WHAT ON EARTH?
Article written for and published in Puppies & Dogs Annual 2011 Vol 11
Our Expert ......Dr Penny Mead
Veterinary surgeon for 20 years (currently practicing at Hornsby Veterinary Hospital).
Member of the Dogs NSW Sporting Committee (earth dogs’ representative)
and chairman of Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) earth dog committee.
When did you start with earth dogs and why?
I started in 2000 because I got a Border Terrier and I discovered this sport that allows dogs to enjoy their instinctive behaviour. My dog took to it really well and naturally, and then I was hooked.
What dogs do you own?
I’ve got three Border Terriers that all do earth dog. The Border Terrier is a small, brown-coloured terrier developed in the border district between England and Scotland to work with the Foxhound packs. The Foxhound finds and follows the fox and the Border Terrier goes to ground to hold the fox or bolt the fox from the den.
What do you love about the sport?
I love seeing dogs come alive doing something they are bred to do in a controlled situation. It’s a sport where you get to mix with other people that love terriers, so I also like the social aspect.
What do you find the greatest challenge?
Some dogs haven’t been bred to keep the instinct and in other cases dogs haven’t had the opportunity to use that instinct. So the biggest challenge is getting that instinct to come alive in the dog.
Are you a member of a club?
I’m a member of the Border Terrier Club. In NSW, the earth dog tests are run by breed clubs and in other states they are specific to earth dog clubs.
What is your best achievement with your dogs?
One of my dogs has her senior earth dog title. It’s not the highest earth dog title, but the highest I have got with my dog. I’ve since got a title on my second dog and my youngest has just started to compete.
What does the future hold?
My goal, through my committee representation, is to grow the sport within the state and nationally. Earth dog tests are offered in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia and some people are keen to get things started in Western Australia.
From a personal point of view with my dogs, particularly with my younger dog, I’m looking forward to him going through the different levels successfully.
An earth dog is a small terrier or Dachshund. There is a list of eligible purebred breeds, but if you have a crossbreed dog that is a small terrier or dachshund type and has the temperament and body construction that would make it suitable to do the job they are also able to compete. Earth dogs have to be six-months old to start competing.
The sport has been in Australia since the mid 1990s and is available in all states except WA, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
Potentially they can lose their enthusiasm for the sport after a time because they become too familiar with the course. The trick is to keep mixing up the venues and courses so they maintain the thrill, excitement and passion for the event. An earth dog test day begins by setting up the ‘dens’.
Not the world’s greatest spectator sport, earth dog tests happen underground out of sight of owners and onlookers. Dens are a series of trenches dug with a small Bobcat with threesided wooden boxes, or ‘liners’, placed in them in sections.
The dog runs on the earth, but the tunnels are stable and if it decides not to come out, a section can be dismantled.
Once the course is established, the liners are put in and covered with straw or grass so it appears part of the natural landscape. The main aim of an earth dog test is for the dog to locate the entrance to the den; enter and work through the underground maze until they find the ‘quarry’, which is a piece of fox or rabbit pelt or a fox tail waved around so the dog can see it on the other side of a partition; and then ‘work’ that quarry for a period of time.
The dogs work off leash in a safe, fenced area. The only command they get is on release; the owner is then not allowed to say or do anything - the dog must work on its own instinct. The judge sits at the quarry end in a hide and can see the dog approach the end through a small grille. He or she waves the quarry so the dog can work it. The test lasts about three minutes if the dog is a novice or about six minutes if it’s a master.
An earth dog test day is a full day out offering a program of events. Tests are only held in winter between April and September because the dens get too hot in summer and there is a danger of snakes.
To take part in the formal testing you need to belong to the ANKC state branch.
Training days are generally made available at the beginning of each season or form part of earth dog testing days. There are also books and magazine articles on the subject. Too much training is not encouraged because it might take the spark out of the dog when it comes to test day.
A small amount of confidence building practice can be done at home with a home-made tunnel or a long cardboard box and dogs should learn to come when called.
What sort of person does this sport suit?
It’s quite a specialist sport that suits people passionate about Terriers, Dachshunds and their heritage and that are fascinated with instinctive behaviour.
Do you need to be physically fit and able?
In this canine sport the dog does all the work. A competitor needs to be able enough to get down on their hands and knees and be willing to get dirty during the setting up and taking down of the course.
Can the family get involved?
It is family friendly, but not a spectator sport as the action happens out of sight.
Is it easy to make friends in this sport?
You have to join the member body (breed club or earth dog club) and pay a small annual fee. The cost of an earth dog test is about $6 - $8 per test. Training might be between $5 and $10 per session.
How much time do you need to spend training/ practicing/ exercising your dog?
Apart from the usual exercise regime for the dog, preparation for earth dog tests is minimal and can be as little as 15 minutes before going to the event.
For further information on earth dog tests contact your state member body of the Australian National Kennel Council. www.ankc.org.au