Page 60 - Chow Life - Summer 2016 Issue
P. 60
A Barn Hunt
The Performance Chow Chow
by Loiuse Wilson, CCCI Performance Chair
I first heard about the “Barn the history of the sport. Barn Hunt challenging as some performance
Hunt” performance event at a Board is based on the traditional roles events like agility. Older people can
meeting of the Davis Dog Training of many breeds in ridding farms, comfortably compete.
Club. It sounded interesting. Then barns, crop storage areas, and
Dottie Everett took her girl Greta to homes of destructive vermin. Some No special quality is necessary
a practice event. I was a bit more breeds were specifically created for a dog to do well at Barn Hunt.
interested. Then I read in Chowlife to fill this role, and for Training for competition is different
that GCH CH Legend’s Josephine,
RATN had achieved the Novice many of those breeds,
title. Even more interested, but not Barn Hunt provides their
sure where to find these events. first true opportunity
for responsible breeders
Then on Saturday, April 23, I to test proper working
am walking into the Sacramento traits in their dogs. Barn
Fairgrounds for the SKC dog show Hunt is also open to any
and I see hay bails and fencing dog of any breed or mix
and there it is - a Barnhunt! After who wishes to play the
we showed that day, I stopped game and can fit through
and talked with Laurie Cowhig of an 18" wide by bale-
Redwood Ratters. Turned out that height tall tunnel. Barn
I could register Bronwyn online Hunt has titles, levels of
with the Barn Hunt Association at These are the three tubes which contain a rat,
barnhunt.com and I could compete increasing difficulty, and bedding or are empty
at the Instinct level for a title the
next day. I was sure that with championships. Barn
Bronwyn’s nosework prowess and Hunt is an independent
dislike of rats, she would do well. sport, but titles are
So I registered and arrived ready to recognized by both the
compete the next day. They took American Kennel Club
the first five of us and put us in a (AKC) and United Kennel
“blind.” Then they called us one Club (UKC).
at a time to enter the enclosure (a
small fenced area with stacked hale Next, I contacted Laurie The are the bales which the dogs may go through or
bales and hay all over the ground). Cowhig to get more around
When our turn came, we entered specific information on
the designated area and when they training, etc. The sport Bronwyn and I in the starting box
said to start l let Bronwyn go and was started by Robin
handed my leash and collar to a Nutall. Her breed is a
volunteer. What I expected did MinPin! Laurie got into
not happen. She was so enthralled the sport when she was
with the smells in the hay, she did just looking for something
not approach three tubes of the fun to do with her dogs
test. One contained bedding, one - a Pug and a Boston.
was empty and one contained a rat. She has discovered that
Clearly, training is necessary. Then any dog can be training
the question is - where. for Barn Hunt and that
it acts as a gateway for
First, I went to the Barn other dog sport as it
58 Hunt website. There I learned introduces people who
have never done any dog
sport. It is not physically
