Finnish Fox Trials

So we returned from a busy weekend in the North, only to find that the 10˚C (50˚F) weather that we left in Basel has long since disappeared. It seems that the snow followed us home. <Sigh> So much for spring! So aside from meeting and fussing over my new god-daughter, I was lucky enough to join my friend at a fox trial in Finland. I figured that this would be a good learning experience and an opportunity to compare trials from Germany, Italy, and Finland.

Although the weather in Finland was cold (-20˚C/-4˚F at night and -5˚C/23˚F during the day) and snowy, the skies were nearly always sunny and clear blue. The surroundings in Finland remind me a lot of Northern Wisconsin; pine and birch trees everywhere, small lakes, stony outcroppings, rolling hills, and sparsely populated. I really enjoy the feeling of a home away from home.

Anyhow, back to the Fox trial. The first difference between the German and Italian trials was the location. We arrived at this beautiful little barn and country house, but as you can see, there was a LOT of snow. So how do you have a artificial den test when you can't see the ground you ask? Easy. You put it in the barn! The second story of the barn was more or less dedicated to the trial set up. The boxes, compared to the German test was much smaller in scale and even a bit smaller than the Italian set up.

 

Unlike the previous tests that I have observed, this test wasn't limited to dachshunds. There were a variety of dogs there that day-12 dogs in all- including a smooth dachdhund, a wirehaired dachshund, a few parson and jack russel terriers, border terriers and a couple German Jagdterriers. Each dog is allotted 20 minutes for the test, but based on it's skill, the test time could last as little as 10 minutes. 

How the test runs:

Here is how the set up looks from above. I can't remember the exact dimensions, but the idea is similar to what I have encountered in other countries.

The luolakoirien taipumuskokeessa(LUT), aka underground trial, as I experienced it/was explained it has different levels: LUT D-B and LUT A.  LUT A, being the most advanced. I will talk about this a bit more later.

First, all dogs are put through the empty den to check for Baulaut (voicing in an empty den with no quarry). After the dog has successfully completed the Baulaut portion, the test can begin. The fox is released into the cave and separated by bars (the blue entry way). By the way, these foxes weren't the red foxes I was used to. They were beautiful, fuzzy grey foxes, which are still a form of red fox (Vulpes vulpes), but the coloration is different. The fox is then allowed to run to the first holding box. The dog is then released (left tunnel with the green run). Unlike in the German test, this green block represents the "small" part of the tunnel and the dog must do it right away. Also, unlike the German test, the tunnel does not narrow in width (height staying the same), but the width stays the same and the height becomes much lower.

Very basic schematic of the dog's side of the tunnel. The green is the shallowest part at ~6 inches (15cm). It may be slightly more, but I remembered my friend saying it was similar in size to the German test.

In order for the dog to go through this part, it literally needs to crawl through on it's side... at least the dachshunds need to because of their large chests.

After the dog is inside and past the narrow part, the dog must pursue the fox as that fox is moved from box to box, much like in the German exam.  It must bark and put pressure on the fox for a few minutes. I believe it is at this point that determines the B, C or D grade of the exam. On the overview above, you will see that the right hand tunnel of the figure 8 has yellow stars. The dog is graded on how close it gets to the fox, while giving pressure. I believe the markings are put something like 10, 25 and 50 cm away. The closer the dog gets and barks and pressures the fox, the higher the rating.

To end the trial, the fox and dog are put in contact with each other. All of the boards separating them are removed and the dog is allowed to pursue the fox as it would underground. The foxes of course can fight back, so this really determines the courage of the dog. The judge and veterinarian have to keep a close eye on the going on so that they have the opportunity to separate the animals by bars before anything can happen. In one case, there was a dog that was snapped at by the fox and did not want to pursue it any further. The test was stopped and the dog failed, not physically injured, but mentally unable to continue.

The LUT A exam is more difficult than the LUT D-B because of a further obstacle: sand. In the LUT A, there is a pile of sand that the dog must dig through in order to continue with the test. I was surprised at the amount of sand added. The blue trapezoid below is a fairly accurate representation of the added sand amount. Once the dog has dug himself through, the exam continues similar to before.

Sand has been added after the first box as an additional barrier

In Finland you can gain working championships through most hunting trials. To become a working champion on fox in Finland, a dog must pass LUT B 2x and LUT A 1x.  I hope that I got most of the test details correct. I spent a lot of the day babysitting and not as much watching the dogs, not that there is so much to watch besides some small flags flapping to show the location of the animals. It was a wonderful, amazing sound to be underneath the trial set up though! The dogs and foxes running through the wooden boxes above your head and the barking...Wow. I'd love to try our dogs on a test like this, but I think that this is a wish for the future.