Rat Games
A sport where your dog uses both nose and body in a safe, controlled setup — searching for rat tubes on a course built from straw bales, tunnels, and levels.
Updated: 2026-02-22
What is Rat Games?
Rat Games is a mix of scent work and obstacle work. The dog searches a course for tubes that contain rat scent. The course also includes “litter” tubes (no rat), and the dog must distinguish those from the correct ones.
In Sweden, the sport uses dead rats from approved sources — no live animals are used. The scent and the dog’s work are what matters, and the principle is the same.
How a run works
You start in a start box. Time starts when you leave the start box and continues throughout the entire run — including the reward period.
- The dog searches and indicates a tube with rat.
- You call “RAT!” and the judge confirms.
- To qualify, all rats must be found and the tunnel must be completed before time runs out.
- In Expert and Champion you don’t know how many rats are hidden — when you believe the search is complete, you call “CLEAR!”. Calling it too early makes the run not qualify.
Course, safety, and Holding Area
A standard course is built from straw bales and is typically around 53–70 m². Courses must be stable, clearly fenced/defined, and approved by the judge before running.
Before your run, teams wait in the Holding Area / Blind Zone so no one can see the course or know where rats are hidden.
- No electronics in the Holding Area (phone, smartwatch, etc.). Even regular watches are not allowed.
- Treats may be kept in the Holding Area but must not be brought onto the course during the search.
Classes, time & titles
Tunnel & bale setup (overview)
| Class | Tunnel | Bale height | Number of bales | Start box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Straight (may be omitted) | 2 bales | 20–30 | In front of tunnel |
| Novice | Straight | 2 bales | 20–30 | In front of tunnel |
| Intermediate | 1 turn | 2 bales | 25–45 | Varies |
| Advanced | 2–3 turns | 3 bales | 35–60 | Varies |
| Expert | 3–6 turns | 3 bales | 35–60 | Varies |
| Champion | 3–6 turns | 3 bales | 35–60 | Varies |
| Veteran | (may be omitted) | 1 bale* | * | * |
* Veteran = same as the corresponding class, but adapted. Veteran class is for dogs over 7 years old or dogs with medical limitations who cannot climb or use a tunnel.
Time & tubes (overview)
| Class | Time | Rat tubes | Litter tubes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 1:00 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Novice | 2:00 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Intermediate | 2:30 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Advanced | 3:45 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Expert | 4:30 | 1–5 | 3–7 | 8 |
| Champion | 4:30 | 1–6 | 2–7 | 8 |
| Veteran | * | * | * | * |
Main-class titles (Qualifying runs)
| Title | Code | Runs required | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | RG-B | 1 | None |
| Novice | RG-N | 3 | None |
| Intermediate | RG-I | 3 | RG-N |
| Advanced | RG-A | 3 | RG-I |
| Expert | RG-E | 5 | RG-A |
| Champion | RGCh | 10 | RG-E |
| Champion X | RGChX* | 10 | RGCh |
* Each additional “X” (RGChX2, X3, …) indicates another 10 Champion-level qualifying runs. Veterans can earn the same titles with the suffix -V.
The Games
Besides the main course, Rat Games includes stand-alone “Games” with separate formats and scoring. Game titles are earned by collecting points within each individual Game.
Point levels
| Level | Points | Suffix |
|---|---|---|
| Novice | 50 | N |
| Intermediate | 100 | I |
| Advanced | 250 | A |
| Championship | 500 | Ch |
| Championships+ | +500 per level | ChX, ChX2 … |
Title codes by Game
| Game | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heads or Tails | RGON | RGOI | RGOA | RGOCh |
| Distance | RGDN | RGDI | RGDA | RGDCh |
| Speed | RGSN | RGSI | RGSA | RGSCh |
| Pairs | RGPN | RGPI | RGPA | RGPCh |
| Tunnels | RGTN | RGTI | RGTA | RGTCh |
| Bet the Farm | RGBN | RGBI | RGBA | RGBCh |
| Hurdlers | RGHN | RGHI | RGHA | RGHCh |
| Mad Hatter | RGMN | RGMI | RGMA | RGMCh |
| Me First! | RGFN | RGFI | RGFA | RGFCh |
National Titles are awarded at Nationals (e.g., NRGCh and Game-specific titles such as NRGDCh, NRGSCh, etc.).
FAQ
- Is Rat Games suitable for all dogs?
- Yes — the sport works for both young and older dogs. There is also a Veteran class for dogs over 7 years old or dogs that need an adapted setup.
- Can I reward my dog during the search?
- Treats must not be brought onto the course during the search. After the judge confirms a correct find, a short reward period starts where calm praise/reward is allowed under the rules.
- What happens when my dog finds a tube?
- You call “RAT!” and the judge confirms. The tube is then handled by course staff according to the judge’s instructions.
- Can a female in season compete?
- Yes, but special routines apply to keep the event fair and safe.
- How do I train indication at home?
- A simple setup is three containers: one with rat and two with litter (e.g., bedding/rat droppings). Reward immediately when the dog clearly chooses the correct container.