?Earth Test?

[GeneO]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Gene and this is the first time that I post any topic. First I would like to thank the people that have made this site and for all of you that post any and all the help that is offered here. I have a 12 week old male that is named Tom Tom. He is the 4th Carin that I have had in my life. He adopted is 9 years after I lost (died) the original Sir Tom Tom. My daughters love him so much. Anyway not to bore you longer. Can someone explain what the earth test is? Thanks again.

Gene, and Tom Tom too

[Cybenator]

The AKC's web sight has some great info...

http://www.akc.org/dic/events/earthdog/index.cfm

[bradl]

http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/activities/earthdogs.html also has some interesting pictures and descriptions.

Here's a picture of my boy going through a plexiglas tunnel of the diameter used in earthdog tests (in the US):

-- of course in a real test the tunnel would be at least 30 feet long with right angle turns, and the tunnel would be set into the ground. It's an animated gif image so if you 'refresh' your browser it might move

Most Cairns seem to enjoy earthdog tests even if they don't always pass the test. They have to be at least six months old to participate. We took our girl to every test we could find from the time she was six months old. She absolutely loved them. She didn't get a Junior Earthdog title until she was 3, almost four. She eventually made it to Master Earthdog. She still loves earthodog tests as much as ever at age nine.

[wags]

Hey, that looks like fun! Did you make that tunnel?

[bradl]

I did. Not shown is a second four-foot section that makes a corner. We use it for demo purposes from time to time. Some dogs are spooked by the plexiglas; others don't seem to care. Our boy sometimes just hangs out in the corner and fogs up the window.

To go with the AKC link to the rules, here's a link to some pictures from an ED test in California. http://www.akc.org/dic/events/earthdog/gwta03.cfm