This weekend's trial was really quite good. I discovered that I've been running Kili in Starters Jumpers for no reason for the last couple of months and she should be in Advanced. I was under the mistaken impression that she needed 3 Q's, but that's only for Standard... it's only 2 Q's for the games classes (Jumpers, Snooker, Gamble)! So next trial Kili will be entered in Advanced for Jumpers! She also almost had her first Q in Steeplechase but just went into the wrong tunnel entrance on the last obstacle. The highlight of the day was that she got her first Gamble Q!
Gamble is a fun game in AAC. It tests the dog's ability to work at a distance from the handler. You have a certain amount of time to accumulate a set amount of points in the opening. There is no set course, so you can do almost anything you want. Each obstacle has a point value. Within this section there are sometimes small tests of distance work called "mini gambles". If you get them you get extra points, but if you don't that's okay. At the end of the opening time a horn goes, and you then make your way to the "main gamble". You have a certain amount of time to get your dog through the obstacles, in the correct order, without crossing a line on the ground. In order to Q you have to get a minimum amount of points in the opening, and you have to complete the gamble successfully. At the Starters level the distance you have to work from your dog is a maximum of about 10 feet... working up to the Masters level where it is about 20!
For Kili's Gamble run today we were required to get 20 points in the opening. There were 2 mini gambles. We got the first one (teeter to jump) but weren't able to get the second one (a series of 3 jumps in the corner of the ring), which was okay because we got our 20 points. We then had a main gamble which was to go through a tunnel, which placed the dog 13.5" from the handler, then a jump, into a second tunnel, and back over a jump towards the handler. I was really impressed with Kili. This course had some really tough gambles, and she successfully did 2 out of 3. It's a pretty fun game, and it's something we're going to keep working on. We need 1 more Q to move up to Advanced.
Unfortunately, Standard was at the very end of the day, and I could tell Kili was gassed. She was pretty good overall, but she did have a couple of little moments that I honestly think were just from being over tired. I did get 5 faults for "profanity" though! Kili ran past the table towards the tunnel. I yelled to call her off... she looked back at me (so I knew she heard me) and then the cheeky bugger decided to do the tunnel anyway and NQ herself. Well, I yelled lightheartedly "Oh, you little SHIT!", which got me 5 faults for swearing in the ring. Some judges will actually dismiss you from the ring, which would have annoyed me. I think it's appropriate to dismiss someone for yelling at their dog, but I don't think it's appropriate when someone is using it jokingly or lightheartedly. We want to protect the dogs from negative attitudes, but she doesn't care if I call her "you little shit" or "you little turkey" if the intonation is the same. Too bad my camera ran out of memory and that run didn't get recorded, because there was a huge roar of laughter when it happened. I think everyone had been there, done that!
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