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Vol 1, No. 4 * September 2005 * $5.50Vol 1, No. 4 * September 2005 * $5.50The Magazine for Rally EnthusiastsThe Magazine for Rally Enthusiasts

Regular Features

9 Shorts! Staff and guest writers share tips on a variety of Rally topics

14 Training Your Rally Dog – training methods and advice for training at home

21 Fundamental Dog Training Exercises – Lesson planning for group training; with student and instructor hand-outs.

26 The Faces of Rally – Rally enthusiasts share unique perspectives

33 Going It Alone – training plans and objectives for folks training on their own

54 The Teaching Scene - lesson plans for group classes; course walking strategies

59 Signs of the Times – different signs for different venues, performance guidelines

63 Perspectives –questions from readers, responses from various experts

68 Team Profiles – training different types and sizes of dogs, tips and suggestions

70 Best Seat in the House – articles with a different perspective

92 The Bond – human interest stories of Rally dogs and the people who love them

Together at class

Waiting for our turn

Also in this Issue

2 Editor’s Rallying Point

4 Go Rally! Readers Write

77 Training Journal

86 Kudos

93 Rally Classes Listing

96 Venue Updates

Page - 2 - Sep. 05 Copyright © 2005, Dogwood Training Center, LLC Go Rally! Magazine

Editor’s Rallying Point

By Marsha Houston [email protected]

To say we’re pleased with your reception of “Go Rally!” is an understatement. Thanks to each of you who have contributed to our electronic magazine, to each of you who have sent your title brags or tales of perfect scores, and to each of you who have gone to the Dogwood web site and purchased a copy!

Our goal is to be aware of your needs and serve as many of them as possible. We offer training ideas for new dog trainers as well as instructors. We address ring stress and we celebrate the bond between trainers and their canine companions. If you’d like to suggest a topic or request an article, please send your ideas to me (Marsha Houston) at <[email protected]>.

In the meantime, I’d like to tell you about my novice “rally prep” competition obedience class. I believe the students in this class are characteristic of the rally community as a whole. The class is made up of 7 students, 5 of whom have been training here for 2+ years in agility and obedience. The other two ladies are new to Dogwood and are training their young dogs in obedience for the first time.

Student A has “perfection” as a goal, and strives for traditional competition obedience performances even though she’s permitted to talk more, to signal more, to encourage more. With this student, I need to remind her that rally rules are designed to create the foundation of that traditional performance, that her young dog might benefit from more encouragement and guidance at this phase of the game, and that the discouragement she signals when he fails to perform to her standards might not be the best relationship-building emotion. She’s getting a lot better at recognizing the signs of an overwhelmed dog, and at breaking the performance down into individual skills.

Student B had to drop out of agility class because of her own injured foot. She was worried that her dog wouldn’t enjoy obedience the way he enjoys agility, and is sensitive to his mood when she’s working him. She’s noticed a difference in his attitude when he’s off-lead compared to when the leash goes on. We’re rewarding him more on-lead to help him enjoy the more confining relationship of obedience.

Go Rally!Go Rally!

Go Rally is published monthly by

Dogwood Training Center, LLC

Issue #3 September, 2005

EDITOR Marsha Houston

CONTRIBUTORS Laurie Buchele, Patti Burgess,

Lynn Haughwout, Bud Houston, Marsha Houston, Lyn Kalinoski, ,

Ruthann McCaulley, Kristina Spaulding, Sandy Walroth,

Dawn Antoniak-Mitchell, Diane Lavigne

EDITORIAL OFFICE Phone: 740-666-2018

Email: [email protected] Internet: www.dogwoodagility.com

Address: 8738 Slocum Road, Ostrander, OH 43061

SUBMISSIONS Go Rally! magazine welcomes

submissions of articles or artwork on an exclusive basis. Submission constitutes permission for Go Rally! Magazine to

use the submitted materials, in whole or in part, without compensation to the

submitter.

MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of Go Rally is to promote the sport of Rally Obedience, foster interest in dog obedience training, and build working relationships between dogs and their handlers using positive reinforcement methods. Our goal is to provide our readers with current, accurate and relevant information and training techniques in order to build training skills and confidence, and encourage dog trainers to participate in Rally trials of all flavors.

