Frequently Asked Questions

A: Absolutely not. Though the word "hunt" is in the name, we are not hunting rats to kill (or even physically catch) them. Instead, dogs use their incredible scent sourcing skills to locate rats safely enclosed in aerated PVC tubes built tough enough for dogs to be unable to crush or even get a tooth inside. The tubes are large enough for rats to be able to turn around, and they are kept on bedding so they are comfortable. They often spend their time grooming or even sleeping in the tubes. Many enjoy the sport and interacting with the dogs. As a species, rats like small, dark places; they feel very safe in the tubes.

Rat care and safety is of paramount importance to these sports and has been from day one. Each national competition venue provides strict rat care guidelines developed with assistance from well-qualified sources with decades of experience studying, housing, and caring for rats. We love rats and would never harm them physically or mentally for the sport. 

Learn more about the Rat Care Guidelines set by each national sanctioning organization: 

• AKC Earthdog
• Barn Hunt Association
• Happy Ratters
• North American Sport Dog Association

A: You don't need anything special to start out, however, we do ask that you be aware of abide by our Equipment Policies when attending City Sniffers training offerings. If you plan to compete, you will also want to familiarize yourself with each venue's equipment rules. We will discuss this in your class/lesson, and you can also read more here.

A: Bring high-value, non-crumbly food rewards (cheese and/or lunch meat are especially good choices for first-timers). Toys are also a great training aid for the more play motivated pups! If your dog struggles to settle in the crate or has serious sibling envy, quiet aids for crate downtime are also recommended (e.g., stuffed Kongs, lick mats, chews).

A: Only one dog is allowed in the ring to hunt at a time, so for everyone's safety and security the other dogs in attendance must be crated in between turns. You can either bring your own travel crate or use the community crating provided at each facility. Alternately, you may also choose to crate out of your car and only bring your dog into the building for their turns.

Dogs must be crated during sports classes to maintain safety, prevent interactions with other high-drive dogs on the way to/from the ring, and teach essential emotional regulation. It also allows handlers to focus on the active working dog and listen to instructor briefings without distraction.

A: For group classes we will set a run order at the start of class, based on the dogs' levels (intro dogs usually go first, then low to high levels). Dogs will take three turns in the ring, with the first two rounds focused on that week's specific theme or skill. For the third round, all teams will play a simple game to ensure class ends on an easy win and fun/positive note!

All the rat hunt sports are team sports, so you as the handler/teammate will always be in the ring learning alongside your dog! When attending group classes, you can also learn a lot by watching other teams' runs.

A: Yes, absolutely! "Bitches in season" (BIS) are allowed in both Barn Hunt and Urban Ratting competition venues, so we will always welcome them to training as well. There are a few stipulations, however:

• They must wear panties when in the building.
• At trials they must be crated and pottied in separate areas and they'll be assigned to their own separate blinds in the running order. So if possible, please bring your own crate for training visits. Crating out of your car works too!

A: As with most scheduled services, this depends on how close it is to the date. You can find all the details in your email confirmations/reminders as well as in the Registration Policies.

A: Please just email us with your request. We can set this up as a "private class" -- you'll just need to settle on a time slot that works for all! 

A: Nope, you can start your/your dog's rat hunting career anytime with ANY of our training offerings! All levels are welcome to attend all group classes and private lesson slots, even if you/your dog are totally new to Barn Hunt or Urban Ratting.

While a private lesson does allow for more time and individualized instruction, a small group class is also totally fine for intros. It's entirely up to you and what bet fits your schedule and budget!

A: For first-time rat hunters, we typically will proceed through the following set of steps. Please note, however, that every dog's learning journey is different! Some teams will need more/less time with a particular element before advancing to the next step or the next level of difficulty.

1) Rat Intro:

• First, we'll let the dog meet the rat outside the ring, in a quarry cage (meaning the dog will be able to see the rat).
• We will also introduce the dog to a rat in a PVC tube, where they can only smell the rat and not see it.
• There is no one "correct" reaction to the rat - every dog is different! Based on the dog's reaction, we will encourage their rat drive with the most meaningful reward for that individual dog.
• Dog will stay on leash for this part since we are not in the enclosed ring.

2) Building Search Drive:

• Next we'll go into the ring and play a game (kind of like hide-and-seek with hints) to build the dog's search drive. We will continue to apply the reward methods that best fit each individual dog.
• Dog will start to work off leash, but we'll catch and release the dog a number of times during early training. Thus it's best to leave a collar or harness on to facilitate the drive building exercises.
• Dogs that already do scent work or similar searching sports will likely be able to progress faster at this stage.

3) Tunnel/Climb (Bridge/Burrow):

• Typically we'll start to introduce these other elements in a dog's second (or later) time in the ring. 
• Tunnel/Burrow: we'll ask the dog to go through a straight, short tunnel of straw bales (18" high/wide for Barn Hunt) or inside/through a burrow obstacle (various size/shape options for Urban Ratting).
• Climb/Bridge: we'll ask the dog to put all four paws on a straw bale (Barn Hunt) or a bridge obstacle (Urban Ratting).
• Luring with treats is absolutely allowed to build value for doing these behaviors. But we will never force the dog - it must be their choice and they are allowed to refuse (and we can try again another time)!
• Dogs that already do agility, tricks or similar sports with obstacles will likely be able to progress faster at this stage.

Also see the FAQ above about group class format details.