Prepping for our first ever Barn Hunt trial!

[okaygreatthanks]

Our first Barn Hunt trial is coming up on October 6th, and I’m so excited for it – but also nervous, having never been to one.

We have a clinic scheduled almost every week up until then (luckily at same facility as the trial) to prep for it. Remy’s been to about 6 clinics already, and he’s such a natural, so it’s mostly me being trained in the rules of ratting. This past week I learned that the tube needs to be at less than 45° when it’s picked up and handed off to the wrangler (poor rat, I’ll get everything down eventually!)

I’m curious what to expect the day of the trial, and these are my main questions:

• The premium hasn’t been released just yet, so I have no idea if there will be a crating area or if Remy can be crated in the car. If he can be crated in the car, is there any reason to bring an additional crate? (Can’t imagine lugging that around while managing him at the same time!)
  
  
• Remy’s going to need to be in his hidden prong collar that snaps off, as we’re still working on neutrality around other dogs (we’ve dubbed him “the ambassador” because he wants to greet anything with a heartbeat). I know you can’t leave the prong collar on the ground in the ring, so once he’s released in the ring, is there a place to hang your leash/collar or someone to take it from you?
  
  
• Can I bring treats into the blind and hand them off before our turn in the ring?
  
  
• I’m planning to enter him in both Instinct and Novice trials on the same day. How long of a day should I expect? Do you think two trials is too much for our first event?

Thank you so much in advance for your help – any other tips/suggestions to keep me from getting us NQ’ed/looking like a fool are super appreciated!

 

[JanS]

Good luck and get some photos!

I've never done it since I don't even know of any around here but @obbanner judges it so he can probably answer a lot of your questions.

 

[okaygreatthanks]

Good luck and get some photos!

I've never done it since I don't even know of any around here but @obbanner judges it so he can probably answer a lot of your questions.

Thank you, and we'll definitely try to get some photos!

 

[Rits]

I know you can’t leave the prong collar on the ground in the ring, so once he’s released in the ring, is there a place to hang your leash/collar or someone to take it from you?

You can either hand the leash to someone, hang it over the gate, leave it in the starting box (if you take the prong off in the blind), or tuck it completely in your pocket. Do not make the mistake of holding it while your dog works.

Can I bring treats into the blind and hand them off before our turn in the ring?

Yes, it helps to have some to reward good behavior in the blind. I've found you can leave the treats at the blind exit then pick them up when done.

I’m planning to enter him in both Instinct and Novice trials on the same day. How long of a day should I expect? Do you think two trials is too much for our first event?

Definitely not too much, it'll be over before you know it. One of the faster ways to burn a hole in your pocket is barn hunt but then a lot of sports are like that haha Its good to stay as long as you can and watch the higher level teams work too! Highly recommend it. That'll help shake nerves and you will learn a lot. If you can assist as a rat wrangler, even better. I would expect at least two to three hours at most if you don't hang around past your class.

I always show up an hour before go time for any trial. This gives you time to get there, do your look around inside, get your armband if there is one, check in, set up, then walk and potty your dog. Nothing worse than feeling rush and frazzled, your dog will feel it too!

Being a goofy doberman, if they happen to knock off the pool noodles from the board edge for the tunnel... leave them there! Make sure he has a good out command too My girl our first trial hit the pool noodles with her enthusiasm tunneling and they knocked off onto the ground. Then she was like, "Oooh a toy!" She dropped them on command but my momma instilled in me to leave things how you found them and I instinctively grabbed the noodle and put it back. Oops! NQ. So don't touch anything! lol! Also, let your dog work. So many people are trying to guide their dog every step of the way when the dog is the one with the better nose! So often handlers miss tells or stress their dog into false alerting.

Read the rules and regulations before trial. Barn Hunt Association

Relax and have fun!

 

[Ravenbird]

It's a fun sport for sure, so be sure to have fun! I'm sure @obbanner will chime in for details, but @Rits had lots of great advice.

Can't wait to see pictures!

 

[okaygreatthanks]

You can either hand the leash to someone, hang it over the gate, leave it in the starting box (if you take the prong off in the blind), or tuck it completely in your pocket. Do not make the mistake of holding it while your dog works.



