Activities For Rat Terriers

Before you can get out on the agility course, you and your Rat Terrier need to know the basics. Taking a basic obedience course will not only teach your dog how to sit, stay, and come, but it will teach you how to communicate with your dog. Look for a trainer who specializes in small, active dogs with stubborn streaks. They can teach you the techniques that work best for your dog to get results.

Most agility courses allow for both big and small dogs to compete. The challenges of a regulation course differ for small dogs and their owners, and your dog may need special training to navigate some of the obstacles. However, Rat Terriers have plenty of energy and grit to compete with the big dogs and often do. If you want to "level the playing field" you can try out Teacup agility which uses a course and obstacles designed for small dogs and only allows small dogs to compete.

Whichever agility system you choose, your dog is going to need a consistent schedule in order to see improvements and the benefits. Agility challenges them both mentally and physically, which means they will be tired and content with a consistent schedule. They also need consistent practice to build up the skills they are learning. Plan to attend classes or practice once or twice per week for maximum benefit.

The first step is to connect with other small dog owners. There may already be a small dog playgroup near you. You can check online, look for Facebook groups, ask local breeders, or even check with the city government to see if anyone has started a group. If you can't find a small dog group close by, why not start one yourself? There are most likely other people with small dogs like Rat Terriers who would love to join a group to socialize their dog.

The first time your Rat Terrier attends the small dog group, they may be intimidated or nervous. Encourage them to meet other dogs, or find a dog that is friendly and non-dominating to introduce them to first. Your dog may start out hiding behind your legs, but they will soon start to feel comfortable and will jump right into play. Watching your dog's confidence increase in front of your eyes will be an amazing sight.

It will take more than one playgroup session for your dog to learn socialization skills and feel confident with other dogs. Making the small dog playgroup into an important part of your routine will ensure they learn the skills they need to get along with all dogs and feel confident in other situations. The playgroup will also introduce you to other small dog playmates and new human friends for you.

The first step in the Earthdog quarry, the first test in an Earthdog trial, is to see how well your dog follows a scent. You can start working with your dog before the trial by encouraging them to follow scents. Take your dog to an area where squirrels or rabbits are abundant. When you see one of these small animals go into the bushes, lead your dog over to the spot. Encourage them to sniff around and lock onto the scent. If they start to follow, keep encouraging them.

When your pup is readily locking on to scents and following them, you're ready to introduce small spaces. The Earthdog quarry will require your dog to go into a small, dark wooden box willingly to find the rat. You can build a few of these boxes yourself out of wood or cardboard to practice. Start by putting treats in the box and encouraging your dog to go get them. It may take a little time for your dog to feel comfortable going through the box, but their natural instincts should help them overcome any nervousness.

Now it's time to put those two tasks together. Ultimately, your dog will need to follow a scent trail into the dark box and get the rat inside. Now that your dog is following scents and comfortable with small, dark spaces you are ready for the next step. If you don't have a rat to work with, head to your local pet store and ask for some used bedding from the rats. You can soak it in water and strain it to create liquid to lay a scent track. Drop the liquid in a line that leads inside the box. Bring your Rat Terrier outside and show them the scent. Once they get on track, encourage them to keep following it all the way inside the box. When your terrier is doing this quickly, you're ready for the Earthdog quarry and trial.