This weekend at a barn hunt event near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Nutmeg and Sage had a great time climbing hay bales and searching for rats.
12.5 year old Nutmeg earned two legs in the Senior class, 1st place of more than 20 dogs in the class including Jack Russell and Border Terriers, and she was Best in Trial!
4.5 year old Sage earned her first leg in the Open class and placed 2nd in the class of, by Maxine's estimate, 15-20 dogs.
Good job, girls!!
Maxine does not like to take photos so I am posting the Barn Hunt Association logo and a description of the event.
12.5 year old Nutmeg earned two legs in the Senior class, 1st place of more than 20 dogs in the class including Jack Russell and Border Terriers, and she was Best in Trial!
4.5 year old Sage earned her first leg in the Open class and placed 2nd in the class of, by Maxine's estimate, 15-20 dogs.
Good job, girls!!
Maxine does not like to take photos so I am posting the Barn Hunt Association logo and a description of the event.
From barnhunt.com: "The purpose of Barn Hunt is to demonstrate a dog’s vermin hunting ability in finding and marking rats in a “barn-like” setting, using straw/hay bales to introduce climbing and tunneling obstacles in the dog’s path. Barn Hunt is based on the skills historically used by itinerant “ratcatchers” in traveling the countryside, ridding farms of vermin, thus helping conserve and preserve food grains and cutting down on disease.
While ratcatchers often used breeds such as Jack/Parson Russell Terriers, they also used other non go-to-ground breeds such as Manchester Terriers, Rat Terriers, and a variety of breeds and mixes of small to medium size.
At all times, the safety of the dogs, handlers, and rats is to be of paramount importance. Rats will be humanely handled and safely confined in aerated PVC tubes. While it can be used as an instinct test, there is also a handler component in that the handler must signal when the dog has reached the desired target PVC rat tube; thus, the handler must know and have a partnership with their dog. Teamwork will win the game."
While ratcatchers often used breeds such as Jack/Parson Russell Terriers, they also used other non go-to-ground breeds such as Manchester Terriers, Rat Terriers, and a variety of breeds and mixes of small to medium size.
At all times, the safety of the dogs, handlers, and rats is to be of paramount importance. Rats will be humanely handled and safely confined in aerated PVC tubes. While it can be used as an instinct test, there is also a handler component in that the handler must signal when the dog has reached the desired target PVC rat tube; thus, the handler must know and have a partnership with their dog. Teamwork will win the game."
