For Pup Sake Dog Training
https://www.forpupsakedogtraining.com
Barn Hunt is a newer dog sport where dogs find rats placed in secure containers in straw structures and alert their presence to handlers. Dogs must climb on straw bales or tunnels underneath to locate the live rats.
One of the things I found impressive about the rules of the sport is the emphasis placed by the Barn Hunt Association (BHA) on the proper handling of the rats and on what dogs are allowed or not allowed to do once they locate the rats. For example, they can place a paw on the container but aren’t allowed to roll the container around.
Our Barn Hunt journey began with Patti Brooks, owner and operator of For Pup Sake Dog Training. In addition to Barn Hunt classes, Patti is an experienced professional dog trainer offering group novice obedience classes as well as private sessions. For Pup Sake also offers Structured Day Care programs where dogs enjoy supervised playtime, obedience training, and enrichment opportunities.
The more independent and critter-obsessed your dog is, the better a fit they will be for Barn Hunt but any breed can enjoy this sport. The hides and straw structures can also be designed with the dog’s age and physical ability in mind. I work with many dogs who are craving such an outlet, as there are few canine activities that are this close to what dogs did for a long time. For these reasons and more, I can’t recommend Barn Hunt enough, especially with Patti’s experienced and resourceful approach.
Pictured: Bob and I barn hunting at For Pup Sake Dog Training
Photo Credit: Patti Brooks
- Barn Hunt Association: https://www.barnhunt.com/index.html
- Patti’s Email: forpupsake@hotmail.com