A West Highland White Terrier Earthdog Trial

An earthdog test or earthdog trial tests the working ability and instinct of the small, often short-legged

terrier Terrier (from Latin ''terra'', 'earth') is a type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of the terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, game, and fearless. Terrier breeds vary ...

s or

Dachshund The dachshund ( or ; German: "badger dog"), also known as the wiener dog, badger dog, and sausage dog, is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed. The dog may be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired, and comes in a variety of c ...

s. These dogs were bred to hunt

vermin Vermin (colloquially varmint(s) or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases or destroy crops or livestock. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by region and enterpr ...

and other quarry which lived in underground dens. Earthdog den tests involve man-made tunnels that the dogs must navigate, while scenting a rat, "the quarry". The dog must follow the scent to the quarry and then "work" the quarry. Depending on the sanctioning organization, "working" means barking, scratching, staring, pawing, digging; any active behavior. The quarry is protected at all times by wooden bars across the end of the tunnel. The hunting encounter is controlled, and neither the dog nor the quarry (usually two rats) are endangered by the activity. In Canada, earthdog tests are sanctioned by the

Canadian Kennel Club The Canadian Kennel Club (or CKC), founded in 1888 and chartered under the Animal Purebred Act, is one of the national kennel clubs of Canada. It maintains breed registries services for those purebred dogs approved for its control by Agriculture ...

(CKC). In the United States, two major organizations sanction earthdog tests: the

American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kenn ...

(AKC) and the American Working Terrier Association (AWTA). In the European Union, earthdog trials have been illegal since May 1992 under the stipulations of the

European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals The European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals is a treaty of the Council of Europe to promote the welfare of pet animals and ensure minimum standards for their treatment and protection. The treaty was signed in 1987 and became effecti ...

, which legally classifies the activity as a form of

dog fighting Dog fighting is a type of blood sport that turns game and fighting dogs against each other in a physical fight, generally to the death, for the purposes of gambling or entertainment to the spectators. In rural areas, fights are often staged i ...

AKC earthdog tests

AKC earthdog tests are intended as noncompetitive venues in which the handlers may gauge their dog’s natural hunting aptitude when presented with an underground hunting situation. According to the AKC General Regulations for Earthdog Tests, the noncompetitive program begins with a basic introduction to den work and quarry, progressing through gradual steps to the point where the dog can demonstrate that it is willing to perform the required tasks, including seeking its quarry and working it underground.

Eligibility

Dogs that are registered with the AKC and are six months of age or older may participate in AKC Earthdog tests. They do not need to be

intact Intact can refer to: * An entire building, generally in good condition not dilapidated or ruins *Intact (group of companies), a Romanian media trust *''Intact'' (album) and "Intact" (song) by Ned's Atomic Dustbin *''Intacto'', a film *Entire (anima ...

, and purebred dogs that have been assigned "Indefinite Listing Privilege" (ILP) numbers, may also participate. In comparison to the American Working Terrier Association (AWTA) tests, fewer breeds are permitted in AKC tests, with mixed breeds being excluded altogether. The following breeds are classified as eligible to participate in AKC Earthdog tests: *

American Hairless Terrier The American Hairless Terrier is a breed of companion dog from the United States that was developed from naturally hairless Rat Terriers. History In 1972 a completely hairless bitch pup was whelped in a litter of purebred Rat Terriers owned by Wil ...

Australian Terrier The Australian Terrier is a small dog breed, breed of dog of the terrier dog type. The breed was developed in Australia, although the ancestral types of dogs from which the breed descends were from Great Britain. Appearance The Australian ...

* Bedlington Terrier *

Border Terrier The Border Terrier is a British breed of small, rough-coated terrier. It originates from the area of the Anglo-Scottish border, and shares ancestry with the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Bedlington Terrier from the same area. The dogs were ...

