A new ‘hide and seek’ sporting activity for dogs and their owners is coming to Hampshire this summer.
Barn Hunt is an activity aimed towards dog handlers that originated in the United States and has made its way over to the UK.
The sport involves dogs utilising their natural instincts to search for ‘prey’.
The prey is contained in special tubes that are hidden among a set of obstacles constructed out of straw bales.
This is all set up inside a barn, providing an exciting environment for the dogs that is supposed to simulate hunting.
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Robin Nutall in the United States created the now privately registered sport 10 years ago.
The aim was to build on the traditional roles of many dog breeds as vermin hunters on farms.
Now the activity has spread across several countries including Canada and Norway before arriving properly in the United Kingdom last year.
“Any dog can do it,” said Clayton Hole, the organiser of Barn Hunt UK.
The experience actively involves both dogs and handlers as while the dog is searching for the tubes, their owner needs to recognise when they have successfully found one that has prey inside it.
The prey itself consists of frozen rats provided for the dogs by a reptile frozen food supplier and are contained in tubes to ensure that participating dogs don’t come into contact with the dead animals.
The sport is rapidly expanding, with participants travelling to the US to compete this year.
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Clayton said: "Barn Hunt is a new sport for dogs that is already huge in the USA and we have now brought it to the UK. We are a mobile venture that visits many counties in the UK on an approximately eight-week basis. We set up in barns, equestrian centres, outdoor and indoor venues. Being booked up at every venue, we needed to widen our base”, Clayton said.
Barn Hunt UK has hosted several events across the country over the past couple of months and has many in store for the summer ahead.
Their Hampshire events have been held at Lets Go Manor in Ower and will continue to operate there for their July events on July 22 and 23.
It will also return to Ower on September 23.
For more details go to barnhuntuk.co.uk or email barnhunt.co.uk
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