PERMISSIONS No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the

permission of the publishers

(c) Copyright 2005 Dogwood Training Center, LLC 2000

Go Rally! Magazine Copyright © 2005, Dogwood Training Center, LLC Sep. 05 - Page - 3

Editor’s Rallying Point (cont’d)

She noticed a correlation between the use of her left hand instead of her right hand, since she’s historically used her left hand to signal “wait” or “slow down” on contact equipment. Just the fact that she’s thinking about her dog’s interpretation of her signals is impressive to me!

Student C sees dog training classes as her mini-vacation from family responsibilities -- sort of a ladies’ night out -- and enjoys all sorts of activities with her big, soft dog. She’s struggling a little bit to understand her not-so-confident dog and keep him from getting stressed. The more she trains the more stress he feels, so we have to make sure her enjoyment of training doesn’t have a negative impact on his attitude, and give her the tools to build confidence in him.

Students D and E are a mother-daughter team with sister dogs. With the least experienced dogs in the class they struggled a bit the first few weeks but -- with an amazing bit of work at home and lots of good humor -- these ladies have made huge strides and are quickly catching up to the rest of the class. Perhaps that touch of competition between mother and daughter is driving them. Or perhaps it’s the fact that their dogs are the same age and same training level that’s kept them going. Whatever the reason, they’re my favorite student combination. I encourage families to make dog training a group activity!

Another student brings her retired agility dogs for their “night out,” and yet another young student attends with her 4-H obedience dog. Every student comes from a unique background, has unique needs and goals. Add the various personalities of their dogs and you get quite a challenging mix!

Every instructor faces the same challenge every week. Their lesson plans take into consideration the skills levels, attitudes, goals and personalities of their students. They spend extra time where it will have the most benefit. They remove pressure when necessary. They encourage students to trial, or advise not to trial when appropriate. They haul equipment to training fields and buildings week after week, rain or shine, sun or sleet. They’re mentors, counselors, workhorses, therapists and entertainers.

I ask each of you to give your dedicated instructor a hug this month, and thank her (or him) for the hours dedicated to improving your dog’s performance. Be as encouraging for your instructor as she is for you.

And, if you’re an instructor, I encourage you to participate in a class with your dog this month! So many times we experience “instructors’ syndrome” -- our own dogs go untrained while we struggle to meet everyone else’s needs. If we can make the time, we attend trials with our own

dogs who haven’t been worked, and we hope for the best. Taking a class gives you an opportunity to focus on your own performance, your own dog only!

Instructors are validated by the performances of their students, and are often cheering ringside, supporting and encouraging them. We need our students to encourage us at times and, like a young mother, we need to take time for ourselves occasionally. We’re all part of a community, after all, and should support each other at every opportunity whether we’re instructors or students. Go rally!

October-November question: Which training methodology have you found most useful in training your rally obedience dog? Positive reinforcement with treats, with praise, with toys? Do you clicker train for certain skills or for all skills? Do you use a combination of methodologies?


Go Rally Readers Write!

Regardless of what plan the architects of rally obedience had for their programs, exhibitors will form opinions on the direction the sport should take. This column will become a forum for readers’ opinions and we’ll publish as many letters as space permits.

Question of the month: Versatility titles – boon or bane? Do you train with people who are working toward versatility titles? Are they taking your “sport of choice” seriously, or are they training just long enough to get that minimal title before going on to the next sport? Do you see versatility titles as a vehicle for gaining the interest of trainers who might not have looked at obedience training before? Should rally titles be applicable to versatility titling effort? What is the benefit to rally obedience of inclusion in versatility programs?

Marsha Houston <[email protected]>

In the world of purebred dogs versatility titles are one of the few ways to ensure that brains are not bred out of our faithful companions. I love to see folks training their dog in multiple venues, and hope that rally becomes part of every breed club’s versatility program. Folks who are training for minimum titling requirements sometimes take training shortcuts, but we can encourage them to stick with our protocols by showing them the benefits of foundation training to the other sports that interest them.

Kathy Wager <[email protected]>

I am working on a versatility title. I have a Golden Retriever and he already has his VC from our parent club the Golden Retriever club of America and he only needs on agility leg for his novice standard preferred title for his VCX.

