Barn Hunt Training at High Tails
261176 RR290 T4A 0P7 Airdrie, AB, Canada

I've got some appointments that have opened up for this Saturday Nov 21 including some elusive multi-dog time slots. Hit that Book Now button to snag one!

Looks like I've had a couple of timeslots become available for this coming Saturday. Click book now to snap them up!

Just had a handful of private lessons open up for this Saturday. Click the 'Book Now' button to grab one

A little birdy just told me that our friends at Prairie Dog Sports in Blackfalds are planning on hosting their New Year trial again this year. Hit the Book Now button to get ahead of the rush.

The next step in training and socializing barn hunt gerbils starts at birth. The first thing I do is take them home and put them in the bedroom. It's a quiet place with limited movement in the room during the day and lights out at night. And the dogs aren't allowed in unsupervised . If you start with the right parents, a good relationship, and are tuned in to how your actions are making them feel then momma shouldn't mind handling the litter. My first momma was old hat at rai...sing babies and didn't mind me moving her and her litter during labour even! But it's definitely about respect. And treats. A happy momma will gladly trade her litter of six for a dried cricket or a handful of crispy fatty mealworms. I handle the babies daily from birth to eyes opening. I talk to them, cup them in warm hands, and breathe on them. They will fall asleep and sometimes I can feel them trying to latch on and nurse (females loose the hair around their nipples when nursing so I guess hairless skin is where they look for food). A baby gerbils world is very small to start so I make sure I'm a big part of it. When I am done i offer the babies back to mom and dad. Usually they take them back to the nest one at a time but Metro often just climbed into my hand to check on them and figured i made a fine nest to leave them in so i had to put them back myself most of the time. See more

So how do you breed, train, and socialize a barn hunt gerbil? I'm going to break that process down for you over the next few days. For me it starts before conception with the animals I would choose to breed. I select calm adults, and if I can get them on the bigger side even better. But they must be active, curious, happy and eager to come to my hand. I also exclude any individual who shows a susceptibility towards seizures. These are common and largely harmless, but also suspected to be genetic. If I'm not breeding my own stock these are the questions I ask a breeder first. Pictures is Hauk. The new patriarch. He fits all the criteria and just so happened to be single at the right time too.