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REPORT FROM THE FIELD
A NOVICE GROUP GETS A GREAT INTRODUCTION TO EARTHDOG
AT THE CASCADE DACHSHUND CLUB EARTHDOG TESTS
As a dachshund owner in Alaska, I am limited to being able
to participate in only conformation and companion events with my dogs. I have always had a
burning interest in the performance events available to our very versatile breed but have
never had the opportunity to participate. We recently started the Alaska Hound Group
Association in an effort to bring more hound-related events to Alaska. Less
than a year later, the club has over 70 members, many of whom are dachshund and terrier
owners interested in earthdog events. As an officer in the club interested in making
it a success, I decided now was the time to go learn more about earthdog events so that
eventually our club could sponsor a test. This is how it came to be that four of us
from club decided to attend the September 8th & 9th Cascade Dachshund Club (CDC)
sponsored earthdog test on Whidbey Island in Washington in hopes of broadening our
horizons.
Jean Dieden was the test secretary and also the owner of Hathor Farm, the test site.
We had contacted Jean in advance to warn her that the Alaskans were planning to
attend in a quest for knowledge. She agreed to answer our questions and help
us out. After a series of now comical misadventures, the four of us finally managed
to arrive on beautiful Whidbey Island and were pleased to find a gorgeous sunny evening.
Jean graciously invited us out to the Farm for a wiener roast barbeque where we met
many seasoned earth dog participants, some of the test judges, and had the treat of
playing with her nine-week old litter of wire-haired dachshunds. We were now primed
and ready to try our hands at this curious event.
Saturday morning greeted us with beautiful weather and nervous anticipation. We made the
trip out to Hathor Farm early so that we could see the event unfold from start to finish.
The master earthdog test judge for the day took us under his wing by showing us how
the master & senior dens worked and offering to let each us walk with him and observe
the master tests. This was an opportunity we quickly took advantage of since we knew
it would be quite some time before our dogs saw a master earthdog test. As chance
would have it, the club needed a hand here and there with the event and we were only to
happy to oblige. Each of us got the opportunity to view a master and senior earthdog
test, try our hand at being rat wranglers, and participate with our dogs in the junior
earthdog and introduction to quarry tests.
After the earth dog tests were done for the day, the club held “ratting for
ratings” exercises. This was a great way to practice with our dogs. Each
of us walked around with a club member looking for the carefully placed PVC pipes trying
to determine which ones had rats in them and which did not by seeing how our dogs reacted
to each pipe. I must say that though my wire-haired dachshund, Pablo, was not very
adept at this exercise, we had loads of fun and really loved eating the blackberries along
the way. Hathor Farm proved to be a wonderful place for this event . The dens
seemed so natural and the backdrop was so scenic. The Alaskans were hooked and we
all agreed that earthdog was an activity we had to bring to the great north somehow.
Sunday proved to be an equally wonderful day at Hathor Farm. Many dogs earned their titles
over the course of the weekend and many others came very close. We were so impressed
by all the dog’s abilities and I must say that personally those master earthdogs blew
me away. I myself came away very inspired to continue training and improving so that
my guys may one day earn the much coveted “ME” suffix after their names.
The potluck lunches both days offered phenomenal food and a wonderful opportunity to meet
folks and learn from them. We must thank the test chairman, Terri Dilley, for
putting us to work which gave us exposure to every aspect of the event. We
must also thank the judges, Norman Row, Maryl Douglas and Susan Ellestad, for answering
our silly questions and explaining the ins and outs to us. Lastly, we must thank all the
CDC members but particularly Jean Dieden for making us feel so very welcomed, for sharing
her earthdog knowledge and for giving us so many helpful tips for putting on a successful
event. Our experiences at the CDC earthdog tests certainly exceeded our expectations
and we plan to return for more.
Report submitted by: Monica Alvarez, Vice-President of the
Alaska Hound Group Association
For more information on Cascade Dachshund Club Events visit: http://www.cascadedachs.org
For more information about the Alaska Hound Group Association visit: http://www.akhoundgroup.com
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