# Trying barn hunt with Beckie



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I bet Beckie will love it. Bring lots of treats.

Have you considered a scent work class? Instead of hunting rats, the dogs hunt essential oils. Instead of being in a barn, when we start training, we're inside buildings, usually dog training facilities. It would be easier to train Beckie at home and you could do it with Merlin at home as well.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Skylar said:


> I bet Beckie will love it. Bring lots of treats.
> 
> Have you considered a scent work class? Instead of hunting rats, the dogs hunt essential oils. Instead of being in a barn, when we start training, we're inside buildings, usually dog training facilities. It would be easier to train Beckie at home and you could do it with Merlin at home as well.


I’ll bring her treats made of her usual food, as she can’t have anything else basically. I’m hoping she’ll be excited just with the scent, as she would be if we were on a walk.

I’ve seen the scent work class but I wasn’t sure what it was. Now that you tell me maybe it would be an option but my first choice is barn hunt. I don’t know if Merlin would want to try anything. He really gets perturbed easily if you go out of the usual routine. I can’t use food with him either, or Beckie will steal it from him if I miss one second of watching her. So it’s a bit complicated. But I plan on bringing him with us, even if he has to stay in the crate while she trains. At least he won’t be alone at home.


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## Porkchop (Sep 2, 2019)

Good luck! I hope it works out for you guys.


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## DogtorDoctor (Mar 20, 2020)

I can't wait to hear how it goes! I'm doing barn hunt with Jango and that boy has drive for daaaaays. Did they say whether or not to bring treats? In general, the idea (that my trainer did, at least) is that the rat is the reward in itself. I did not need to provide any outside reinforcement, as his prey drive was high enough that getting to "catch" the rat was the best treat ever.

Definitely let us know how she likes it!!

ETA: my older dog Cassius has done some scent work, so I've been on both sides! Very different sports, but no reason dogs can't do both. Jango just isn't mature enough for scent work yet. 😂


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## Mel (Apr 4, 2012)

Great! Let us know how it goes.
I think I found a local place to start Barn Hunt also. They hold classes every Sunday on a first come basis so I’m going to see if there are openings for this Sunday. I’ve seen several barn hunts around my area but I think I want to try it out in a class setting first.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

This is exciting!


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

DogtorDoctor said:


> daaaaays. Did they say whether or not to bring treats? In general, the idea (that my trainer did, at least) is that the rat is the reward in itself. I did not need to provide any outside reinforcement, as his prey drive was high enough that getting to "catch" the rat was the best treat ever.


They did but I wasn’t talking to the trainer. I also believe the rat scent will be very rewarding and so exciting that she won’t pay attention to her (boring) treats (she has allergies).


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I chickened out. It was going to be -25C on the day of the class and I had a one hour drive one way (I thought it was 45 minutes). I also had to leave Merlin in the car waiting and he would have been too cold. I didn’t feel comfortable and I decided to cancel and take a class in the spring instead.

To be continued.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Not chickening out, you chose sensible, warm, toasty chicken


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Smart decision. It’s too cold. Even dangerously cold.


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## Mel (Apr 4, 2012)

Wow that’s cold. 🥶 I wouldn’t be out from under a heating blanket at those temps.


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

FWIW when I took classes with Mia and Zulu, I skipped the January session. It was too dark and too cold for me, and the one year I tried it, I missed half of the sessions. Not worth it. By March the dogs were raring to go again, and so was I!


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