Activities For Toy Foxy Rat Terriers

Since your dog is a Terrier, it may be good to try Terrier racing. All dogs love to run, and that is basically what Terrier racing is all about, right? Mostly, yes. There are two types of Terrier racing, which are flat and Steeplechase. The flat one is pretty straightforward; just a straight track about 200 feet long that end in a stack of hay bales with a hole for the lure to “run” through. The dogs are either held by their owners or in a starter box (similar to a horse racing starter box) that holds six dogs separately until it is time to let them run. To lure these little furballs, you will need a piece of fur or cloth tied to a cord or line that is either hand reeled or pulled by a motorized pulley. With Steeplechase Terrier Racing, your dog will have at least four hurdles along the way to jump over. These hurdles are typically placed about 20 feet apart and are no taller than 16 inches high. The last hurdle must be at least 30 feet from the finish line. In most official races, the dogs are muzzled to prevent any accidents to the dogs or the handlers. To qualify for the championship, your dog has to complete both the flat and Steeplechase runs. 

Lure coursing is very similar to Terrier racing but a lot longer and faster. The dogs are held back just like in Terrier racing and released at the start to chase a lure that is just like the one for Terrier races, with a few changes. The lure in lure coursing is on a battery powered line that pulls the lure through elements such as bushes or tunnels, around curves, and even changes direction. The lure also moves at more than 40 miles per hour, so your dog has to be pretty fast, which most Terriers are. This course is for dogs other than Terriers though, so your dog may be up against other breeds such as Retrievers, German Shepherds, and even Great Danes. However, because of the size difference, the smaller breeds are typically separated from the giant breeds.