Barn Hunt Weekend - New Title!

[Rits]

There are surprisingly more Dobes than Labs in this sport! Just saw the numbers the other day.

In case anyone was curious...
Here are the top 10 registrations (per the BHA)

Registrations by Breed:

Mixed/Cross Breed 3676
Border Collie 1200
Australian Shepherd 1190
Doberman Pinscher 878
Border Terrier 857
German Shepherd Dog 857
Jack Russell Terrier 842
Golden Retriever 815
Labrador Retriever 753
Rottweiler 556

 

[Doberman Gang]

Congratulations

 

[LifeofRubie]

In case anyone was curious...
Here are the top 10 registrations (per the BHA)

Registrations by Breed:

Mixed/Cross Breed 3676
Border Collie 1200
Australian Shepherd 1190
Doberman Pinscher 878
Border Terrier 857
German Shepherd Dog 857
Jack Russell Terrier 842
Golden Retriever 815
Labrador Retriever 753
Rottweiler 556

Very interesting! I would love to give this a go!!

Congrats again to you guys!!

 

[Tropicalbri's]

I am going to have to research for areas that offer this. What fun!! I really do believe Bacall would love it and Bogie too, but he gets so crazy he would run off with the rat in the cylinder.

 

[LifeofRubie]

I am going to have to research for areas that offer this. What fun!! I really do believe Bacall would love it and Bogie too, but he gets so crazy he would run off with the rat in the cylinder.

I just took a look and the website is (surprisingly) user friendly.

We have two locations with classes within half an hour of us.... another expensive hobby on the horizon!

@Rits once they know what the intent is, do you need to do any kind of maintenance training or how do you stay in tip-top competition worthy shape??? Just make sure their sniffer is working?

 

[Tropicalbri's]

The only Barn Hunt offered in FL was last Feb. 16-18 2018

All a pretty good drive away. The least travel time to some of the Agility, dock diving etc. is about 5hrs. :-(

 

[Rits]

I just took a look and the website is (surprisingly) user friendly.

We have two locations with classes within half an hour of us.... another expensive hobby on the horizon!

@Rits once they know what the intent is, do you need to do any kind of maintenance training or how do you stay in tip-top competition worthy shape??? Just make sure their sniffer is working?

Simply experience. They had a failed run before the last passing run and I reminded my husband that he CAN lean down and pat her on the side to reward her as he calls rat, or for the last rat, to restrain her and rub her all over while he baby talks to her, to let her know how good she did! I'm thinking its a guy thing not wanting to sound like an idiot, lol. I reminded him to not worry, everyone else sounds ridiculous there, haha. We love our dogs!

I would say if you have a club that offers practice runs or training, do it! We didn't have that available to us, so trial (literally lol) and error. The rats are smelly to the dogs and they move inside the tubes so the dogs usually don't need much encouraging in the smelling department. They love the game. You just need to make sure that you praise. We always took Java out after a successful run and let her run offleash in the potty area, playing tug and fetch. If she had a bad run, they let you show your dog to a rat, wiggle the tube a little then praise, but we wouldn't play fetch and she went right back in her kennel. She turned around quick from that experience, learning that finding rats was MUCH more fun. From running out of time and failing (2:30) to 20 seconds the very next run...

I was surprised at how reserved some of the dogs were that were running. I'd say you would know fairly quickly if your dog enjoys it or not. I'm talking limited sniffing, then standing there looking around or more interested in anything BUT sniffing. Some just had this dazed far off look and this wasn't Novice division so you would think they wouldn't act like that. I don't think I would make my dog do barn hunt if they weren't actively engaged in the hunt. To me that seems unfair.

I'm sure we will pick up more experience as we dive deeper and deeper into the sport. The place we trialed at this past weekend does offer practice and training so I'm sure we will take advantage of that to help get over any hurdles.

 

[Rits]

The only Barn Hunt offered in FL was last Feb. 16-18 2018

All a pretty good drive away. The least travel time to some of the Agility, dock diving etc. is about 5hrs. :-(

Do you think you could gather enough people to get a club going to run Barn Hunt? They allow as few as 3 people for a trial, lol.

The closest I see to you is West Palm Beach, about 4 hrs away I think. That would be tough...I'd have to start my own club or move. Hard to move from paradise, ya know! So the club sounds much more inviting, but definitely would require work.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

The closest I see to you is West Palm Beach, about 4 hrs away I think.

With the traffic it usually takes 5hrs. I would go and stay in a motel or I have friends about an hour from there but they also have dogs that are not the friendliest so I would hate to try and stay there even though I have been invited.

 

[JanS]

Wow was she spot on again and it was a win well earned!

 

[MyBuddy]

reminded my husband that he CAN lean down and pat her on the side to reward her as he calls rat, or

Why don't you go in with your dog?

The rats are smelly to the dogs and they move inside the tubes

OMG, just the moving around inside that to tube would get Kali going!!!

 

[Sir.duke865]

Congrats to you guys looks like a blast

 

[Sir.duke865]

@MyBuddy id love to see kali barn hunt with that speed it probably be job just keeping up

 

[Rits]

Why don't you go in with your dog?

Because Java is my husband's dog. They have the bond. Java still respects me but loves her Daddy.

 

[MyBuddy]

Because Java is my husband's dog. They have the bond. Java still respects me but loves her Daddy.

Ahhhhh! Good point! Does Paige like the barn hunt?

 

[Rits]

Ahhhhh! Good point! Does Paige like the barn hunt?

She does! We tested her out at a fun test and she found the rat quickly. But its expensive at $20+ a trial. We would also have to pay to register her so she had a BH #. Right now we can't afford to have 2 in the sport at the same time so for now she gets to be Java's cheerleader.