The Junior Earthdog title is earned when a dog has 2 passing scores at this level.  A junior run requires the dog to go from the release point 10 feet from the entrance, locate the den entrance, go through the tunnels, navigate 2 - 90 degree turns and find the rats in 30 seconds. The tunnel is 30 feet long. The dogs then have 30 seconds to begin work and may not leave the den area. They must "work the rats" for 60 seconds.

The start line is farther back from the den mouth, 20 feet and marked by flags or posts, there are 3 90 degree turns, a false den and a back door.

The dog is released at the 20 foot mark, must enter by the front entrance, and reach the occupied den in 90 seconds.  He may leave the tunnels and go back in without being penalized, but he must enter by the front entrance and reach the occupied den in the time allotted.  The main run of the tunnel is 30 feet long.

The dog then has 15 seconds to begin working and must work for 90 seconds. At the end of that time, the rats are removed from the den area by the rat steward, the cage placed in a large bucket and the steward takes them a safe distance away from the working area.

The handler is told to approach the den entrance and call their dog.  The dog must leave the tunnels and be under the handler's control in 90 seconds. Three qualifying runs are needed to earn the Senior Earthdog title.

Master Earthdog is run as braces, which are chosen by random draw.  The dogs are expected to work well together, hunt for the dens, respond to their handler's recall, check the false den that is approximately half way between the starting point and the occupied den on the handler's command, find and mark the occupied den and honor while the brace mate works.

The starting point is between 100 and 300 yards from the occupied den.  The dogs are released and expected to exhibit hunting behavior, working at a distance from the handler and checking in on recall.

When the handlers and judge approach the false den the dogs are called in to check it out.  If a dog does not come and check the false den, the dog fails that portion of the test.

Once the dogs reach the occupied den area they must indicate to the handlers and judge that the den is occupied.  This referred to as marking the den, usually is done when the dog goes to the entrance, where the rat cage is placed behind rebar, and the dog stays in the entrance.

Once both dogs have marked the den, the second dog to mark is put on a tie-out, with the handler in attendance and the first dog is sent into the tunnel to work.  (The rat cage is now in the secured den.)

The Master den is a tunnel 30 feet in length, with 3 - 90 degree turns and a false exit set at a 90 degree turn away from the main tunnel.  To get through the tunnels, the dog must figure out how to get over an obstacle made of wood and pvc, pass through a constriction in the tunnel, and find the occupied den.

Scent lines are laid from the approach to the occupied den in all levels.

Once the dog is sent into the tunnels, he is expected to find the occupied
den within 90 seconds, begin work in 15 seconds and work for 90 seconds.  At
that time the dog is removed by the handler who has 15 seconds to retrieve
the dog. Master Earthdog is intended to be as close to a natural hunt as we can make it. A dog needs four qualifying runs under at least three different judges in order to earn the Master Earthdog title. (See AKC Earthdog Rules and Regulations.)