Gambling Problem

So this weekend we had a really cool Gamble designed by Kim Collins and nobody Q'd - which rarely happens. So I thought we should set it up in class and see how people would handle it.

I know my mistakes with both dogs were due to my bad position and my forward motion to try to catch the dog out of the tunnel. But that just ended up pushing each dog over the off course jump faster, without a chance to even redirect.

I came into class with a new game plan. I explained the problems with how people tried to do the gamble including me! And we troubleshooted some ways to make it successful:

The most obvious way SEEMED to be turn the dog away to the wall, and back to the tunnel.

But they come out of the tunnel so fast on the right lead, they need to be on the left lead before taking the jump in order to turn that way. This proved to be REALLY hard while the dog was moving so fast out of the tunnel. Even with a wait, and re-direct it was pretty ugly and not efficient at all for us.

We learned from the first try to stop our body motion, and give the dog a wait if they have one, and with a big OUT applying pressure, and shoulders facing the jump, the dogs seemed to have no issue turning away and finding that jump, and it kept them on that same right lead without having to switch leads. We had to make the 180 pattern NOT look like a 180 so the dogs wouldn't take #5 from the back side, so we positioned ourselves to convince the dog to take the dummy but called them through the gap, but dummy and #5 caused lots of head checking and dogs taking one of the two jumps on occasion, even with just calling them into front.

The last scenario, we though would be the least successful. Using what we learned from the last 2 scenarios, we stopped our motion, and gave our dogs a wait or down (who could), sent them OUT to the far jump. We stayed in view of the dog in the gap between 2 & 5, gave them an arm change from L to R and rotate, and boom the dog came right in and it was an easy push back out to the tunnel.

We were surprised, but this scenario worked best for all the dogs ... big, small, fast, smokin' fast and medium drive. And even the big striding dogs were able to come in on the arm change and not read the #5 as the 180, we had to make the 180 pattern look different for the dog, and the arm change did that.

We each tried it this way a few times and were all successful!!

Now that I know my moving wait actually works now with Gyp in this situation (adrenaline induced excitement) - and doesn't cause her to melt anymore (we work ALOT on this at home with toys and sheep when she is herding), I'll be using it when I have too! K-man has always been good with re-directing, and that is pretty much how I have as many Gamble Qs with him ... he has a style of his own ... sigh

What a great learning experience ... sometimes things that are obvious don't work, and the things you think might not work, work better!!! Who knew!

Can we have a redo from the Trial last weekend ... I think we've got it now :)