Yes, it helps to have some to reward good behavior in the blind. I've found you can leave the treats at the blind exit then pick them up when done.



Definitely not too much, it'll be over before you know it. One of the faster ways to burn a hole in your pocket is barn hunt but then a lot of sports are like that haha Its good to stay as long as you can and watch the higher level teams work too! Highly recommend it. That'll help shake nerves and you will learn a lot. If you can assist as a rat wrangler, even better. I would expect at least two to three hours at most if you don't hang around past your class.

I always show up an hour before go time for any trial. This gives you time to get there, do your look around inside, get your armband if there is one, check in, set up, then walk and potty your dog. Nothing worse than feeling rush and frazzled, your dog will feel it too!

Being a goofy doberman, if they happen to knock off the pool noodles from the board edge for the tunnel... leave them there! Make sure he has a good out command too My girl our first trial hit the pool noodles with her enthusiasm tunneling and they knocked off onto the ground. Then she was like, "Oooh a toy!" She dropped them on command but my momma instilled in me to leave things how you found them and I instinctively grabbed the noodle and put it back. Oops! NQ. So don't touch anything! lol! Also, let your dog work. So many people are trying to guide their dog every step of the way when the dog is the one with the better nose! So often handlers miss tells or stress their dog into false alerting.

Read the rules and regulations before trial. Barn Hunt Association

Relax and have fun!

You are my hero for this thorough response, it’s incredibly helpful and reassuring, thank you SO much!

Very glad to hear you can bring food into the blind, I can’t imagine not being able to encourage good/calm behavior without it.

And knowing the whole trial will be about 2-3 hours gives me a huge sense of relief; I was worried it might be a half-day or day-long affair, with Remy getting very overtired and both our nerves being frazzled by the time our run came up.

Funny that you bring up the pool noodle, because Remy blasted through the tunnel at our last clinic and knocked it clear off too! He didn’t try to chew it (wouldn’t put that past him though, lol), but I hesitated and almost picked it up (hardwired into my nature as well). You can see a clip of it here. *But please ignore all the NQ nightmares going on: treat pouches, leash with poop bag in hand, Remy with a flat collar and harness on since he doesn’t run naked at clinics*

 

[okaygreatthanks]

It's a fun sport for sure, so be sure to have fun! I'm sure @obbanner will chime in for details, but @Rits had lots of great advice.

Can't wait to see pictures!

Thank you! It’s so fun to watch how much he enjoys and excels at it!

 

[Rits]

And knowing the whole trial will be about 2-3 hours

well, the time you'll be there from when you get there through the instinct and novice runs will probably be about that long! The whole trial will most likely be 8am-4pmish, depending on how many are entered and how smooth things go.

 

[okaygreatthanks]

well, the time you'll be there from when you get there through the instinct and novice runs will probably be about that long! The whole trial will most likely be 8am-4pmish, depending on how many are entered and how smooth things go.

Ah, yes I didn’t word my response very well — thank you for clarifying!

 

[obbanner]

I'm a barn hunt judge (283A). I hope you have a great time! My first barn hunt Doberman, Anna, got a late start in Barn Hunt and had to be retired because she couldn't do tunnels after she earned one Master leg. AJ has his Master Champion and Crazy 8s Platinum. Each dog is different. When he started, AJ would find rats, but not tell me. It took several years of trials where we learned to work as a team and I could read him reliably. Don't be discouraged if Remy doesn't give clear indications at first. Part of becoming a team is learning to work with each other.

There's a thread titled "Barn Hunt Chat" where we exchange stories. I recommend reading it.

Crating depends on the club. Most clubs I go to do not have inside crating. Even when inside crating is available, it seems many handlers still crate in the car.

You need a quick release covered prong collar. You should be able to hand it to the steward, but you may have to hang it on a hook or place it in a basket. A prong collar is a safety hazard and if it falls on the ground after the run starts due to your fault, it's an instant NQ. The collar and lead may not be thrown.

