For people who haven't thought about doing USDAA (or other venues with games) - it's something to think about.
By teaching a dog how to navigate through snooker and send out to a gamble, it forces the handler to become a better handler. The opening sequences teach us to look at the courses with a different eye and try new things.
I think it would interesting to hear the different ways people plan their strategies and how they feel these games have improved their handling and their dog's skill levels.
all around dog
I think it makes for a more all round better agility dog.
When trying to figure out Gambler or Snooker strategy, I take my typical standard course time and divide it by 19 or 20. This give me a rough time per obstacle, then multiply by how many obstacles I'm trying for in Snooker or Gamblers to see if it comes close to the time allotted.
Benefit of games
After running so many game classes in Dixon, I was reminded of the benefits - especially while running my young dog in her first Master's classes.
It was a little harder that weekend to estimate our timing since the ground was so muddy I was unable to get to places on course that I would normally get to - which did affect the runs.
(Generalizing now) After running the games from Novice into Masters, I know my dogs' timing so much better which allows me to know where to be on course at certain times (applying this to regular classes as well). I also can see what lines work best for my dogs that I can also apply to reg. courses.
Especially through Snooker, my dogs learn to not assume what the course is since we need to be able to run right by obstacles without the dogs taking them. This is tremendous focus on the dogs part AND it forces a handler to handle better. In that, the handler must be very careful about body signals they give their dogs. You know that as soon as you "signal" an obstacle the dog will be there. In reg classes, how often do we leave a course saying "yes, I sent my dog to that off course - it happened so fast I couldn't stop myself." Well, I have at least.
Through Snooker and Gamblers in the gamble section, you must be very aware of every movement if you want to stay in the game. I have learned more about my signals (good and bad) through those games.
My dogs very rarely go off course. They don't "suck" into any obstacle, they don't decide their own course, etc. They have learned to do what I ask at all times. Unfortunately I'm wrong sometimes.LOL (Like getting lost TWICE in Dixon and sending my dog offcourse!)
Whenever I get a friend to do games for the first time - they instantly see the overall benefit. They also realize that they need a lot more focus from their dogs and themselves. The games challenge a handler and dog to perform at their peak.
Even for people who aren't "competitve" - the connection the games give you with your partner is very valuable.
Renee