What is a Barn Hunt?
Safe and Sound
Our friendly rats head right into their cozy tubes, some are so relaxed that they even take a nap in their tubes!
Catching the Scent
The dog now gets the chance to discover and learn the scent of the rat by sniffing at the tube.
Detecting the Rat
The dog must now use their nose to detect which tubes are empty and which contains the rat.
Hiding the Rat
After the rat has been hidden, the dog must now use it’s nose to discover the location of the rat.
Finding the Rat
Ecstatic, the dog has detected the scent of the rat and immediately alerts their owner.
WHAT IS BARN HUNT:
Barn Hunt is a fun sport for all dogs of any breed or mix that like to hunt with their noses. Dogs search for one or more rats (safely housed in aerated tubes) on a course made of straw bales. The dog has to find the correct number of hidden rats within a set time limit. They must alert to their handler when they have found the rat.
The challenge is the handler’s ability to understand the dog’s signs when he finds the rat. The dog must also climb on at least one bale of straw and go through a tunnel. Please look under TRAINING to find training clinics for newbies and practices for those already hunting.
NO RATS ARE EVER HARMED
Rest assured knowing that there are a lot of rules about proper rat care. We use friendly domesticated rats, these rats are highly intelligent and understand that they are perfectly safe inside their spacious and cozy rat tubes.
To enter a trial, be sure to register with the BHA and get a registration number for your dog. You must then download the premium and the entry form from the web site, you are able to easily register online and pay with PayPal. Please email us with any questions that you may have, we would more than happy to assist you in any way possible.