You can bring treats into the blind, but you can not return to the blind after your run. If there's a place you can leave treats before entering the ring, that's fine. I bring a piece of string cheese into the blind and do some warm up exercises with AJ - playfully doing Obedience exercises to get his blood flowing and also to get him used to listening to me. He uses up the string cheese before his turn and I don't have to worry about it in the ring. I also leave my thermos bag near the exit so he can get another piece of string cheese after his run.

The order of classes and trials is up to the club. My club likes to run the classes back to back for the two trials of the day - I-I,N-N,O-O,8-8,S-S and M-M. But I know a club that spreads the classes out all day, so you can be in your first Master at 8 in the morning and your second at 3 in the afternoon.

A judge's briefing is required before Instinct and Novice. Each judge has his own briefing. Here's mine. Hope it helps. If you have any questions, ask.

My judge's briefing.

(I explain or show the entrance and exit gates and the location of the start box.)

You can not ask me questions in the ring. Be clear with your calls.

You can start your run after I say, "Go when ready.". I usually say that after the gate is closed, but I may say it later if for some reason I'm not ready, such as an issue with my stopwatch. It's a penalty if you go before my command.

All four feet of the dog must be on the start mat unless you have an unusually large dog such as a Great Dane where that is impossible.

Take off your collar and hand it to the steward or place it on the hook. Dogs run naked. Prong collars can not be dropped on the floor and because it's a safety hazard, the run will be stopped with an NQ.

No dangly things can be tied to the lead, such as poop back dispensors. They're a safety hazard. A single poop bag may be tied to the lead.

If you run out of time, I will say "Thank You". CLIMB sounds a lot like TIME, so I don't want you confused by the terms. I will not say TIME.

Don't touch bales until you call "RAT!". Be decisive, if I think you're asking me a question, I will not answer.

Don't get on your hands and knees - that's an NQ.

Don't double touch your dog. You're allowed one praise / hold after calling RAT.

The tube must be safely handed to the rat wrangler. Tipping the tube more than 45 degrees or dropping during the handoff is an NQ.

You're judged until you are outside the ring. Put your leash on your dog, make sure he doesn't eliminate after the run before you leave the ring.

Read the rules - knowledge of the rules is part of the sport of barn hunt and is expected of handlers.

Novice is a regular class and placements are awarded. If you qualify, check your standing as you may have also placed.

Please hang around and work! It's the best way to learn the sport.

A word of advice. Never take your eyes off your dog. Never. Did I say Never? I mean Never! Too often I see a dog find a rat and the handler is looking elsewhere and doesn't see it.

May your rats be noisy and smelly - good luck!

 

[okaygreatthanks]

I'm a barn hunt judge (283A). I hope you have a great time! My first barn hunt Doberman, Anna, got a late start in Barn Hunt and had to be retired because she couldn't do tunnels after she earned one Master leg. AJ has his Master Champion and Crazy 8s Platinum. Each dog is different. When he started, AJ would find rats, but not tell me. It took several years of trials where we learned to work as a team and I could read him reliably. Don't be discouraged if Remy doesn't give clear indications at first. Part of becoming a team is learning to work with each other.

There's a thread titled "Barn Hunt Chat" where we exchange stories. I recommend reading it.

Crating depends on the club. Most clubs I go to do not have inside crating. Even when inside crating is available, it seems many handlers still crate in the car.

You need a quick release covered prong collar. You should be able to hand it to the steward, but you may have to hang it on a hook or place it in a basket. A prong collar is a safety hazard and if it falls on the ground after the run starts due to your fault, it's an instant NQ. The collar and lead may not be thrown.

You can bring treats into the blind, but you can not return to the blind after your run. If there's a place you can leave treats before entering the ring, that's fine. I bring a piece of string cheese into the blind and do some warm up exercises with AJ - playfully doing Obedience exercises to get his blood flowing and also to get him used to listening to me. He uses up the string cheese before his turn and I don't have to worry about it in the ring. I also leave my thermos bag near the exit so he can get another piece of string cheese after his run.

The order of classes and trials is up to the club. My club likes to run the classes back to back for the two trials of the day - I-I,N-N,O-O,8-8,S-S and M-M. But I know a club that spreads the classes out all day, so you can be in your first Master at 8 in the morning and your second at 3 in the afternoon.

