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Disaster exam, Ljubljana-Krim, 6th of September 2009

We didn't trained ruins for months but I decided to go because of Mission Readiness Test (every year during this period we must pass disaster exam). But, I knew that Gunna is experienced dog with talent in ruins so...

Night before I had a play with my bend and I went to Ljubljana directly from playing. So, my worst fear was that I will be sleepy and not watching. But, it was all going very well.

All day during exam was good weather and organization was very good.
First, Gunna and me were searching.
There was Andrej Stanovnik (SLO) as judge and he decided that dogs on B level will search 4 figurants in 30 minutes. I think this was smart choice because the space was very open and easy to go.
Searching area was half empty industrian hall aprox. 80x30 meters. At few spots were drift pallets and holes in the floor. At the end of this long hall there was metal stairs which led to half dark basement. There was three enters to hall (from left, right side and front of). Search area was also outside of the hall from right side and at the end (80th meter) was high drift gravel with drift pallets.
Handlers could go in front of hall and at that right outside edge which had some bushes and holes in floor.

Gunna searched excelent, with excelent motivation. First figurant was inside of hall under pallets, second under pallets on drift gravel. Third was in basement. All three was found very quick in few minutes. For fourth, Gunna needed some time more. This was located at the rear, outer part of the ruin on the up-floor. The dog could reach him only if he go the panel alongside the ruin.
It was only later I found out why it took so long for this figurant.
I saw that Gunna spin on this place but from inside, within the hall, a few times and later I found that there some dogs barked from that place so, evidentally, smell went from that side.
As the board were on the back of the ruin, the dog had to circle a ruin.

Clearly, Gunna sensed that there's someone near but, she wanted to reach him first. She is that kind of dog that first want to reach the figurant and then, if she can't, she bark. This is good for me and I want her to work like that. So when she saw that from inside she can not go to him, she tried from the outside, find the way to the board and, as truly confident dog, she climbed up and fourth figurant was found for sure :-)
Although it took a little longer for this last figurant, the end of Gunnas search was 10 minutes before max. time - in 20th minute.
Long period of non-training of ruins still had a little dim: barking at two figurants was a little unsure and couple of points had gone. But all in all, I'm very pleased with the high result: 190 of 200 points :-)

Now, it was time for obedience and dexterity which was judged by Ana Viller (HR). After the fiasco on obedience in Austria because of Gunnas fears of the gunshot and the whole situation in order to test this, I was a little in stress. But despite everything, I decided to be firmly as national heroe and walk into the beautiful terrain of KD Krim and use last lessons (different kind of my walking and posture otherwise) in obedience training with Gunna. And - it worked! Definitely, there are always exercises and details to make more perfect but, generally speaking, obedience we have provided the greatest pleasure that day for me because Gunna did it all with a lot less stress, more open and she make my next days very pleasant :-) We got 44/50 points: she sat instead stand, crawled a few cm in laying down with distractions and crawling exercise is not so our excercise :-). However, despite this, this is still obedience to which I enjoyed, so - thanks Gunna :-)

Dexterity was 48/50 points. Sittings before the obstacle is not perfect (she want to go as soon as possible as truly border collie) so we must practice that.

Well, it was nice and I learned some new things so keep on goin' :-)

this photo is taken from slovenian gallery: LINK