Pocketpack Miniature Wirehaired Dachshunds
What is a Dachshund Field Trial?
If you are going to choose just one performance event to participate in with your dachshund, I’d recommend Field Trials. There is no other sport that both you and your dog are almost guaranteed to enjoy... spending a day outdoors in the spring or fall, with other dachshund folk and a bunch of really happy dogs!
There are usually three stakes (classes) at a field trial: Open All-Age Dogs, Open All-Age Bitches, and Field Champions, and some trials will offer two Field Champion stakes, one for Dogs and one for Bitches. Field Trials start early in the morning, with entries being accepted while breakfast is served. The dogs for each stake will be paired into braces by a random draw which also determines the order the braces will run in each stake.
After the bracing has been completed, everyone heads out to the field to begin the trial. Those people that are not busy holding dogs ready to run, will be organized into a line of brush beaters. The beaters will walk in a line through the grass or brushy cover to encourage a rabbit to jump up and run. The handlers of the brace to be judged will follow behind the brush beaters. When a rabbit is flushed, the brace of dogs will be brought up to the spot the rabbit was seen. The judges will give the handlers a brief description of the "line" the rabbit ran and ask the handlers to release the dogs when they give recognition of the scent. The dogs will be judged on their ability to accurately follow the same trail the rabbit ran, and to pursue the rabbit over and through varying terrain among many other qualities. After all braces have had the chance to run, the judges will choose the best dogs to compete further until they finally have the winners of the stake.
Dogs will compete in the Open All-Age stakes until they earn their Field Championship. After a dog has become a Field Champion, they can continue to compete in Field Champion stakes for awards given out annually by the Dachshund Club of America, or purely for the enjoyment of it. One of the rare qualities that judges and field trialers appreciate is a dog that voices (barks) correctly when on a rabbit trail. The first time you hear your dog voicing while on a rabbit trail will certainly give you goose bumps and you’ll be smiling with pride.
