Happy Ratters!

Similar to the sport of Barn Hunt, Happy Ratters offers fun vermin hunting for dogs in an urban-style environment! Instead of hay bales, dogs search for rats hidden in and around trash bags, boxes, barrels, tunnels, and other items you’d find in a city alley. Don’t worry—the “trash” is clean and safe: new bags filled with shredded paper, clean boxes, and sanitized props.

 

Happy Ratters is designed for new teams and focuses heavily on:

• Rat introductions

• Understanding basic rules and scent concepts

• Confidence building with tunnels, climbs, and novel surfaces

• Teaching dogs how to problem-solve in an urban hunt setting

 

👉 Important placement note:

Dogs that are already familiar and confident hunting rats should wait for Happy Ratters 2, where we’ll begin more advanced hunts and challenges. Happy Ratters 1 includes a lot of introductory exercises that already experienced dogs will not need.

 

💲 Class Cost

• $195 for 6 weeks

 

🐕 Prerequisites

• No prerequisites required

• Special considerations: Reactive or fearful dogs must speak with the trainer prior to signing up so we can ensure the best and safest experience for everyone.

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Rat Care & Welfare

The rats used in Happy Ratters are personally owned by the instructor, Melinda, and are considered well-loved pets first and foremost. Each rat receives individual conditioning and training specifically for Happy Ratters, including gradual exposure to dogs, learning the routine of the sport, and confidently loading into tubes on their own.

Their participation is always voluntary, carefully monitored, and heavily reinforced with treats. We consistently find that the rats enjoy the additional socialization and enrichment, as they quickly learn that working in Happy Ratters means positive experiences and rewards. Rat welfare and safety are a top priority, and all training setups are designed to ensure the rats remain comfortable, stress-free, and protected at all times.