Intro to Rat Sports

2 one-and-one half-hour class sessions Prerequisites: Family Dog Manners I or equivalent skills. Go to list of all courses to learn more about prerequisite class(es)

RATS may not be your favorite animal but your dog might have a significant difference of opinion. Dogs who like to hunt rats – LOVE to hunt rats. In many parts of the world dogs still do the job of “ratting” to keep homes, barns and grain storage free of rodents. This sport celebrates dogs being dogs!

The sport of “Barn Hunting” has risen to mainstream doggy fun in the U.S. in just the last few years. “Barn Hunt” is a registered trademark of one of the organizations that offer competitions and they have many trials in MN. (Important: rats are highly protected, no rat is hurt during competitions or our Rat Sports classes.)

How do you know if your dog is even interested in rat sports? You have to try them out on rats. Some dogs feel Ho Hum about hunting rats. Others are wild about hunting rats. If that describes your dog, look forward to enormous fun!

This class is designed to give you and your dog an introduction to how rat sports work. It is a brief class, only 2 meetings of 1.5 hours each. This is enough time to see if your dog wants to rock the rat world with their hunting talents. You will learn important rules, how to function in the hunt, etc. You will do an instinct test as well as practice hunting and learn enough to allow you to join the Rat Practice Times which TCCA offers on weekends. If you enjoy yourself, you may want to start competing at the many trials around Minnesota. And…you don’t touch any rats.

Min/Max Enrollment: 3/6

Bring the Following to Class:

- Flat Buckle Collar (with no tags)
- 4-6 foot leash (no flexi-leashes please)
- Water and water dish
- Small, tasty, treats which are easy for the dog to see when tossed on the floor (such as string cheese, peanut butter Captain Crunch cereal, hot dogs, cheese balls, etc.)
- Toys which your dog enjoys (tug toys, balls, etc.)
- A pouch or deep pockets for easy access to treats