Earthdog Training
November 30, 2010 by Beth
Filed under Dog Activities and Training
I’m always on the lookout for new ways to entertain dogs, and I stumbled across a sport I hadn’t been aware of, probably because I don’t have any terriers. This sport, called Earthdog, allows vermin-hunting dogs to experience the job they were originally bred for. So, coax your terrier down off the couch and see if he or she can get into an Earthdog Trial near you.
Finding the rat is the object of Earthdog.
The Trial Process
Man-made underground tunnels are created, and a rat or two is placed in an enclosure at the end of the tunnel. A terrier is let loose near the opening of the tunnel and given orders to “work” the quarry. Depending on which sanctioning organization is in charge, this involves not only locating the rats, but also barking, scratching, staring, digging, or pawing at the enclosure where they are held.
Dogs are not pitted against each other in a competitive fashion. Rather, any dog who successfully completes the required work is awarded a certificate by the sanctioning body.
Sanctioning Bodies
In the United States, the American Working Terrier Association (AWTA) was founded in 1971 to promote the retention of hunting instincts in working terriers and Dachshunds. Dogs who are eligible to compete (by being one of the twenty-two recognized breeds or a mixed breed of appropriate size) are released by their handlers near the opening of a 30-foot tunnel. The dog must go into the tunnel and find the rat within 30 seconds, then must work the rat continuously for 60 seconds in order to be awarded a Certificate of Gameness. AWTA members may also earn Working Certificates for working other species of quarry below ground, and a Hunting Certificate for above-ground work.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) also offers Earthdog tests as an event meant to discern whether or not a dog has an aptitude for underground hunting. AKC Earthdog events are open only to purebred dogs of one of the 25 specified breeds. Unlike conformation shows, Earthdog trials welcome spayed or neutered dogs. All dogs must be at least six months old to compete. Four levels of certification may be achieved.
AKC Earthdog Titles
Beginning dogs are started out with the Introduction to Quarry, which is designed to assess the level of the dog’s prey drive. Dogs are placed in a 10-foot tunnel with just one 90-degree turn, and encouraged by their handler to work the caged rat at the end of the tunnel. The judge might even rattle the rat’s cage to encourage the dog to become interested in it.
A Junior Earthdog (JE) title can be earned when the dog finds the rat at the end of a 30-foot tunnel with three right-angle turns. The dog must succeed at two Junior runs under two different judges.
A Senior Earthdog (SE) title is earned when a dog qualifies three times under at least two different judges. The Senior Earthdog test includes a 20-foot scent line to reach the tunnel entrance, then run through a 30-foot dark tunnel with three 90-degree turns and several distractions. The dog must work the rat cage for 90 seconds, then return to the handler within 90 seconds of when the rat cage is removed from the tunnel.
A Master Earthdog is one who works cooperatively with another dog to find a tunnel entrance from a distance of 100 to 300 yards and move through the tunnel, past distractions and constrictions, then work the rat cage for 90 seconds. The dog must return to the handler in 15 seconds after they finish working the cage. The dog who stays near the tunnel while the other dog works is called the “honor dog”, and is judged on how well he shows interest in the process without making so much noise that the judge cannot hear the dog who is inside the tunnel. Four successful trials under at least three different judges are required for certification.
In March of 2010, the AKC introduced a new title called Earthdog Endurance (EE) for dogs who five times pass both the senior and master tests at the same event.
In Canada, the Canadian Kennel Club runs an Earthdog program nearly identical to the AKC program.
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