By Tootsie
As I thought about the last few weeks and tried to decide what news to share with my readers, Mom told me that I’ve shared 30 stories already. My life is pretty full. Let me educate you about Barnhunt (Barnhunt.com).
Barnhunt is a new sport that lets us dogs use our noses. It’s great fun because it’s fast and we get to work on our own, not like that stuffy obedience business. The only job the people have is to put rats into sturdy tubes with holes in them and big screw-in ends and hide the tubes among straw bales.
Some of the tubes are empty, some contain dirty bedding, and at least one has a real rat. It’s a timed event, and we get to work the area at our own pace. There are many straw bales and we go through a tunnel made of them, climb on them, and look between them. It’s is so much fun for the terrier types. The Jacks and I get quite cranked up about the whole thing.
In my class we have three Jack Russells, and Katy bars the doors with them. They are fast and noisy. Then I am probably the next fastest, followed by a schipperke. In the big dog group, the Malinois is incredibly fast; Mom says they make great drug sniffing dogs; I can see why. We have a big group of Rhodesian Ridgebacks. They get the job done without much fanfare. Actually, they seem to be quite nonchalant about the whole thing.
The part I can’t understand is that the rats don’t seem bothered by the mayhem. As soon as we find the right tube, the humans remove it, so no one has a chance of getting hurt in this sport. Jake doesn’t quite get it, and Dad says it’s because they use city rats. Jake relates better to the desert kind.
Note. The “Mom” in this article helps me write. Her name is Michelle Anderson.
About Foothills Animal Rescue
Foothills Animal Rescue (FAR) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization. Its mission is to provide shelter, care, and adoption services for many of the thousands of domestic cats and dogs that stray, become lost, or are abandoned each year in Maricopa County. FAR also provides animal adoption services for pet owners who, due to circumstances, must give up their animals. Domestic cats and dogs are not equipped to survive without human support. Most lost or abandoned animals quickly become malnourished and many are injured, making them easy prey for the area’s coyotes and hawks.
FAR maintains a no-kill policy, and all sheltered animals are cared for until such time as a suitable adoption is arranged. All animals offered for adoption have been given medical attention and are in good health. Additionally, all animals have been spayed or neutered. If you are looking for a loving pet or supporting FAR’s efforts, please contact us.
For more information, write to Foothills Animal Rescue, PO Box 4865, Cave Creek, AZ 85327, call (480) 488-9890, visit foothillsanimal.org, or email: far@extremezone.com.
Recent Comments