Dogs in Competition, Earthdog

Earthdog Tests are for dogs that were originally bred to pursue quarry in dens or tunnels, called going to ground. Dachshunds and the smaller terriers are eligible- Australian, Bedlington, border, cairn, Dandie Dinmont, Fox (smooth and wire), Parson Russell, Lakeland, Norfolk, Norwich, Scottish, Sealyham, Silky, Skye, Welsh and West Highland White Terriers. They must be at least six months old to enter.

The object of an earthdog test is to provide an opportunity for the dog to display the ability to follow game and work quarry- show an interest in the game by barking, digging and/or scratching. The quarry is either live (two adult rats in a cage for their protection), or artificial (located behind a barrier, properly scented and capable of movement).

Tests are run at four different levels. In Introduction to Quarry, the dog does not receive any qualifications or titles, but it gets a taste of what it's like to be in a den and scent the prey. After passing this test, dogs advance gradually through the ranks. Titles are awarded for Junior Earthdog (JE), Senior Earthdog (SE) and Master Earthdog (ME). Each test requires a grater degree of skill in detecting and following a scent, gameness and den savvy than the previous one. The distances from which a dog must locate the den, and the complexity of the tunnels it must maneuver in the dark become more difficult each time.

If You have photos of your dogs competing in Earthdog trials, please send them in! We'll link back to your website and also state your kennel information on this page!

Titles Available

Junior Earthdog (JE)

Master Earthdog (ME)