Toka, Kiyo & I spent his first birthday at Barn Hunt Trials at Central Bark in Central Square, NY.

Their results from today can be summed up in one word:  SCORE!

Toka earned his Barn Hunt Instinct Test title yesterday, and then proceeded to do nothing in his first two novice trials.  Surprising and a bit disappointing, because in training (here, at a friend’s house, and at Central Bark)  I anointed him as the Mighty Hunter.

He’s been doing so well we’ve been practicing open runs.  Novice level in Barn Hunt entails going through a hay bale tunnel, climbing with all 4 feet onto at least one bale, and finding a rat safely ensconced in a heavy duty PVC tube.  The dog has to select the tube with a rat (hidden in piles of hay bales) and bypass 2 other tubes – one empty and the other tube filled with used bedding. All within 2 minutes.

For the open level, the dog has to find two rats hidden in tubes (empty and bedding tubes are also hidden), do a climb and a long tunnel with a 90 degree turn – within a mere 2 1/2 minutes.

Kiyo earned her first open leg yesterday with a 2nd place finish (goooood girl!).  At least she did her best to maintain the standing of the household.  In the second run, her handler (moi) made a stupid error, causing Team Kiyo to NQ.

Today, however, the tides turned.

The Mighty Hunter re-appeared and my concerns were allayed.   Toka earned first place in both of his novice runs.

Kiyo rocked both of her open trials, earning High in Trial in both!  The first in 1:11, and the second in 45 seconds.  Because she qualified 3 times, she earned her open title!  

We came home with all of their bling, took a long, leisurely hike, and after a short rest, the pups got a de-lish lunch of grass fed beef in honor of His Redness’s birthday.

And after a snooze, Kiyo & Toka went outside to play.  Toka’s current moniker:  His Mudness.   Happy birthday to the best barn hunting, nose working Red Dog ever!