Barn Hunt in a Nutshell

• What it is: Dogs and their handlers work as a team to hunt out rats hidden in a hay obstacle course.  Dogs must indicate a number of rats, ignore distractor tubes, climb on top of hay bales, and negotiate an 18" wide and tall tunnel. 
  
• Prior Training: Basic Pet Manners and Obedience, as well as the dog being able to focus, learn and perform complex behaviors in a very distracting environment.  Some specific behaviors to teach are good attention under distractions , sit, down, stay, and leash manners.  
• Physical Demands on Dog: High
• Physical Demands on Handler: Mild. 
• Most suitable breeds: Various breeds - there are no specific structural or breed specific demands.  The only limiting factor in this sport is the size of the tunnel, so as long as the dog can fit through the tunnel, they can play!
• Best Temperament: Happy-go-lucky, workaholics; this sport is suitable for both low and high energy dogs alike.  
• Training Complexity: Moderate
• Mental Stimulation: Moderate
• Physical Stimulation: Moderate
• Recreational Opportunities: Low - this is a new and growing sport, there aren't many places yet that offer Barn Hunt training and/or classes.  
• Opportunities to Compete: High.
• Cost: Moderate - in addition to the cost of training and classes if necessary, trial fees are about $20-$25 per run. 

History of the Sport
Barn Hunt became a titling sport in 2012.  Prior to the creation of the sport, specific breeds (various Terriers, Dachshunds, etc.) were allowed to compete in Earthdog and Go to Ground hunting events through the American Kennel Club.  Barn Hunt was created to allow dogs of all pure and mixed breeds an opportunity to title in a sport that highlighted the instinct to hunt vermin.  For more information, check out the official Barn Hunt Association's website.

Difficulty Levels 

• Instinct - Dogs must indicate a rat that is hidden in one of three visible tubes.
  
• Novice - Dogs are given 2 minutes to find one rat, ignore one bedding, and ignore one blank tube.  They must also climb and put all four feet on one bale of hay and go through a short, straight tunnel.  They can do these things in any order.
• Open - Dogs are given 2 minutes and 30 seconds to find two rats (at least one of which must be hidden elevated, on top of a bale of straw), ignore two bedding, and ignore one blank tube.  They must also climb and put all four feet on one bale of hay and go through an L-shaped tunnel.  They can do these things in any order. 
• Senior - Dogs are given 3 minutes and 30 seconds to find four rats (at least two of which must be hidden elevated, on top of a bale of straw), ignore three bedding, and ignore one blank tube.  They must also climb and put all four feet on one bale of hay and go through a short, straight tunnel.  They can do these things in any order.

• Masters - Dogs are given 4 minutes and 30 seconds.  A handler must call clear after a dog has run through a course containing a total of ten tubes.  These tubes can include any combination of 1-5 rats, and 7-3 bedding.  Any or all, or any combination thereof, of rats can be hidden elevated or on the ground.  They must also climb and put all four feet on one bale of hay and go through a short, straight tunnel.  They can do these things in any order.

Sanctioning Organizations

• Barn Hunt Association (BHA)
  

How to get Started
A group class or taking private lessons is a wonderful place to start; not only will you and your dog learn the necessary skills and behaviors, get to practice regularly, but exposure to other dogs and distractions is great preparation for a show!   

Basic Supplies Needed
Equipment needed for classes typically includes:

• While the dog will run completely naked in competition, in training it is good to have a flat/buckle collar or a well fitting harness
• 4-6 foot nylon or leather leash
• Treats or toys to reward the dog
• Rat tubes, rats, and rat bedding
• Hay bales

Local Training Opportunities 

• Infinite Pawsibilities will be offering classes and lessons beginning July 2015

Local Clubs

• Gateway Terrier Association 

As the weather gets warmer, and the days get longer, we tend to do more with our dogs.  We take them on walks, out to parks, to different events and festivals around town, some of us even take vacations and travel with our dogs.  Amidst all the fun and festivities, many of us never think twice about the thought of our dog being lost.  According to the ASPCA, every year 3.9 million dogs are picked up as strays and brought to animal shelters.  Of those 2.9 million, 542,000 are returned to their owners.  While the statistics don't specify the circumstances of which the dogs were returned (wether it was because of identification on collars/tags, microchips, or the owners calling the animal shelter looking for their pet) one thing is for sure - proper identification can increase the likelihood of your pet making it home.  

Proper identification comes in many forms.  While it's good to have at least one form of identification, having more than one never hurts.  Many local pet stores carry a variety of collars, some even have tag engraving machines in store, for identification you can take with you right then and there!  

Tags and Nameplates
Identification that is attached to the dog via a collar of some sort.  Not the most permanent form of identification, as tags can fall off of collars, and the collars themselves can be removed from the dog.  Important information to have on the tag includes:

• Your phone number - even an alternate, or second phone number if the tag is big enough
• Key phrases such as: "Reward", "Needs Meds", "has Allergies", "Special Diet", "I'm Deaf", etc.  

In addition to purchasing tags in local pet stores, there are also a few nice hand made tags that can be found online:

• Aggie's Anvil
  
• Fetching Tags
  

Embroidered Collars
In addition to tags and nameplates, you can also purchase a collar with your phone number, and other information embroidered directly onto the collar itself.  These are a bit more permanent than tags, since there is nothing to fall off of the collar, but they can still be removed relatively easily from your dog.  Embroidered collars typically need to be special ordered, some of my favorite online stores selling embroidered collars include:

• Collarmania
  
• Ella's Lead
  

Microchipping
A Microchip is a small, smaller than a grain of rice, device that is implanted under your dog's skin.  This is a very simple procedure that can be done by your veterinarian, some shelters even offer low cost microchip clinics.  Typically the microchip is inserted, via a needle, on the dog's back, between the shoulder blades.  Once it has been inserted you can register your contact information to the microchip.  This information is then store in an online database that can be easily accessed by shelters and other rescue groups.  It is important to keep this information as up to date as possible, this can be done online or even with a phone call to the microchip company.  It is also important to note, that while the microchip is more permeant than both a tag and a collar, in rare cases the microchip can migrate under the skin to another part of the body - while this causes no harm to your dog, it can make it harder to identify your dog if he or she should become lost.  If your dog is already microchipped, it never hurts to have your veterinarian scan for the chip, to make sure everything is as it should be, when you go in for your dog's yearly check-up.
Some of the most common Microchip companies are:

• AVID
  
• Home Again
  
• 24 Hour Pet Watch

Lost!
Even with the best care, and most careful precautions - dogs are still dogs and may become lost.  There are things you can do that can help increase the likelihood of getting your dog returned.

• Enlist as many people to your search as you can - many states have online groups dedicated solely on finding lost pets - Missouri Lost & Found Paws is one of these groups.
• Make phone calls to local veterinarians, animal control, and law enforcement to help get the word out
• Print up, and distribute fliers and posters - it is helpful if these are in color.  Include a clear and recent photograph of your pet; all words should be typed, large and clear.  Be sure to have information such as the dog's name, the word "Reward", a contact phone number so you can be reached, any important information such as "shy", "do not chase", etc. if these things apply to your dog.  

They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - this can't more true when it comes to keeping your pet safe and sound!