My sport of choice so to speak (where I’m working for the

highest title) is obedience and we are trained in utility. We had our first trials last week but we need more practice to be successful yet. He needed a hunting title for this [versatility] title and he won't be going on further for that as he had to go and live with his trainers and I don't want him to go away again. In agility I'm not sure how far we will go but I know it will not be excellent. But in some cases you have to stop at some of the novice titles because there is not enough time in the day to train for highest titles in all sports.

I don’t see versatility titles as a way to gain interest in obedience training or rally. Rally will be part of the GRCA titles which are achieved at points with the Rally novice title equivalent point title lower than the CD. It is a beginner obedience title that could be used as points when your emphasis is in another sport.

Suz Namaste <[email protected]>

Neither boon or bane, just another title for anyone to achieve on the journey called spending time with your dog training. Most people have goals of what they want from their training, and in the end it all gives the dog a job, a position in life which dogs need. In most cases dogs can't do the jobs they were bred for, but if someone at least takes the time to train in one or several sports, this serves the purpose. Maybe they take each sport in a different way than those that participate to get only top titles in the sport, but nonetheless, no matter how they take it this is available for people to do with their dogs.

It is possible that some of those that seek versatility titles might be interested enough to take a closer look at obedience after participating in it. They may just say, "hey I really like the challenge of this sport and continue.” I really don't think many will do so with traditional


Go Rally Readers Write! (cont'd)

obedience, but if it were Rally-O I see more getting hooked on the sport itself.

I have heard criticism of Versatility title seekers, but am mystified by this because after all they are on the journey with their dogs which is the most important thing, and in my mind I admire people who take time to bond and play with their dogs no matter how deeply they get involved in each venue.

Beth Widdows <[email protected]>

Our club includes rally for the versatility award program. When I started rally, I saw it as a way to get a versatility award on my girl. The versatility award was a major piece of the instigation to try rally. Once I started rally, I realized we could possibly someday get a CD and that vague goal has now become an active goal. Yes, rally should be part of the Versatility program. Yes, some people may only do the lower titles and not go on but some will and isn't that what rally is really all about...encouraging people to go on to other things such as obedience and agility? I don't think anyone would reasonably expect 100% of the people who get the Versatility Award to go on but if some percentage do, then it has done its job. And frankly, is it really such a bad thing if they don't? Isn't encouraging a dog and owner to gain even the basic titles in three areas a GOOD

thing? Anyone who puts that much effort into training, is likely to be hooked into dog sports and that can only be a positive outcome for the dog world.

Rose O'Hara <[email protected]>

Yes, I train with people that are working toward versatility titles. I believe most people take the sport they are training in seriously, even if it is not their particular "sport of FIRST choice," even those that only do the minimum for a certain level of versatility title. I view those titles as an important part of introducing people to the various sports and valuable for breeders and exhibitors to learn the importance of maintaining a working attitude in their breed and in the individuals they produce or select.

There is benefit in versatility training for the dogs, since doing the same sport over its entire lifetime can certainly be boring for the dog and also cause possible repetitive injuries if the sport is demanding and done exclusively year round, as many are. Also, we see many dogs "burn out" in a particular sport done exclusively. How sad for that dog! To be so bored with an activity that they refuse to continue to play it for their handler! But it happens and quite often to heavily competing dogs that exclusively compete in a single sport. Learning a new sport gives the handler a new

appreciation for the dog's skills and introduces them to new activities with their dog. I simply cannot understand why anyone would NOT want to pursue more than one sport with their dog. Don't you get bored doing the same things over and over?

The Versatility program can also introduce new people into a given sport that may not ever have thought to try it, while in pursuit of the "V" for their dog's name! Rally will hopefully be added to the wonderful variety that is included in the Versatility program. There are breeds that may not enjoy traditional obedience (or their owners think they don't or wouldn't) and including rally would encourage them to still pursue the program, as rally is perceived as friendlier to "non-traditional" obedience breeds. (I am not saying that I endorse that opinion, only that it seems to exist!) I simply do not understand anyone who thinks that the versatility program does NOT benefit dogs and breeding programs. Sure, some people will only get an entry level title, but without the versatility program, they might never have even done that much. Is that preferable? How could it possibly be? That attitude also says that any dog that doesn't reach the higher levels of a particular program should have never bothered if all they can achieve is a CD or CDX or perhaps an OA or a Junior Hunter title or Started Herding, etc. Do you really think that? Do



you want to endorse that attitude? I sure don't.

