Page 75 - Chow Life - Summer 2017

did something stupid. Fortunately for haven’t done any training at all, they stop and stare at it and others bark.
me though, it only takes 1 Q to get the don’t know what they are looking for. There is one dog we see that sits when
Instinct title so that was just a warm- Find a class or Rat Intro and take your he finds a rat. Every dog is different
up anyway. On her Novice runs she dog. What they will do first is show so you have to learn how to read your
did the same as on Friday – found the your dog the rat in a wire cage to see dog.
rat on both but only went through the if they are even interested. Some dogs Teach your dog the tunnel. The
tunnel on one so picked up another Q. aren’t. And some are like Marilyn who Novice tunnel is simple – straight and
Fortunately for me, we were able to jumped on the cage and was trying short and you can see right through
get into the trials in Louisville in early to eat the rat through the wire. Now it. The start box is in front of it so if
July. She completed her Novice title that they knew she was interested in you’re smart, you point your dog in
there and got started on her Open title the rat, they showed her the rat in that direction and try to send them
by getting her first Q the next day. the tube so she could learn what she through it from the beginning. Try to
would be hunting for. This also gives
Barn Hunt is a LOT of fun if your you a chance to see how your dog is teach them a command like “Tunnel”
dog has any kind of prey drive or likes going to indicate they’ve found a rat. to get them to go through it because
looking for things. But do yourself a I’m lucky with Marilyn. She bites at the higher up you go in the classes, the
favor – don’t just enter and think your the tube and paws at it. Some dogs just more difficult that tunnel is going to
dog is going to do it because if you get.
Yes, there are a lot
of rules for Barn Hunt,
but do yourself a favor
before you start and
read at least the general
ones and those for the
class(es) you will be
entering. Some of them
won’t sink in until you
are doing it, but some
are really important
to remember, like NO
cell phones in the blind
or the ring. I watched
someone have a great
Master run and then
get DQd because her
cell phone was in her
pocket – she just forgot
it was there. Some
judges don’t like you to
wear the Fitbit watches
because you can put
an alarm that vibrates
on it to tell you you’re
running out of time.
Make sure to attend
the briefing for your
class because they will
tell you their personal
peeves like that.
Next time: What we
learned in Open.