Cairn Terrier The Cairn Terrier is a terrier breed originating in the Scottish Highlands and recognized as one of Scotland's earliest working dogs. The breed was given the name Cairn because the breed's function was to hunt and chase quarry between the cai ...

Cesky Terrier The Cesky Terrier ( ; cz, Český teriér, 'Bohemian Terrier' or 'Czech Terrier') is a small terrier type dog originating in Czechoslovakia. History The Cesky Terrier was created by a Czech breeder, František Horák, in 1948, as a cross ...

Dandie Dinmont Terrier A Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a small Scottish dog breed in the terrier family. The breed has a very long body, short legs, and a distinctive topknot of hair on the head. They are friendly but tough, and are suitable for interaction with older ch ...

Glen of Imaal Terrier The Glen of Imaal Terrier ( gle, Brocaire Uí Mháil) is a breed of dog of the terrier category and one of four Irish terrier breeds. It is sometimes called the Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier or the Wicklow Terrier, and the name of the breed i ...

Jagdterrier The Jagdterrier ( ) (English: Hunting Terrier) is a type of working terrier, originating in Germany, that is used for hunting quarry both above and underground. This breed of terrier is also called the German Hunt Terrier. Description Appear ...

Lakeland Terrier The Lakeland Terrier is a dog breed, which takes its name from its place of origin, the Lake District in England. The dog is a small to mid-size member of the Terrier family. While independent in personality, it interacts well with owners and ...

Manchester Terrier The Manchester Terrier is a breed of dog of the smooth-haired terrier type. It was first bred in the 19th century to control vermin, notably rats, at which it excelled. So efficient at the task was it that it often appeared in rat-baiting pits ...

Miniature Bull Terrier The English Miniature Bull Terrier is a breed with origins in the extinct English White Terrier, the Dalmatian and the Bulldog. The first existence is documented in 1872 in ''The Dogs of British Island''. Description Appearance Miniature Bul ...

Miniature Pinscher The Miniature Pinscher, also known as the Zwergpinscher and Mini Pin, is a small breed of dog of the pinscher type originating in Germany. The breed's earliest ancestors may have included the German Pinscher mixed with Italian greyhounds and dachs ...

Miniature Schnauzer The Miniature Schnauzer is a breed of small dog of the Schnauzer type that originated in Germany in the mid-to-late 19th century. Miniature Schnauzers may have been developed from the smallest specimens of the Standard Schnauzer, or crosses betw ...

Norfolk Terrier The Norfolk Terrier is a British breed of dog. Prior to gaining recognition as an independent breed in 1964, it was a variety of the Norwich Terrier, distinguished from the "prick eared" Norwich by its "drop ears" (or folded ears). Together, ...

Norwich Terrier The Norwich Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United Kingdom, and was bred to hunt small rodents. With a friendly personality, Norwich Terriers are today mostly a companion dog breed. One of the smallest terriers, these dogs are gen ...

Parson Russell Terrier The Parson Russell Terrier is a breed of small white terrier that was the original Fox Terrier of the 18th century. The breed is named after the Reverend Jack Russell, credited with the creation of this type of dog. It is the recognised conforma ...

Rat Terrier The Rat Terrier is an American dog breed with a background as a farm dog and hunting companion. They share much ancestry with the small hunting dogs known as feists. Common throughout family farms in the 1920s and 1930s, they are now recognize ...

Russell Terrier The Jack Russell Terrier is a small terrier that has its origins in fox hunting in England. It is principally white-bodied and smooth, rough or broken-coated and can be any colour. Small tan and white terriers that technically belong to othe ...

Scottish Terrier The Scottish Terrier ( gd, Abhag Albannach; also known as the Aberdeen Terrier), popularly called the Scottie, is a breed of dog. Initially one of the highland breeds of terrier that were grouped under the name of ''Skye Terrier'', it is one o ...