There are many people in other sports who are now looking at our sport, and many in our obedience sport just now looking at doing anything other than obedience with their dog. It forces those who try for a versatility title to actually get to know folks in the other sports, too. More communication between people in different dog sports simply cannot be a bad thing. Saying that we don't need anyone in our sport (regardless of what that dog sport is) that is only going to reach the minimal titling level and then move on to another sport is a sort of elitism that I deplore. Obedience folks have often been accused of just that sort of elitist attitude. Doesn't that bother you? It sure bothers me.

What exactly are you saying if you take the attitude that encouraging handlers to work towards a versatility title is worthless? Not anything positive, in my opinion. If it weren't worth something, there would be no novice level titles, would there? Maybe the folks that think that way would simply prefer that those "minimal" titles didn't exist at all and we only allow competition at the Excellent/Utility/Master level in all dog sports in the future. If rally is to be considered a "real sport" it should be included in the versatility titling program, and that should start now. In case

you wondered, I compete with my dogs or at least train them in 5 titling sports, and I'd do more if I could find the time, so I admit I am prejudiced, but boy, are we having fun!

Karen <[email protected]>

Q: Do you train with people who are working toward versatility titles? Yes! Q: Are they taking your "sport of choice" seriously, or are they training just long enough to get that minimal title before going on to the next sport? They are taking several of my sports of choice seriously. Q: Do you see versatility titles as a vehicle for gaining the interest of trainers who might not have looked at obedience training before? It's possible. Q: Should rally titles be applicable to versatility titling effort? what is the benefit to rally obedience of inclusion in versatility programs? Yes - in the "obedience" category - for those who don't wish to compete in traditional experience. I strongly believe in versatility titles and don't feel most people just go for the minimum title in each sport just to earn a title. I have a very versatile breed (shelties) and we enjoy competing in many sports and venues. We earn our versatility titles through clever canine companions http://geocities.com/clevercc2002/ because for our national breed club you need to have a CH in conformation and I don't show in conformation. For the AKC you need a tracking title and I have no

interest in tracking (or the extra time or $$). Cinder has just completed the requirements for her CCC O-V (outstanding versatility title and Pierce has earned his VCCX (versatile canine companion excellent).

Jo Wolf <[email protected]>

A few Border Terrier owners will elect to use Rally titles as the obedience requirement for the national club versatility award. However, the RN grants only one point in our system, as it is all on-lead. The RA and RE each currently count for a full two points. I believe we will have to earn the RA for full obedience credit, but that's still in the discussion stage, still more do-able for many than a CD, due to available training time for many people. For a Versatility award the team must earn 4 points in three disciplines. For Versatility Excellent, it's MUCH higher, requires 4 disciplines, with one of those being a working title (Earthdog, BTCA hunting cert, AWTA hunting cert of some sort). One point and one discipline (Miscellaneous) can be earned by getting any two of these; CGC, AWTA CG, TT, Therapy Dog registration with any national organization. Others include Working, Conformation, Obedience, Tracking, Agility... I think Flyball.... it's in the process of final revision.



Marisa Coppage <[email protected]>

Q: Versatility titles – boon or bane? Do you train with people who are working toward versatility titles? No. Q: Are they taking your "sport of choice" seriously, or are they training just long enough to get that minimal title before going on to the next sport? I can't say it is my sport of choice. Most of my friends consider Rally as "fun," not a serious sport, as do I. Q: Do you see versatility titles as a vehicle for gaining the interest of trainers who might not have looked at obedience training before? Yes. Q: Should rally titles be applicable to versatility titling effort? No. I would not want to see versatility made "easier." Versatility is not about inclusion but about sorting out those few dogs that are a cut above. Rally can benefit trainers by helping prepare them and/or their dogs for competition in more difficult venues, but should not be included in versatility titles, IMO.

