Activities For Smooth Fox Terriers

Your Smooth Fox Terrier should be a master at this sport, which requires hunting, digging in the dirt, and finding the prey. This sport is usually done with small terriers like your dog, and you will find that they take to it very easily. You probably won’t have to do much to teach your pooch what to do, but you may need to teach them the basic rules. This sport can be done in any weather but it is best done in sunny weather because you don’t want your dog to get all covered in mud and it is too hard to dig in the cold dirt. The only expense you will likely have from this sport is to supply the prey, which is typically a rat. The rat will be in a small tube in the premade tunnels behind bars where your dog cannot harm them. 

Barn hunt is quite similar to Earthdog trials except the rats are hidden in hay rather than in the dirt. This sport is another one that your Smooth Fox Terrier is perfect for since they were bred to hunt rats. While there are rules for the official competitions, there are many friendly unofficial competitions held by groups or individuals where you can practice with your pooch and have some fun. You don’t need a barn for barn hunt; all you need is hay bales, some rats, and some plastic tubes for the rats. However, if the weather is bad, a barn comes in handy. Otherwise, it is best to barn hunt on a sunny day. You don’t want the hay to get wet because it gets slippery and dangerous. Your doggo has to find the tubes with the live rats hidden under the loose hay, and they're timed on how long it takes. The fastest dog wins. 

Lure coursing is another hunting exercise that your Smooth Fox Terrier should be pawesome at. It is basically chasing a mechanical lure across a field of about six to eight hundred yards long. The prey will turn and run over and under obstacles like a real rabbit or rat would do, and your pup has to chase it from start to finish without leaving the course. Because of the nature of lure coursing, a sunny day is best, so the field is dry and not slippery, which may cause accidents or injuries. To train your pooch, you can just use a piece of cloth or fur made to look like a rabbit or rat tied onto a long piece of fishing line for your dog to chase. You better be fast though, or your dog is going to catch it every time. Most people use a mechanical or motorized lure that goes fast enough so that the dog cannot catch it.