By Heidi Clayton
My retired show dogs all needed a new hobby to keep their brains and bodies active. So I looked into a few dog sports to find the right one for them and picked the sport of Barn Hunt. While Barn Hunt might not be right for you and your dogs, there are many other dog sports you can try.
Barn Hunt events are perfect for your dog if they are vermin-haters. Every terrier in the Terrier group was originally bred to hunt some sort of vermin and eradicate it from the home or farm. While rats aren’t the problem they used to be, it’s in terriers’ DNA to hunt for mice, groundhogs, chipmunks, moles, and voles. Barn Hunt isn’t just for terriers, though. Any breed or mixed breed can compete.
No, they do not catch and kill live animals. Instead, dogs search through hay and straw bales to look for rats that are safely contained inside a hard plastic tube. There are several levels of competition, which are based on how many rats in tubes your dog can find. They are required to pass through a “hay” tunnel and climb on top of bales of hay or straw. While some dogs are naturals at hunting vermin, they will also need to have a reliable recall as the search is done without a leash or collar. I am really enjoying watching my dogs use their noses to find the rats, and they are absolutely exhausted after. You can learn more about how to get started in Barn Hunt at barnhunt.com.
Another immensely popular dog sport is Agility. Agility is a timed race in which your dog must master obstacles such as the dog walk, open tunnels, closed tunnels, jumps, weave poles, the A-frame, the seesaw, tire jumps, and the broad jump. Dogs are judged by the time in which they finish the course and how many faults they have during their run.
Dogs that are high-energy and are able to follow off-lead instructions are perfect for agility. Taking your dog to a beginner’s level agility class can be a fun way to bond with your dog as they really need to trust you to guide them correctly through the course which is also done off-lead and with no collar. Even if you don’t want to actually compete in agility, these classes are both physically and mentally stimulating for your dogs. This sport will tire even the busiest of dogs out. You can learn more about getting started in AKC Agility at the following website: https://www.akc.org/sports/agility/getting-started/.
Getting involved in a dog sport can be beneficial for you and your dog. Aside from watching your dogs have fun, dog sports will connect you with other dog people who share a deep and abiding love for their dogs. Why not try a new and fun activity with your dog, especially when you can meet new people and have some fun along the way?
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