Charlotte Mitchell <[email protected]>

As I'm sure you're aware, poodles have a frou-frou image. Those of us that play agility or tracking or obedience or field trials with our poodles love the concept of a versatility title, because it demonstrates just how many things poodles can be other than the topiary of the dog world. Versatility in Poodles (non-profit poodle support

organization) counts rally titles towards a versatility title, and I"m guessing the AKC would as well (if I'm correct, the AKC requires obedience, agility, and tracking titles for the VCD title, and rally would count). Interesting question!

Rita Linck <[email protected]>

Question of the month: Versatility titles – boon or bane? Well, I'm working towards one now! I take it very seriously, but we may not go past the RN and CD - depends on how my borzoi takes to working off lead! Yes, our purpose in hitting the ring is to become #1 versatility borzoi for 2005. And while most of my dogs are obedience trained, the versatility title is my primary reason for going into the ring at this time. I had bad experiences in obedience 10 years ago; I'm hoping that the intervening years and a change of region will make a difference.

I'm hoping that the purpose behind Rally will make it more supportive of individuals who enjoy working with their dogs. In the past (at least for me), traditional obedience has been heavily focused on the '199' competitor, and much less sympathetic of those who enjoy obedience training, but are less interested in the perfection demanded of the top obedience teams.

I enjoy working with my dog, in the ring, on the field (we are

currently the #1 coursing borzoi and a Top 5 Open Field Coursing competitor). I enjoy obedience, too, but we do it for FUN, and qualifying scores - not perfect scores.

I think that, in our breed, the inclusion of Rally will encourage more owners to try the sport - and the high publicity garnered by our versatility competitors is one way of bringing in not just those versatility dogs, but other owners who hear that it is both fun and possible to participate.

Shannon <[email protected]>

I think anyone worried about "just in the game long enough to get the minimal title" is taking their sport way too seriously. What's wrong with that. The way for a sport to grow is to attract new people, if only a few stay, so what that's a few more than you had before.

Nothing wrong with rally being part of a versatility title. I like the teamwork it shows better than traditional obedience (but not quite as much as SchH obedience). I don't play in traditional (AKC, CKC) obedience for various reasons, I really like Rally.

Lydia Sharp <[email protected]>

I think versatility titles are a boon. I think that many breeders are so focused on creating a pretty dog that they forget that



the dog was originally bred with a purpose other than to stand around and look pretty. The versatility titles are an effort to honor those dogs and trainers that can do more than one thing effectively. This is a good thing in my mind. Actually I think that anything that gets a person out and actively involved with their dog is a good thing.

My goal is to get a versatility title on my rescued Lab. I do not know his previous history so I

have no idea if he came from working (hunting in this case) lines or not. I compete to have fun with my dog but I'm also very serious about every sport that we compete in. I'm not the type who is satisfied just to show up, I want us to do our very best in everything that we do but I'm sure there are others who are not as competitive. On the other hand, while I do want us to do well, I will not train and train to the nth degree until we both hate the sport. If/when it is no longer

fun for us, I will look for something else for us to do. That aspect has nothing to do with the versatility title though.

While I love competing in Rally, I do not think it belongs in the versatility program. Rally was created as a stepping stone to traditional obedience or agility ... a kind of pre-obedience or pre-agility class if you will. Since both obedience and agility are already part of the versatility program, adding Rally would be of no real value to the title.

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Shorts!

Short season will be over soon here in the USA, but rally "shorts" are never out-of-season! If you've got a favorite liver treat recipe, a new way to remove urine stains from carpeting, or—of course—the latest, most brilliant way to handle an advanced rally course, we'd love to have you write it down and get it published in "Go Rally!" magazine. We've created "Rally Shorts" as a home for your writing. We'd also love to hear from our juniors, with showmanship tips and trialing tales. E-mail to Marsha Houston at: [email protected].

In The News – Rally dogs making headlines – Compiled by Ruthann McCaulley

My name Jill Ellis and I live in Rochester, NY. My rally dog, "Dawn" Canami's Age of Aquarius CGC TDI (two RN Legs) had her five minutes of fame as she was featured on "R News" Rochester NY's news channel. A couple of weeks ago they did a special on things you can do with your dogs now that it's getting nicer outside and my obedience trainer called us up and asked if we wanted to be on it. It turned out they used her for the whole segment - she ran some agility equipment and we showed the viewers how one might begin to train a dog for agility, our next venture in the performance world. She was cute as can be and did an awesome job. She has two RN legs and is going for her third at Syracuse.

