title is recorded at
the Novice Ring but it does have more indicate the live rat tube only. Calling Barn Hunt Association, they post a
bales of straw/hay. In addition, the any other tube as “Rat” is a DQ. title certificate to your dog’s record
tunnel will have one turn in it so that Open has five tubes on the course: online where you can download it. I
it is in the shape of an . In Novice the two Rat tubes, two Litter tubes, and just send an email to AKC with the
Start Box had to be near the tunnel one Empty tube. The most common attached certificate and the Barn Hunt
entrance but this is not true for Open. error is for a dog to indicate the Litter Title Application Form (downloaded
In fact once you get out of Novice tube as a Rat tube because it is litter from the AKC website). The form
the Start Box can be anywhere on the that a rat has been in. I’m lucky with allows you to put your credit card info
course. This is when having trained Marilyn. The only thing she really on it so you can email the entire thing
your dog to go through the tunnel seems to care about is the actual live in. Or you can print it all out and
on command becomes important. I rat tube. I did have a couple of miscalls mail it in with a check. But since I’ve
was able to convince Marilyn to go because I panicked, thinking I was done mine by email they are usually
through the tunnel some of the time running out of time, and called “Rat” recorded and part of my bitch’s AKC
by looking in it and saying, “I think when it wasn’t. record within a few days.
there’s a rat in there.” However, that That is one of the things I noticed Next time: On to Senior!
didn’t always work. For every run we when I was helping around the ring
had in Open she pretty much found waiting my turn
both rats, but when she didn’t qualify – the number of
it was because she didn’t go through handler errors
the tunnel. However, I still wasn’t able that are made. The
to find a class to get into so while it most common is
took a few more tries than it might when the handler
have if I had been able to train her is so set on getting
specifically for the tunnel, we did the dog to check
manage to compete successfully in another area or go
Open and earn her RATO. through the tunnel
Another thing I learned in Open that they ignore
was that Marilyn did better running that their dog is
when it was cooler (either in a barn indicating a rat.
or inside with AC). It turns out that You see, some dogs
panting interferes with a dog’s sense are VERY subtle
of smell and makes it harder for them about how they do
to locate the rats, so I discovered it. They don’t bark,
that while it was hot outside we were they don’t paw,
much better off going to venues that and they don’t bite
were actually indoors. Many Barn at the tube. There
Hunt trials are held in a building with are some that
heat and air conditioning. A lot of the basically “point”
groups hosting the classes and trials by freezing and
are obedience and/or agility clubs that staring at the spot
have their own premises. So while a where the tube is
group that actually uses a real barn hidden. You have
may be more “authentic” it can be to really watch
hard on a Chow when it’s hot or hard your dog for cues
on the handler when it’s really cold. such as that. One