Barn hunt is open to all dogs. It tests the dog’s hunting and scenting ability. The dog must search through bales of hay to find a rat. The dog must also be able to climb up on the bales and go through tunnels made of hay bales. The rats are domesticated pet rats and are kept in a tube. They are not harmed in any way and there are very strict rules for handling the rats. There is a rat “wrangler” in the ring as well as a judge to make sure the rat is handled safely and no dog gets too aggressive. There are at least 3 tubes in the ring: one with nothing in it, one with rat litter and one with the live rat. It is the dog’s job to indicate to the handler which tube has the live rat.
Barn Hunt
