Decisions

MericoX

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#1
Kiba will be 9 this July. And while I know that's not very old for a dog, it's fairly old for an agility dog. We're still working on our C-ATCH after 6 years, this includes a whole bunch of time off and what not, but nonetheless it'll be 6 years in August.

I'm contemplating dropping her down to either Enthusiasts where you can drop one class, or to Specialist where she can drop two classes.

What's stopping me is... it feels like we're cheating. We would drop Jackpot in Enthusiasts (we've never worked on distance skills) and we would drop Jackpot and Standard in Specialist (those darn weave poles). This would mean we could play all the fun games. I know our #1 goal is to have fun, and while I do want to have fun, I want to finish this **** title!! (we'd have to make up the # of Qs missed in other games).

What would you do? She would also be dropped another bar height if she did specialist (to 4").
 

Beanie

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#2
How close to finishing are you and what is her Q rate like?

If you really want the title you need to evaluate how realistic it is to continue to pursue it, and how fair it is to Kiba and to you to keep going. A PACH was NOT going to happen with Auggie no matter if we played until his very last day on earth. It was unfair to both of us to continue trying to pursue it, so I didn't. But his master's titles were both VERY close and it was a realistic goal so that's what we did. I made up my mind while standing in Louisville KY that I was going to get the last few Qs we needed (two in JWW and three in STD) and then stop, and that is what we did. He actually did it faster than I expected so I pulled him from two trials I had already entered him in.

The cost of trials was also a big factor for me since we play AKC, and CPE I believe it quite a bit cheaper, so that will probably change your measure of how much you want to continue to sink into chasing after the title. If you have to get the Qs one way or another, that's where the evaluation comes in.
 

MericoX

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#3
She's has around 75-80% Q rate. The C-ATCH is obtainable.. it's just a matter of how long, and if I can also get the time off. If we went for just games I could see her getting it some time this fall.

Thankfully her age has not slowed her down in the slightest, nor does she have any issues. My friend thinks I'm overraggerating because she herself has a 13 and 14 year old dogs that are in Top Ten of CPE every year, but what with her knee a few years ago (it's fine now, no patella issues it was just a soft tissue injury) and her bout with HGE last Spring, she's not getting young any faster!
 

BostonBanker

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#4
Honestly, from what you typed, it sounds like the title will mean less to you if you drop the classes. That's really all you have to think about; if other people judge you, it will be for 30 seconds before they stop thinking about it all together.

If it were me, I'd keep going for the regular title as long as my dog wasn't showing signs of wanting to be done, especially since her Q rate is so good and you are pretty sure she can get it.

But I think you need to do what will make you happiest, and like I said - don't worry about what others will think.
 

CaliTerp07

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#5
When I dropped Lucy to veteran status (4" jump height drop), I felt like I was cheating--she was capable of doing 16". I cried filling out the first premium that way (my dog is niiiiiine...she's so olddddddddd), but it's worked out really well since doing it.
 

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