Finding rats is the name of the game for barn hunt! We offer fun and exciting private lessons or group classes where your dog will alternate turns in finding rats hidden in hay in a barn. The variety of sights and smells can be overwhelming, but the distractions help your dog learn to focus on the task at hand. They will need to successfully alert on a tube containing the rat hidden in the course by a certain time. Each round will get more difficult to make the game fun and engaging while challenging the dog.

Many in barn hunt begin by taking a private lesson to gauge their dogs’ interest in finding rats and sniffing them out. Sometimes it is difficult for dogs to get into the sport when there is a lot going on, such as other dogs being nearby or becoming easily overwhelmed. Private lessons are perfect for getting your dog used to the environment and figuring out what they need to do when out in the field.

Barn Hunt is held in an enclosed course which is covered with hay bails and hay covering the floor. The course has multiple bails stacked and stacking to create tunnels. In the actual barn hunt trials, your dog will need to climb bails and tunnel during their time limit in order to pass. There are different levels of barn hunt from novice all the way up to master champion titles. The higher the level, the more difficult finding the rats in the course will be.

We currently offer group barn hunt classes throughout the majority of the year. Group classes are made to emulate an actual competition, while mainly focusing on your dogs’ ability to find the rats. We will excel the course based on your dogs’ person skills as they begin to advance in the sport.