The dog sports road trip continued on right after Bailie’s nose work trial in De Land, IL ended. Saturday night, they drove on for another 550 miles or so to Sheboygan, WI. Madison was just a cheerleader for Bailie’s trial, but in Sheboygan, she would also be competing.
The Barn Hunt Trial was part of the Sheboygan Dog Training Club 2018 Sniff and Splash, four day event. My sisters tried to get in the mood before they left home getting on their best farm gear. It sounded like so much fun, but they would only be able to be there for the last day.
This big event is hosted every year by the Sheboygan Dog Training Club. There were many activities offered – barn hunt, dock diving, brush hunt, CGC testing, CCGC testing, farm dog certification, and more.
Madison was in the midst of her heat cycle on the road trip, so she had to pack her panties. Dogs in heat can compete in Barn Hunt, but they have to run last, and wear panties. Madison didn’t mind one bit, she simply wanted to hunt rats. In order to keep the distraction of her being in heat to a minimum for other dogs, they had to be crated in the broom closet. The facility had limited crate space, and the closet was the only place available. As it turns out, it was a nice, cool, and quiet place to spend the day.
One of the main reasons Mom wanted to attend this barn hunt trial is that it is indoors with a/c! After the snake incident two years ago, Mom will never do another outdoor barn hunt, and with the heat, a/c is so very nice! This trial was big, and had four rings going on at all times.
Although Madison was participating in barn hunt, she could not earn a title with only two runs. Bailie only needed one more leg for her RATO (Barn Hunt Open) Title. Going into the dog sports road trip, Bailie had a chance at three titles total, she only got one of two in nose work, but she redeemed herself, and earned her RATO Title in Sheboygan, and finished in third place for that leg. She did not make the title an easy feat, but got the job done. Madison did not earn any legs, but she got sixty points in Crazy 8’s, making her total at eighty now. She needs five hundred for a title, so it might be a while. Both of my sisters are now competing at the Senior level in Barn Hunt…who will earn that title first?
My sisters are signed up for some rat classes in September before their next barn hunt trial. They find rats, but they need to remember to tell Mom, and class really helps with that. Bailie had a pretty good weekend, and proudly sported her two new title ribbons. We all have two weeks off, and then the competitions really amp up. Madison will be trying AKC agility in September, Bailie and I have Nose Work trials, Bailie and Madison have Barn Hunt, and then they will try an AKC Scent Work Trial. We are staying local for a couple months which will be nice for a change. Stay tuned to see how it all goes.
Way to go Bailie! That sounds like quite the road trip too!
It was fun, but exhausting!
oooh a barn hunt!!! we would like that too. and we wish you all the bestest luck for the rat classes (that sounds funny lol) and for the next events. I’m sure the title is yours soon ;O)
Mom hopes we get super motivated and also tell her where those smelly rats are hiding.
What a trip! Your mom is the real hero! That’s a lot of driving. I hope she got a ribbon of some sort. Have a great day, your doodle friend Dash
She got a serious lack of sleep, but it was her idea to do the trip, so we can’t feel too bad for her. It was fun too. Happy Friday!
That’s a lot of driving for Mom. I think she drives you girls around, more than I did my own kids! LOL Glad to hear the girl’s had a pretty good weekend.
Things change. 2 years ago, she thought 3 hours was far to go and now we are up to 9. It is fun and that is the main thing.
Glad Madison could still compete even though she was in heat. Nice that you will have some time at home for awhile.
We are looking forward to doing nothing for two weeks.
What a fun road trip…congrats on all your sisters’ accomplishments, they must have slept well when they got back home!!
xoxo,
Rosy, Arty & Jakey
Monday was a pretty quiet day around here for sure!
i think my oldest would be great at this, she is so fast at catching those little mice when they get in the house. they were bred for catching mice, etc.
The trick is, it is a stationary rat in a tube. If the rat was loose, we would really be all over it, but because it is contained and can’t run around, we sometimes find it rather boring. Overall, my sisters enjoy looking for and finding the rats. They also enjoy climbing around on the bales and doing the tunnels.
You girls ROCK!! We are so proud of y’all. Pierre still wants to try Barn Hunting.
Pierre needs to get out there and give it a try! Hope with the new grandbaby, he has time to do some sports.
My lab Merlin once caught two rats in the backyard last year. And every now and again i see him tracking a scent all over the yard. Dogs noses are amazing aren’t they?
You humans really lost in the smelling department.
What a fun road trip! We love Crazy 8s–we just did a fun test this summer and it was a blast. We are hoping to do a little more barn hunt stuff this fall since most of the agility trials near us are only 1-ring during the winter and those aren’t quite as much fun with all of the waiting, so we’ll be doing fewer agility trials. There just aren’t enough hours in the day for all of the fun things we want to do 🙂 Congrats to Bailie on the new title!
Thank you. We need more time for all the sports we want to do! Madison starts her AKC agility career in 2 weeks, so that will take up more of our time now too. Hope you guys get to do more barn hunt.
WHOO HOO!!! You go girls!
They are trying to be a dog sports power team I think.
You were in my neck of the woods. Congrats!
We want to go back there, nice area. Hopefully they will have more events.
Wow, what an event that was. I never even heard of some of those things, like brush hunt? Good job by the girls! I’m sure it will be nice for you to stick closer to home for a while though, and have a short break.
Madison and Bailie might be done traveling for the year. I might still get in a trip or two in a couple months.