Sealyham Terrier The Sealyham Terrier ( cy, Daeargi Sealyham) is a rare Welsh breed of small to medium-sized terrier that originated in Wales as a working dog. It is principally a white-bodied, rough-coated breed, developed in the mid-to-late-19th century by ...

Silky Terrier The Australian Silky Terrier or simply Silky Terrier (depending on the breed registry) is a small breed of dog of the terrier dog type. The breed was developed in Australia, although the ancestral types and breeds were from Great Britain. It is ...

Skye Terrier The Skye Terrier is a Scottish dog breed that is a long, low, hardy terrier and "one of the most endangered native dog breeds in the United Kingdom" according to The Kennel Club. Appearance Coat The Skye is double coated with a short, ...

Smooth Fox Terrier The Smooth Fox Terrier is a breed of dog, one of many terrier breeds. It was the first breed in the fox terrier family to be given official recognition by The Kennel Club (circa 1875; breed standard 1876). It is well known, and although not a ...

Welsh Terrier The Welsh Terrier ( cy, Daeargi Cymreig) originates from Wales and was originally bred for hunting fox, rodents and badger; but during the last century, it has mainly been bred for showing. Despite this, it has retained its terrier strength ...

West Highland White Terrier The West Highland White Terrier, commonly known as the Westie, is a breed of dog from Scotland with a distinctive white harsh coat with a somewhat soft white undercoat. It is a medium-sized terrier, although with longer legs than other Scott ...

* Wire Fox Terrier *

Yorkshire Terrier The Yorkshire Terrier (often shortened as Yorkie) is one of the smallest dog breeds of the terrier type and indeed of any dog breed. The breed developed during the 19th century in Yorkshire, England.prey drive Prey drive is the instinctive inclination of a carnivore to find, pursue and capture prey. The term is chiefly used to describe and analyse habits in dog training. Aspects In all predators the prey drive follows an inevitable sequence: Search (or ...

