Gambling is frequently the toughest challenge
faced by a novice handler/dog agility team. To succeed, the dog
must perform agility obstacles while working at a distance from
the handler. The following are day-of-show recommendations which
I learned from classes and seminars with the masters (Jim Basic,
Nancy Gyes, Stuart Mah, and the Boltons) and have found very helpful
with my two enthusiastic Beardies. Before reading on, I suggest
you try the following exercises.
Gambling Exercise 1: Standing 5 to 10 feet away from a
jump, drop a bar or leash in front of you to use as the handler
line and place your dog between the jump and line. Get as close
as possible to the line; turn your feet out and lean forward to
get even closer. Now, send your dog over the jump; you may flail
your arms wildly and scream as necessary. Continue until this
approach seems pointless.
Gambling Exercise 2: Step back 3 to 5 feet from the handler
line, and try to send your dog again while moving toward the jump.
If necessary, cross the line and show him what you want. Success
is not guaranteed, but I bet the outcome was much better than
in exercise 1.
Plan for the Perfect Gamble
The most important part of a gambler's course is "The Gamble."
The opening is a forty second practice session for The Gamble.
The warm-up jump exists only to prepare the dog/handler team for
The Gamble. All planning and strategizing are centered on performing
The Gamble. In other words, Focus on The Gamble.
Start planning your gamblers course by looking at the gamble sequence.
In novice class, the obstacles are limited to jumps, tire, tunnels
and table and are usually aligned on a forward-flowing path. Imagine
your dog executing the perfect gamble. He enters the gamble area
and performs the first obstacle at high speed, his momentum carrying
him forward toward the second. Upon exiting the second obstacle
he orients himself quickly to perform the third obstacle, and
again orients himself to perform the fourth obstacle. How proud
you are as you exit! Note that there's lots of time left over,
the gamble took less than half the time allotted.
Now that you have determined the dog's track, its time to put
you, the handler, into the picture. Where are you when the whistle
blows? What track do you follow to support, encourage, and direct
your dog on his perfect gamble? Your track must be smooth and
flowing, since body language speaks so much louder than words.
Avoid crossing behind your dog, making sudden stops, and jerky
movements in general as these send confusing signals to your dog
causing him to lose momentum and "check-in" for new
instructions. Note the critical places on the gamble track where
you need to give an extra push and make sure there's room for
you to move forward at these points (see exercise 1). Note also
that most dogs "check-in" with their handler when exiting
a tunnel, so plan to issue a send-out command after each tunnel.
Plan Your Entry to the Gamble Area
You know where you and your dog should be when the whistle blows.
Make it happen. Look around near the start of the gamble for obstacles
which build momentum, lead into the gamble (over the first obstacle
and aimed towards the second), and can be used to mark time in
case you arrive too early. Jumps and tunnels are usually best
for momentum. The dog walk is a poor choice, since it takes so
long to execute and requires a controlled exit at the contact.
Plan Your Opening to Rehearse the Gamble
A successful gambler plans the opening sequence carefully to achieve
three objectives: practice handling techniques needed to perform
the gamble, get to the start of the gamble on time, and rack-up
the required number of opening points (20 points in NADAC novice,
24 in open and 28 in elite).
Plan a smooth, forward-flowing course which lets you practice
working at a distance from your dog. For example, a loop containing
a tunnel, A-frame or teeter, and two jumps provides all the opening
points you need if taken twice, and allows you to practice handling
at a distance. Since the gamble contains jumps and tunnels, plan
your opening to "send" your dog to jumps, "send"
your dog to tunnels, and "send" your dog to obstacles
when exiting tunnels. If your dog is confused by these commands
in the opening, show him what want and try it again. If the gamble
requires you to handle the dog on your right (non-heel) side,
plan your opening accordingly. Look for a copy of the gamble sequence,
or key parts of it, elsewhere on the course and take full advantage
of it.
Avoid the Over-and-Back handling (taking each obstacle twice before
moving on) that you see many handlers using. This is a technique
for racking up high opening points, but it can shut down the independent
thinking your dog may need for the gamble. If your dog feels that
he must check in with you after every obstacle, he's less likely
to "flow" through the gamble sequence. A forward-flowing
opening gives your dog confidence to carry forward to the next
obvious obstacle during the gamble, and this will usually be what
you need in a novice gamble. High opening points are nice, but
nothing beats the feeling you get from a successful gamble.
Time your opening sequence for a smooth transition to the gamble
area. Hopefully, you know how many obstacles your dog can perform
in 40-seconds (time this at home or in class), so that you and
your dog end your opening on those obstacles you identified near
the gamble start. Make sure you keep a few obstacles "in
reserve" in this area to use up any excess, since dogs and
people can move faster than expected in competition. Plan for
a smooth transition to the gamble sequence from any point in this
area.
Practice Distance Work during Warm-Up.
Use your warm-up period to practice distance work, either over
the practice jump, or in an adjacent field. Starting at a "normal"
distance (whatever normal is for you and your dog) from your dog
and the jump, send him over the jump. Keep him flowing, move farther
from the jump and repeat. When he doesn't understand what you
want move in and show him. Keep this a happy session and minimize
close control commands - you are not going to "heel"
in a successful gamble.
Refine your Plans and Smooth out your Handling during the Walk-Through
Judges have a lot of leeway in games, so listen carefully to the
judge's briefing and ask questions about anything that is not
clear to you. Then walk through your planned course to see if
it will work. All too frequently, the actual course flows differently
than the posted course. Start with the gamble and practice all
of your hand and body motions, as well as your verbal commands,
to see if they flow smoothly. Now rehearse your opening. Try a
few options, ask people you respect for advice, but remember that
your plan should reflect handling techniques that are familiar
to you and your dog. Rehearse the whole sequence including the
transition from opening to closing. Use a stop-watch to estimate
how far you can get during the 40-second opening. Since your dog
won't need all of the time allotted to run the gamble, be prepared
to use a few seconds after the whistle blows to get both you and
your dog aligned and to build momentum. Preparation will help
keep you calm during the run.
Stay Calm in the Competition
Surprises always happen during competition, so be prepared to
make split-second revisions to your plan. Try to execute your
plan if possible, but always keep your opening as smooth flowing
as possible and a happy experience for you and your dog. And get
to the gamble area on time - those mad dashes across the field
after the whistle blows seldom flow into successful gambles.
Start working at a comfortable distance from your dog - success
on the early part of the course will build confidence in both
of you. Gradually increase your working distance, issue a lot
of "out" commands and maintain a smooth steady flow.
If your dog misses an obstacle because you are so far away, step
closer and show him what you want on the next obstacle. Keep mental
track of the time used relative to your expectations, and be prepared
to move towards the gamble when appropriate.
When the whistle blows, stay calm and follow your plan. Get yourself
and your dog aligned for the gamble, and build up some momentum
before sending him into the gamble area. Keep your body movements
smooth and steady, and hope that everything works. It's a great
feeling when a gamble works!
If he just won't go into that last tunnel, don't flail your arms
in frustration (see exercise 1). Go out there and show him what
you were asking. This will help prepare him for the next gamble.
Don't forget to praise him for the job that he did. Distance work
is a new concept to many dogs and handlers, and experience is
usually required.
