So you all know from my Black And White Sunday post yesterday that Glory passed her second AKC Senior test. Here is the official photo of us with her ribbon.
From Sunday’s post you read that Gambler got to advance to the third series. In AKC Master level tests there are three series you have to finish. You need to pass the first one to move onto the second one and then pass the second one to move onto the third one. Gambler did well his first two series and was called back to the third. Here are the only pictures I have for the weekend. They were taken by my friend during the first series.
Getting ready to run, next in line. We are both happy and confident.
Almost up and the nerves strike and I think I am going to puke.
The walk up and the test begins.
Watching the marks go down.
Retrieving the first mark.
Retrieving the second mark.
Retrieving the third mark.
Taking a moment while they plant the blind.
Lining up for the blind.
Casting to the blind.
Sunday we went back to run the third series. It was a water double with a land and a water blind. The first mark went down then the second one. He cheated the bank on the way to the go bird jumped in the water and retrieved the duck from behind a point, swam back to me. Set him up and sent him on the second mark, he got to the shore and then was going to cheat the shore around to that mark, I stopped him and gave him a cast into the water and then casted him to the bird which was through the water over the land through water and on the next shore. He came back and I lined him up for his land blind which wasn’t too far away and he lined it needing no handles to get there. Now the dreaded water blind. I lined him up and he took a poopy off to the left of the blind line I tried to straighten him out and then he got to the shore and I cast him into the water and he wouldn’t go in, I had to cast him twice then the got in and went after the blind and got it and brought it back. I knew the water blind wasn’t the best but I really thought overall he did well and that we were going to get a ribbon. Now the waiting game.
Went back to the club house listened to them call the numbers that passed 1-58 and there was no #48! WTH really why not? The hunt test emotional roller coaster is upon me. I went up to the judges and asked them why we failed and they explained the water blind was the reason and they couldn’t add up the numbers enough to give us a passing score. What a disappointment. So close but yet so far away. John was upset to, he thought as our friend thought too that we pulled it off this time. Nope, back to the drawing board and more water blinds. John and I didn’t talk the whole way home and every time I thought of the test I cried.
When we finally talked it was about how even know people say their isn’t politics in hunt tests games since you are going against yourself in a pass fail manner there really IMO politics. How come a pro trainer that has a truck full of dogs passes each dog after it has bad line manners and they are hollering at it to sit, sit, sit, heel, heel, heel which to me is intimidation and then the dogs have long hunts and have to be handled and they still pass. They pass IMO because the club needs the pros with all their dogs so they have to pass them and not piss them off so they keep coming back and spending more money. But then you got little ole Jo Smoo me with my one dog that they fail because they have to fill their quota on their pass/fail ratio. I also think they play the race card on Chesapeakes and don’t turn their head so to speak and are quick to fail them. I could be all wrong but this is my theory and I’m sticking to it. I know your dog has to be at Master level to enter these tests and they have to be almost perfect but I tell you I wasn’t seeing perfection on the dogs that passed. I believe Gambler has what it takes to pass a Master level test and I hope like hell he can pull it off with the next three tests coming up or I might have to check my self into the insane asylum. It’s tough to be on this high and low roller coaster. My eyes don’t like it and my heart doesn’t like it.
Try to relax and make it fun for the dog. In nose work a dog normally works for 1+ yrs with an instructor before attempting the first trial. Well surprise, last week, my instructor told Mom I have a chance to make it and can enter the trial in September. We are both super excited and practicing like crazy fools. Mom is also really working on checking her competitive emotions. I have to pass 4 tests and after just over 7 months of training, who knows. We so want to knock the socks off everyone and show them what a scent hound can do, but if I fail even one portion we have to still look at it in a positive light. It will be hard, and Mom feels your pain. The more one fails, the harder it is to deal with. It will work out for you and Gambler.
Although I think agility is a lot more cut and dry in the way it is judged, I totally understand the emotional roller coaster you are riding. There were many times just one mistake kept us from our needed double-Q! The hunt tests (like herding) are so much further from your control and at the mercy of the judge and his opinions.
I think you are all pawesome no matter what! Woooowooooooo, xoxoxoxox <3 Ku
So frustrating! You know you guys earned it, even if you didn’t get the pass. It will just make it that much sweeter when you finally get it.
UGH!!! I can imagine the frustration!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
He’ll do it! We just know he will!
Oh, that sucks. I think when you have anything subjective like that with judging, there’s always going to be a bit of politics / who you know / who you are, etc. Super frustrating. Hang in there and focus on the parts that are fun!
I agree with you about the judging. It ‘s so disappointing after working so hard and so long. I think that same kind of political stuff goes on in the show ring. So sad for you and the Gman, he’ll get there mom he will!
That is disappointing. I am sorry. Our dogs have failed more than their fair share of water blinds. We have been hitting water blinds a lot this summer because of it. Thunder has such a tough time getting the concept of a water blind. Took forever for him to hold the line. We sent Storm to a pro to get her to do them correctly. lol
This is the way scoring on a water blind (or any blind) was explained to me just this past weekend. Every cast refusal is a -1 if you get to -4 (four cast refusals) then you fail that blind and cannot receive a passing score on that blind and subsequently a passing score on the test. That also holds true if you don’t challenge the blind and get too far off line.
I will agree with you that sometimes pros get breaks, but it has nothing to do with the clubs other than the club invites a particular judge. Being a member of a club where hubby and I worked our butts off for two days putting on a test, I can say our club does not make plans based on attracting pros. There are enough members in our club to fill flights and hold a test. Yes we welcome pros but we don’t pick judges because they favor pros. I believe the committee looks to the quality of the test the judges might offer. Plenty of pros failed our tests last weekend.
But there have been times when amateurs get breaks too. Jim got one this past weekend when he made a handler error (nothing to do with the dog’s work…Storm did her job). I will also agree that there are some judges who are harder on Chessies and we avoid them generally. But there are only a few we have come across in AKC….there are more in HRC imo. But yeah there is one time I felt Thunder was failed on a water blind because he was a Chessie not a Golden.
I am really sorry that you didn’t pass the water test. There is no competition of any kind, on any level, where politics don’t play a part. It sucks, but it is just the way humans play. Keep on trying, because your dogs are champs. ☺
Aww I’m so sorry, guys! This isn’t fair and must be so disappointing. Your pups are champs to us all, and to you and that is the most important thing. But it’s also perfectly justified for you to be feeling down in the dumps about it. Is anything, absolutely anything free from bias and agenda anymore? I don’t think so.
I know you will hold your head high and keep trying, so just know that all of us here in blogville have your back!
Hugs, Carrie & Pups x
Ugh, I hate to think that there is politics and discrimination in this sport! How unfair for you. Keep your chin up and keep trying and I know you will get there.
Hi Y’all!
What a disappointment. Paws crossed here for success in the upcoming test.
Y’all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
I’m really sorry you experienced that. It would break my heart too. Could it have been the big dump he took? I know during AKC rally type events a dog eliminating in the ring is an automatic disqualify.
If you’d like I can come out there and kick their ass, or at the very least fling some Ugly Duckling poo at them. 🙂
Why is it that they discriminate against Chessies? I don’t know a lot about the breed, only what I read from you and 2 Brown Dawgs and Hawk, but they are beautiful dogs and they are hunters, no? So what’s the dilly?
Congratulations on Glory thought, at least it wasn’t a total wash!