ASHCROFT BEDLINGTONS

Crosswicks Farm in Crosswicks, NJ (just off exit 7 of the NJ Tpk) is the site for many earth dog activities during the year. The New Jersey Beanfield Earthdog Club (NJBEC) website will have a calendar of events. Each Memorial Day weekend, they hold a training day and a fun day for earth dog enthusiasts. In May 2010, a few Bedlington Terrier folks got together to have some fun with their dogs.

Left to right, standing: Al Miller, Doug Hoppes, Vanassa Sypher, Melissa Hoppes, Diane Pearson, Sheila Ness.

Left to right kneeling: Karen Miller, Sandy Martin, Mark Friesel, Laura Friesel. The dogs ranged in age from around 9 months to over 7 years old, experienced to rank beginners.

The first day is a training day - every level from "never seen a rat before" to master earth dog. In 2009 Magic would enter a short, above ground tunnel where she could see the rat at the other end, but she wouldn't make a blind turn - not a very realistic scenario. So she didn't advance far in IQ in 2009. But on the games day, I could see her start to develop her sense of smell for locating the rats. In 2010, she used that experience and quickly advanced through IQ1 to IQ2, an underground tunnel with a turn. It was quite muddy down there, and she's a smart dog.  She did try the above ground route... but soon realized the rat was down below...

Games day on Sunday was lots of fun, with 3 games to try in the morning, and three more in the afternoon. They included rat in a bucket, Jersey junkyard, and groundhog day. The afternoon "ratting for ratings" really teaches dogs to use their nose, and owners to understand their dogs' signals. There's a game treed event, and then the timed Manhattan Junkyard.

Ace                   Junior               Orion                  Orion                Savanna         Savanna           Savanna