A judge's briefing is required before Instinct and Novice. Each judge has his own briefing. Here's mine. Hope it helps. If you have any questions, ask.

My judge's briefing.

(I explain or show the entrance and exit gates and the location of the start box.)

You can not ask me questions in the ring. Be clear with your calls.

You can start your run after I say, "Go when ready.". I usually say that after the gate is closed, but I may say it later if for some reason I'm not ready, such as an issue with my stopwatch. It's a penalty if you go before my command.

All four feet of the dog must be on the start mat unless you have an unusually large dog such as a Great Dane where that is impossible.

Take off your collar and hand it to the steward or place it on the hook. Dogs run naked. Prong collars can not be dropped on the floor and because it's a safety hazard, the run will be stopped with an NQ.

No dangly things can be tied to the lead, such as poop back dispensors. They're a safety hazard. A single poop bag may be tied to the lead.

If you run out of time, I will say "Thank You". CLIMB sounds a lot like TIME, so I don't want you confused by the terms. I will not say TIME.

Don't touch bales until you call "RAT!". Be decisive, if I think you're asking me a question, I will not answer.

Don't get on your hands and knees - that's an NQ.

Don't double touch your dog. You're allowed one praise / hold after calling RAT.

The tube must be safely handed to the rat wrangler. Tipping the tube more than 45 degrees or dropping during the handoff is an NQ.

You're judged until you are outside the ring. Put your leash on your dog, make sure he doesn't eliminate after the run before you leave the ring.

Read the rules - knowledge of the rules is part of the sport of barn hunt and is expected of handlers.

Novice is a regular class and placements are awarded. If you qualify, check your standing as you may have also placed.

Please hang around and work! It's the best way to learn the sport.

A word of advice. Never take your eyes off your dog. Never. Did I say Never? I mean Never! Too often I see a dog find a rat and the handler is looking elsewhere and doesn't see it.

May your rats be noisy and smelly - good luck!

Wow, thank you for this fantastic response! This forum is the best.

I've been reading through the Barn Hunt rules & regulations, and our clinic instructor has been helping me with them in practice...grateful we have more than a handful of clinics before the trial, because it's one thing to read about them, but another when you're in the moment.

I had no idea there would be a judges' briefing prior to the run – that's comforting to know. And that there might be a placement to check on if we Q.

Remy really has a remarkable nose, and I feel lucky that he's given a strong pawing alert from our very first clinic. We've played hide and seek at home with cypress oil or treats since he was 12 weeks old, and I think that's really strengthened our bond and how we communicate. He has so much potential, so I just want to make sure I'm doing my part so he can excel and hopefully get the titles he's capable of.

Congrats on the RATChX and CZ8P titles with your Dobies...amazing achievements! I'll look forward to catching up on the Barn Hunt Chat feed, and will chime in as I have updates too.

 

[obbanner]

Wow, thank you for this fantastic response! This forum is the best.

I've been reading through the Barn Hunt rules & regulations, and our clinic instructor has been helping me with them in practice...grateful we have more than a handful of clinics before the trial, because it's one thing to read about them, but another when you're in the moment.

I had no idea there would be a judges' briefing prior to the run – that's comforting to know. And that there might be a placement to check on if we Q.

Remy really has a remarkable nose, and I feel lucky that he's given a strong pawing alert from our very first clinic. We've played hide and seek at home with cypress oil or treats since he was 12 weeks old, and I think that's really strengthened our bond and how we communicate. He has so much potential, so I just want to make sure I'm doing my part so he can excel and hopefully get the titles he's capable of.

Congrats on the RATChX and CZ8P titles with your Dobies...amazing achievements! I'll look forward to catching up on the Barn Hunt Chat feed, and will chime in as I have updates too.

Some other things. Every course has at least one step. (Instinct may have a step present if the Instinct course is part of a Novice course.) The step is considered a bale as far as the handler touching, but is not a bale for purposes of the CLIMB. I NQ's a handler for stepping on the step to watch her dog.

You'll pick it up quickly. Judges are usually easy on Novice handlers. A nice judge may give you a warning instead of an NQ.