Remembering to Breathe, by Willard Bailey – A Book Review – by Ruthann McCaulley

This book has absolutely nothing to do with Rally. Why am I reviewing it? Why am I recommending it? It has a lot to offer anyone participating in dog performance events, especially obedience and rally.

It is a book about a man and his dog and their quest for “the holy grail” of obedience, the OTCH (Obedience Trial Champion) title. What makes this even more remarkable is that the quest began in the Novice A obedience ring. According to an AKC statistic in the book, only 1 in 10,000 Novice A dogs ever achieve the OTCH.

Remembering to Breathe is the story of a man, Willard Bailey,

and his dog Honeybear, their relationship, hardships, trials, tribulations, setbacks, successes, failures, triumphs and tragedies. From this list it sounds like this book covers nearly every emotion, and it does.

While not about Rally, the book provides a wonderful look inside the world of dog obedience. Whether packing the car/van/SUV for a trip to the Rally ring or the traditional obedience ring, what is required is just about the same. The hours of driving to and from practice and shows, dealing with the weather and less than optimal conditions at the trial site – all of these translate well to the Rally experience.

Many people, and especially the very new exhibitors, tend to see the people working in Utility or bearing the title OTCH before their dog’s name and think that it all just fell into place. Their dogs, which frequently do tend to be Goldens and Border Collies, are assumed to be born trained to do all those wonderful things – or at the most took little or no work. These handlers are thought of as super trainers who always know the answer to every little problem, even before it even arises. Yes, many are super trainers, but that doesn’t mean they automatically know all the answers or don’t have to struggle with problems.


Shorts! (Cont’d)

They are very good trainers because they work at it very hard.

Remembering to Breathe lays all of this out as it records the progress of Willard and Honeybear from the moment they met through years of trials and training. I personally found it encouraging to hear about their struggles and successes – it gave me hope and inspiration, and brought home the fact that “all it takes” is hard work, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. A good attitude and a great relationship with your dog is also a must.

I must admit to being very prejudiced. Willard was the first person I met at my first trial as an exhibitor. We had arrived at the Old Pueblo trial in Tucson plenty early so I could get the lay of the land, settle in, and watch what was going on.

I was familiar enough with the rules to know about Open and Utility, but so green I didn’t know what was good or bad – just that watching Willard and his Border Collie Bebop do their Utility work as we walked in was about the most magnificent thing I’d ever seen. (My obedience “career” started too late to ever see Honeybear compete for her OTCH, but she was entered in Veterans at this show.)

Standing outside the ring when they left I said something like “that was just wonderful” – and

Willard slowed, smiled, and genuinely thanked me. The next day we arrived later (having learned we did NOT need to be there 3 hours early) so I’d missed utility. I wandered around and when I saw Willard I asked him how he’d done. I don’t remember how he did, but he was so pleasant and took time to talk to me. (Please note - there were many other equally nice Utility exhibitors there that day and I talked to many of them – but this is about Willard.)

Willard lives in Phoenix, so he trials in many of the cities I know, and attends many of the same shows I do. That made Remembering to Breathe even more enjoyable for me as I read because I could easily identify with many of the places, but it doesn’t take anything away from the book if you aren’t familiar with the places and trial settings.

I also know many of the people Willard talks about in the book –and learned some things about them I didn’t know, which I found very enjoyable. Willard’s descriptions of exhibitors and judges shows the gamut of the obedience community, from the generous, helpful and friendly to the jealous, back-biting gossips.

The book isn’t long and is an “easy read.” You might even pick up some training tips – learning from problems faced by Willard and Honeybear.

I highly recommend this book. Mine was a Mother’s Day gift ordered from jandjdog.com.

Not-so-Perfect or Perfect? By Laurie Buchele

Any similarities, positive or negative, are completely unintentional. This is meant to be fun and hopefully, a little humorous!

A not-so-perfect rally class –

- Half the class comes really early and stands around WATCHING the instructor set up the course for class; the other half comes late and thinks they know exactly what was done AND expects their dogs to know exactly what to do.

