The March 2005 edition of Dog World magazine notes that "With 23 breeds eligible to compete, and nearly 5000 competitors every year, earthdog trials are among the fastest growing of canine performance events."
Earthdog events are not close approximations of real work -- in some small ways they are harder and in some major ways they are easier -- but they are fun for those who want to "explode the genetic code" of their dogs.
The primary defficiency of earthdog events is that the tunnel pipes are enormous (9 inches by 9 inches) so that even the largest Kennel Club terrier can get down the pipe with relative ease, leading some people to think even an over-weight Scottie can actually work in the field.
A go-to-ground tunnel has an interior space of 81 square inches, a real den pipe is more likely to have a diameter closer to 35 square inches.
To read a short history of go-to-ground trials, see >> Here
For practical tips on getting your dog started at go-to-ground trials, see >> Here
For an introductory article from the AKC Gazette, written by Jo Ann Frier-Murza, see >> Here (PDF, year 2000)
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