Earthdog? Any Competitors Here?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I’m very interested competing in the Earthdog trials that I’ve read about since I was so-high (!). However, it seems it may not be as popular or widespread over here (UK) as it is in the USA and other countries. I was wondering if there any UK competitors on here that can guide me to a club or such that doesnt only exist in Scotland or Up North? I’m based in London, although I dont mind travelling, I can’t do 6 hours commuting every Tuesday just for a one hour training session!
If you do compete, regardless of country, how did you get started and what dogs do you use?
I have a Westie who has really taken to Agility and Obedience but since he was a few months old, he has shown fantastic “hunting” (for want of another word!) instincts.
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Hello! I also have run my dachshunds in agility and earthdog (ED) over here in the US. My dogs, especially my old smooth, loved going to ground. I’m sorry that you’ve been having trouble finding an outlet for your dog’s natural instincts. I did some research and found some links under the UK’s National Westie Club’s page. (see below)
Also — a lot of the time people talk about “working” the dog in ED. So often you can find links by typing “working terrier” as they are doing the job they were bred for as opposed to lolling about your flat!! So – there is a UK website called The National Terrier Club that seems more dedicated to showing AND working all breeds of terriers. Here’s their page content….. I hope this helps you!!!!
This page has been created in response to the large number of enquiries we receive regarding Working Terrier breeds which are not recognised by the Kennel Club (e.g. Fell Terriers/Patterdales). The information contained on this page should provide appropriate contacts for those interested in working their dogs.
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Fell and Moorland Working Terrier Club:
Mr. David McKee (Cheshire)
Tel/Fax: 01606 550005
This Club will provide assistance to any member should their dog become trapped underground. They also provide advice and a Code of Conduct for Terrier work.
The National Working Terrier Federation:
59, Kennington Road, London, SE1 7PZ
Tel: 020 7928 4742
Chairman: Mr. B. Wade (West Midlands).
Tel: 01902 765352
Most local Working Terrier Clubs are affiliated with this Federation. You can find out about Working Terrier Clubs in your area by contacting the NWTF directly.
Working Terrier and Hunt Shows:
Information about Working Terrier and Hunt Shows can be found in “Countryman’s Weekly” newspaper. This paper can be ordered from your Newsagent or is available from: The Countryman’s Weekly, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 7PE.
EDIT – Sorry – did not even address your training questions. The AKC has a instinct test (non-titling class) called “Intro to Quarry”. Often there is not a lot of training with the dogs — it really is a matter of pointing them in the right direction and simple encouragement. I only trained with my dog 5-6 times in his life — we had an above ground introduction to the tunnel. We practiced a “root” tunnel section – the dog has to roll over or under a piece of PVC pipe set in the tunnel wall. This was to minic a real tree root which might block a working dog. Also, we practiced the Recall a few times – leaving the den on command — that was very hard as my dog so enjoyed barking at the caged rats. Basically to train this – we had to take the caged rats out of their section of the tunnel. And as the handler, I would hold their cage and call my dog out. After a while he realized that when I called him – he could still have fun as I held the rats and we would play with the cage. So he became pretty good at leaving on command. ED in the US is very instinct-based so I think you won’t be training as much as you will be showing/working.
See the third Link – this is my club having one of our Tests in 2007. Super fun with nice people and great dogs!! I hope you discover some folks just as nice in the UK – GOOD LUCK!
I’m in the U.S. and I compete in earthdog, field and we also do natural hunting.
A local earthdog club, held an Earthdog Fun Day, where dogs got introduced to the rat thru different types of fun games and you’ll see whether your dog has instinct of not. Usually the earthdog clubs, will advertise earthdog trials at the Fun Day events.
Here in the U.S., you can pre-enter an earthdog trial, but some also accept day of entries.
If you have to TRAIN a dog,you have the WRONG DOG!!!
“Cleoppa’s” methods explain why his/her dogs have NOT qualified!
Edog is NOT “chasing”!
Pwaying in cardboard “tunnels” is NOTHING like Edog!
Edog is *NOTHING* like real terrier-work!
The Fell&Moorland Club will have NOTHING to do w/doggy-pway!
I’ve never heard of an earthdog class. All the earthdog clubs around me just get together for competing and club business.
It’s pretty easy to train from home. You can do it the easy way, and use paper bags and boxes to make a tunnel. Or you can make your own tunnel liner with wood, which I’ve done. Earthdog is a lot of instinct, but it also is some practice. It’s scary going into a dark hole or something.
There’s a few designs around the Internet for making tunnel liners. I use a fox tail in a PVC pipe with a drain at the end of the tunnel. I make the dogs work to get the drain off and then they’re rewarded with the fox tail.
I have a Welsh Terrier and Miniature Schnauzer. I got started because my friend was into it. So far, we haven’t gotten any titles, but we’ve gone to plenty of trials and each time we get better.
ADD: From what I hear, earthdog isn’t terribly common in the UK. Maybe you could start your own club. Even if it’s not a big official club, you could probably find some local terrier and Dachshund folks who’d like to have fun a few times a year with their terriers. Look for terrier and Dachshund clubs and ask around if anyone want to have an “Earthdog Fun Day.” Might help get the sport as a whole a bit of a push in the UK.
Have fun!