and some need more encouragement than others. The Introduction to Quarry is simply designed to acquaint a dog with "going to ground", following a scent trail and "working a rat". At this stage, the dog is asked to negotiate a tunnel with a single right-angle turn. At the end of the tunnel is a rat in a cage, which is placed behind dowel bars. The handler may talk to their dog and encourage the dog to "work" the rat. The judge may also attempt to interest the dog by shaking the quarry cage, by tapping or scratching the cage or the tunnel itself, or by making other noises. ;Junior Earthdog (JE) : Junior Earthdog (JE) is the first level of competition in which a title may be earned. A Junior Earthdog tunnel long and has three right-angle turns, is set into the earth and is completely dark. The entrance is well-scented with rat smells. The dog is released 10 feet from the tunnel entrance, after which it has 45 seconds to enter the tunnel and traverse the tunnel to reach the quarry. The dog must then begin to work the quarry within 30 seconds of reaching it, and most continue to work without interruption for 60 seconds. After that time has elapsed, the dog must then allow the handler to remove it from the tunnel via a hatch at the quarry end. The handler is permitted to give the dog one command when releasing the dog or before it enters the tunnel, but otherwise must remain quiet at the release point until the time of retrieval. To earn a JE title, the dog must successfully pass the JE test twice under two different judges. ;Senior Earthdog (SE) : To pass a Senior Earthdog (SE) test, a dog must accomplish the following: Follow a scent line to a tunnel entrance that the dog cannot see from ground level; track through a completely dark tunnel containing three 90 degree turns to the rats; not be distracted by a false entrance/exit arrangement; not be distracted by a dead end tunnel that is scented with rat bedding; once at the rats, work the rats for 90 seconds (working is defined as barking, digging, scratching, biting the bars); after working the rats, and after the rats are removed from the tunnel, leave the tunnel when called by the handler and return to the handler within 90 seconds. To earn an SE title, a dog must receive three qualifying scores from two different judges after previously earning their JE title. ;Master Earthdog (ME) : Master Earthdog is the most difficult test in the AKC Earthdog program. For each test, two dogs are drawn at random. The dogs hunt together as a brace on open land starting from a distance of from the tunnel entrance. Along the way they encounter a "false den" scented to seem used by quarry but with no quarry inside, which they must investigate at their handler's command without indicating a quarry present. The hunting party proceeds in the direction of the tunnel, but the handlers must stop short of the tunnel and may not show the dogs where the tunnel is. Each dog must search for quarry in that area until they discover the tunnel entrance and actively indicate where it is and that quarry is present. After both dogs have indicated the presence of quarry, one of the dogs is sent into the tunnel while the other brace dog is tethered to a ground stake about away from the tunnel entrance. : A Master Earthdog tunnel is to long with three right-angle turns. The dog will encounter a false den and false exit similar to a Senior Earthdog tunnel, and also must pass through a constriction and a roller that simulate roots and other obstacles in a natural tunnel. The dog in the tunnel must reach the quarry within 90 seconds. Once at the quarry, the dog must begin to work the rats within 15 seconds and must work them continuously for 90 seconds. They must not be distracted from working by the judge scraping or digging alongside the tunnel. The scraping is meant to approximate the hunter digging down to the spot where the dog is holding the quarry at bay. The handler has 15 seconds to remove the dog from the tunnel after their 90 seconds of work is complete. After the first dog has completed the tunnel portion of the test, the dogs trade roles. Each dog is judged on how well they "honor" a hunt by the other dog while tied to the stake: The honoring dog must show interest but must not make enough noise to interfere with the judge listening to hear the dog working in the tunnel. Four passes under three different judges is required for a Master Earthdog title. ;Endurance Earthdog (EE) : An Endurance Earthdog test is intended to demonstrate the consistency of a hunting earthdog. A dog earns a pass performance in Endurance Earthdog by completing both the SE test and ME test during the same earthdog trial event. A dog who passes both tests during five different earthdog events is awarded an Endurance Earthdog title. An Endurance Earthdog may continue to compete to earn as many Endurance titles as they can, with each subsequent title suffixed with a numeric designation.

AWTA earthdog den trials

The AWTA predates the AKC earthdog program and was founded to promote and test the working abilities of terriers and dachshunds. The AWTA awards Certificates of Gameness to terriers and Dachshunds who achieve a score of 100% in the AWTA open class. To qualify in the open class, a dog must be released near the trial's earth tunnel opening, find its way into the tunnel and reach the quarry, all within 30 seconds (50% of score) and then "work" the rat continuously for a full 60 seconds (remaining 50% of score). Timing starts from the moment the dog is released by the handler. The dog may enter the tunnel and come out or walk around the tunnel, but it must get to the rat within the time allotted. However, once it reaches the rat, it must remain with it for the aforementioned 60 seconds. The following breeds are recognized (and therefore able to compete) in AWTA den trials: *

* Bedlington Terrier *

Fell Terrier Fell terrier refers to a regional type of long-legged working terrier, not a specific breed of dog. Description and purpose Fell terriers are types of small working terriers developed in the Fell (hilly) country of northern England and use ...

* Wire Fox Terrier *

Jack Russell Terrier The Jack Russell Terrier is a small terrier that has its origins in fox hunting in England. It is principally white-bodied and smooth, rough or broken-coated and can be any colour. Small tan and white terriers that technically belong to oth ...

Patterdale Terrier The Patterdale Terrier is a breed of dog descended from the Northern terrier breeds of the early 18th century. Description Appearance There are two breed standards for the Patterdale Terrier belonging to the United Kennel Club (UKC) an ...

Other small terrier breeds may compete in the miscellaneous class.

Notes

External links

What is Earthdog?Earthdog Events PageAmerican Working Terrier AssociationAKC EarthdogEarthdog
{{Dog sports Dog sports

AKC earthdog tests

Eligibility

AWTA earthdog den trials

See also

Notes

External links