Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club
Our 2023 Earthdog test is coming up on Sat. & Sun. August 19 & 20 at our site Winterwind Farm in Indiana, PA (link to directions)
Link to Premium and Entry Form
We have a practice the week before at the same site on Sun. Aug. 13, 1:00 PM
Earthdog practice Sun. Aug. 13, 2023, 1:00 PM
We will a practice the week before our annual WPEC Earthdog tests. The directions to our Indiana site is here.
WPEC Earthdog Tests in August
We will host our annual WPEC Earthdog tests on Saturday August 19 and Sunday August 20 at Winter Wind farm in Indiana, PA. There will be two tests on Saturday and one on Sunday. We hope to see you there!
A New Season Begins
With the new year, a new Earthdog season is getting underway. Our first event is a practice on Sat. May 28 at our Indiana, PA site. We will offer help at all levels. For dogs starting out, we will coach you and your dog with above ground wooden tunnels and caged rats and introduce your dog to underground tunnels.
It will also be great to reconnect with WPEC members after a long, cold winter.
The picture is judge Jean Callens at the August 2021 Test. This is one of our tunnels at the Indiana site. Each tunnel is completely fenced in (except the Master tunnel.) By this season, the natural undergrowth will repopulate the area.
Great Practice and Workday!
We held our very first practice at our new site, Winterwind Farm, in Indiana, PA on Sunday, August 5th. We ran all four events, Intro, Junior, Senior, and Master.
Winterwind Farm is a half mile off the road through cornfields on each side. The Winter's house (please do not disturb) is surrounded by beautiful mown lawns and a very nice turtle pond. The parking for the Earthdog Test will be on the field above the house in the picture. All of the tunnel areas are in complete shade in the woods. The Introduction to Quarry, Junior and Senior tunnels are completely fences with metal gates. The Master tunnel has two different walk ups through the woods.
We had a great practice Mon., Aug. 2 in West Alexander, PA
Stacy Barton hosted an Earthdog practice Mon. Aug. 2, 2021 at 6:00 PM. People and dogs practiced all levels from above ground and Intro. to Quarry, to Master walk ups.
Practice was Sat., May 22 at the Barton's in West Alexander, PA
Stacy Barton hosted an Earthdog practice May 22, 2021. It was a great time where we could work with dogs of all ages and levels. The Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club (WPEC) is blessed to have two practice sites! We will schedule one in June and one in July. As soon as they are scheduled we will post the dates here and on the Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club Facebook page. You can also find us on Pinterest.
Puppy River training for Earthdog!
River is a young Rat Terrier belonging to Megan Barton, a club member. Rive shows good quarry instinct, but getting used to quarry in cages and tunnels requires training. Here River is sniffing mice which are safe in a wire cage.
During a Test, a wire cage with two rats is behind wooden bar in a dark den at the end of a tunnel. The dogs have to show they can "work" the quarry by barking, digging, or pawing and biting the wooden bars. The rats are not harmed.
Some of Megan and Stacy Barton's dogs compete in Earthdog at the Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club (WPEC.)
Earthdog Trial Coming Up!
The season's first Earthdog trial in Pennsylvania is hosted by the York County Dog Training Club, Saturday & Sunday May 8 & 9. There will be two tests each day. They will have all levels from Introduction to Quarry to Master Earthdog. Day-Of entries will be accepted on a first-come basis.
Please consider entering! Here is the link to the Premium (entry forms.)
Tunnel Update
The club is still planning on a workday to set up our test ground in Indiana. PA. It will probably just be a couple of people helping Bill put the tunnels together and put them in the ground.
Click here for Google Maps location
Please e-mail wpaearthdog@gmail.com to confirm, or leave a message at our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/225458338275239
Earthdogs are versatile!
Balleek is learning Barnhunt!, She belongs to Nancy Jo Roseberry and has her international champion and major points toward her AKC champion. Some of Nancy Jo's dachshunds compete in Earthdog at the Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club (WPEC.)
Cairn Terriers are Earthdogs!
Reggie, belonging to Sas Argentine, won his 12 to 18 month class and went on to win Best to Opposite Sex at the Potomac Cairn Terrier Club Sweepstakes. Congratulations! Some of Sas's other Cairn Terriers compete in Earthdog at the Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club (WPEC.)
Why join the Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club?
Earthdog is an event growing in popularity among Dachshunds and Terriers. However, reaching their goal to achieve “Rat-itude” requires practice. Membership in the Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club gives your dog the ability to practice and develop their natural talent. The club holds monthly meetings from April through October with Earthdog practices held immediately following. As a member of The Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club you will be promoting the advancement of the Earthdog sport, while also helping your dog develop the skills for which they were bred. Learn more about becoming a member.
The Western Pennsylvania Earthdog Club was established in 2003 to promote Earthdog training and trials that develop and test a dog’s hunting and working abilities.
The purpose of non-competitive Earthdog tests are to offer breeders and owners of small terriers and Dachshunds a standardized gauge to measure their dogs' natural aptitude and trained hunting and working behaviors when exposed to an underground hunting situation. The list of breeds eligible are on the Elgibility Page. The non-competitive program begins with a basic introduction to “den work and quarry” and progresses through gradual steps to require the dog to demonstrate that it is willing to perform the required tasks, including seeking and locating its quarry underground. Fear not, rodent lovers: The rats are safely caged and are not harmed. In fact, many participants keep rats as pets for use in Earthdog trials.
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This Week!
WPEC 2021 Earthdog test!
Premium and Print Version are Here!
Premium and Print Version are Here!
The tests are Saturday and Sunday August 21st and 22nd, 2021 at
Winterwind Farm
481 Airport Road, Indiana PA 15701
The links below will download the pdf files.