The rule of thumb for stopping a run is the run is stopped if the dog does something to NQ, but not if the handler does something. If you step on the step, you'll NQ but the run will continue so the dog isn't punished. You'll be told at the end of the run that you NQ'd and why.

Read up on scruffing. It's very indefinite what constitutes scruffing. Each judge has their own picture of what constitutes scruffing. Because of that, I try to avoid holding AJ in the ring so it's not an issue.

The rules say the judge has to call the rat and the number, even in Novice. Even though there's only one rat, the judge has to say RAT1. I did that to a Novice handler once and she had a panic attack, "Rat 1??? There's more than one rat???" Novice has only one rat!

 

[okaygreatthanks]

Some other things. Every course has at least one step. (Instinct may have a step present if the Instinct course is part of a Novice course.) The step is considered a bale as far as the handler touching, but is not a bale for purposes of the CLIMB. I NQ's a handler for stepping on the step to watch her dog.

The rule of thumb for stopping a run is the run is stopped if the dog does something to NQ, but not if the handler does something. If you step on the step, you'll NQ but the run will continue so the dog isn't punished. You'll be told at the end of the run that you NQ'd and why.

Read up on scruffing. It's very indefinite what constitutes scruffing. Each judge has their own picture of what constitutes scruffing. Because of that, I try to avoid holding AJ in the ring so it's not an issue.

I haven't heard of the step before, appreciate the warning! I have learned that you need to get off of (or show that you're making an effort to get off) the bale after calling rat, even if your dog continues to search atop a bale, so I think my plan going in will be "do not touch or step on anything" aside from handing the rat off to the wrangler at less than a 45° angle. Fortunately Remy is pretty satisfied with verbal praise and is eager to keep going with hunting, so I'll apply that rule to touching him in the ring too.

The rules say the judge has to call the rat and the number, even in Novice. Even though there's only one rat, the judge has to say RAT1. I did that to a Novice handler once and she had a panic attack, "Rat 1??? There's more than one rat???" Novice has only one rat!

You've saved me from an inevitable panic attack as well – thank you!

 

[Ravenbird]

Remy really has a remarkable nose, and I feel lucky that he's given a strong pawing alert from our very first clinic. We've played hide and seek at home with cypress oil or treats since he was 12 weeks old, and I think that's really strengthened our bond and how we communicate. He has so much potential, so I just want to make sure I'm doing my part so he can excel and hopefully get the titles he's capable of.

I love nose work of any kind, mainly because the dogs love it so much and it really does give you a bond & being able to read your dog in other ways. One word of caution: if you plan to do any essential oil nose work (AKC, NACSW etc.) strong pawing is highly discouraged. Sometimes behaviors don't leak to other odor sources but if you work with any essential oils don't reward for pawing if you plan to trial. It's not difficult to get different responses to different odors, but that's conversation for another thread. I don't want to distract from this excellent barn hunt conversation, just heads up on that tidbit to keep in the back of your mind.

Also, we love pictures! Can't wait to see your dog in hunt mode!!!

 

[okaygreatthanks]

I love nose work of any kind, mainly because the dogs love it so much and it really does give you a bond & being able to read your dog in other ways. One word of caution: if you plan to do any essential oil nose work (AKC, NACSW etc.) strong pawing is highly discouraged. Sometimes behaviors don't leak to other odor sources but if you work with any essential oils don't reward for pawing if you plan to trial. It's not difficult to get different responses to different odors, but that's conversation for another thread. I don't want to distract from this excellent barn hunt conversation, just heads up on that tidbit to keep in the back of your mind.

Also, we love pictures! Can't wait to see your dog in hunt mode!!!

Oh interesting, that’s really good to know about the pawing alert being discouraged for essential oil nosework!

Initially, I had just started him on the essential oil hide and seek games at home as a fun mental stimulation activity, and trained him to do a “down” alert. Once he really started excelling, our breeder suggested getting him into Barn Hunt. He gave the pawing alert there, and I figured “trust your dog” and let him alert in the way that comes naturally to him, so he has been doing the paw alert with essential oil vessels now too (usually paws it once or twice and then backs away and looks at me to confirm).

We’ll probably pursue VSWTs, but since we’re pretty focused on Barn Hunt, I’m not sure if we’ll do other AKC nosework events…especially because I do think he has agility potential in the future, which will burn up some time/money too. If only he was my sole full-time job, haha!

Here are a couple pics from his first time at Barn Hunt, working on uncovered tubes. We’ll try to take more at our next few clinics!

 

[Rits]

We’ll probably pursue VSWTs, but since we’re pretty focused on Barn Hunt, I’m not sure if we’ll do other AKC nosework events…especially because I do think he has agility potential in the future, which will burn up some time/money too. If only he was my sole full-time job, haha!

Oh boy ... do I (and a few others here) know that feeling all too well. It's so fun to have an eager, do-it-all, partner, isn't it!? There's not enough time or money

 

[Ravenbird]

pawing alert being discouraged for essential oil nosework!

It's only because some dogs will get carried away and disturb the hide area, which is supposed to be the same for all dogs in that trial. If a dog smashed a box that had odor in it, then the next dog in trial would smell dog footprints on the box (they have scent glands in their feet!) not to mention a box that no longer matches the other nice clean square boxes. Anyway, that's the idea behind not letting dogs paw at odor. I think in BH it isn't a problem because the straw is all over, and it's on top of the tubes so a natural thing to "dig out" the rat. And as I mentioned, it's not really too hard to teach a different response to a different type of hunt. I taught a down on human scent article and her natural response for essential oils is swinging her head to me and eye contact "I found it". I started teaching finding shed antlers and that one she has to pick it up and bring it to me. So far, no confusion on doing anything other than what the item calls for on her part. They are incredibly smart!

Oh boy ... do I (and a few others here) know that feeling all too well. It's so fun to have an eager, do-it-all, partner, isn't it!? There's not enough time or money

OH so much this!!!

 

[okaygreatthanks]

Oh boy ... do I (and a few others here) know that feeling all too well. It's so fun to have an eager, do-it-all, partner, isn't it!? There's not enough time or money

Soooo true. Glad to be in good company here!

 

[okaygreatthanks]

It's only because some dogs will get carried away and disturb the hide area, which is supposed to be the same for all dogs in that trial. If a dog smashed a box that had odor in it, then the next dog in trial would smell dog footprints on the box (they have scent glands in their feet!) not to mention a box that no longer matches the other nice clean square boxes. Anyway, that's the idea behind not letting dogs paw at odor. I think in BH it isn't a problem because the straw is all over, and it's on top of the tubes so a natural thing to "dig out" the rat. And as I mentioned, it's not really too hard to teach a different response to a different type of hunt. I taught a down on human scent article and her natural response for essential oils is swinging her head to me and eye contact "I found it". I started teaching finding shed antlers and that one she has to pick it up and bring it to me. So far, no confusion on doing anything other than what the item calls for on her part. They are incredibly smart!

That makes sense, thank you for explaining! Maybe I’ll try to reintroduce the down alert for essential oils since we’d done that originally. He’s in a real teenage phase right now, so a new-ish challenge might help burn off some energy!

 

[Ravenbird]

That makes sense, thank you for explaining! Maybe I’ll try to reintroduce the down alert for essential oils since we’d done that originally. He’s in a real teenage phase right now, so a new-ish challenge might help burn off some energy!

Teaching brain things is the BEST cure for all that extra energy! Also you can do it at home and inside if it's bad weather, or outside if it's nice! If you think you might trial in Nose Work one day, I wouldn't go with a down on odor either - most nose work teachers advise a natural self taught alert that they will do. Biggest reason is once you start advancing, the hides can be high or completely inaccessible so the dog can't "point" to it in a down. There is a "freeze" alert to stay still and keep their nose on it or stare at it if it's out of reach, but by far the easiest and most popular is the head-swing and looking at you which they will do naturally once they know a paycheck is coming for finding the hide. If you do decide to work on this for fun, read through the Nose Work forums to get some general ideas and ask questions there. You may not *think* you will trial ((( ))) but if you dog is a natural (and sounds like he is!) you may decide to do some trials for fun and it's so much easier if you don't have to fix things!