- The person with the dog with the biggest appetite always manages to forget his/her training treats and borrows yours.

- The nice person with the nice dog has the worst kids and brings them to class because he/she can’t find a sitter – then the kids run wild through the whole class, clicking clickers, dropping treats all over the place, tripping over dogs, and just causing general mayhem.

- The two most vocal dogs always sit near each other and end up in a barking contest every class – usually while the instructor is talking about the finer points of rally.


Shorts! (Cont’d)

- The instructor has either a really big dog or a really little dog and thinks that all rally courses should be designed for a dog his/her size.

- The “overpacker” and the “underpacker” – the overpacker brings everything and sets it all up for the one hour class and the underpacker is doing great to remember the dog!

And now a perfect rally class –

- The entire class is always on time and everyone helps to set up the course while the dogs enjoy a long stay or a little bit of playtime.

- Everyone remembers all of the appropriate equipment and brings it to every class. • Handlers and dogs all learning together and from each other. No disagreements about training methods, rules and regulations, or course design.

- The dogs lay down between working times and just gaze longingly at their beloved handlers.

- The nice person with the nice dog has wonderful children and brings them along to help in the class – and everyone is very appreciative.

- The instructor is all-knowing, ultra-supportive, and always builds a beautiful, flowing course for every size/type of dog.

We’ve all had them – great classes with great instructors and great fellow students. We’ve also all had the opposite – not-so-great classes with so-so instructors and fellow students we hope we never see again! What makes a great class great and the not-so-great classes, well, not-so-great? Some would argue it’s the instructor, others would say the facility, and still others would debate curriculum. I would argue that it’s ME who makes a class whatever I make it. I challenge you to make your next rally class a perfect rally class!

Differences when showing in Agility vs. Obedience – by Patti Burgess

Both venues require precision and both take hours of training to be able to go into the show ring comfortably. The more prepared you are, the less you’ll have to be nervous about.

When showing in rally you really need to have a solid start in obedience, training the basics (including heel on leash, sit and down) before even thinking of going into the show ring. Once you have mastered those moves with your dog you can start to learn the rally signs and courses.

When teaching rally, I start showing my class the novice signs only. We practice each sign individually, and then we go into doing short courses this is where the fun begins. When each student does the course I

will explain to them where they should be positioned at each station, and convince them to talk to their dogs in a kind manner. It is important for each student to relax and talk to their dog, have fun! Keep those leashes loose!

I try to prepare each student with as much information as possible before going into the show ring, when to ask the judge questions, how to walk the course, when you should get to the show etc.; being prepared before showing can help the ring jitters a tiny bit!

When the ring jitters happen in rally, those nerves go right down the leash to your dog. I have lost my dog’s concentration in the ring because I was so nervous, not telling him what I needed him to do. I have also been told that my voice gets higher the more nervous I get. My dogs says “Who’s this at the end of the leash?”

The best advice is to take a deep breath and try your best to do what you practice. Heel at a normal pace like you were out for a walk, tell your dog what to do at each sign, if it’s a sit don’t assume the dog will sit, since you are allowed and encouraged to talk, tell them what you want.

In rally you do have more time to think out each move then agility. I think any obedience creates higher ring jitter than agility, because the pace is slower and you have more time to think about each exercises you’re performing, which gives you more time to be nervous!


Shorts! (Cont’d)

In agility, ring nerves are felt at the start line, after that you don’t have a lot of time to think about anything but getting through the course, unless of course your dog runs out of the ring or you the handler gets lost on the course, both of which have happened to me!

The one thing that everyone should remember whether doing rally or agility, make it fun for your dog and yourself! It’s a sport whether you qualify or get a non-qualifying score you are creating a team with your dog. Each and every show you compete in should be made into a positive learning experience.

From my experience (I have shown in Obedience, Rally, and Agility) the ring jitters never go away. I was told by one of my instructor friends that if the show ring nerves go away you’ve lost the edge! Never let that happen! This is all too much fun!

A training philosophy for cross-training for obedience and agility. – by Marsha Houston

“You shouldn’t train a conformation dog to do obedience because you don’t want them sitting in the conformation ring.” “You shouldn’t train an agility dog to do obedience because they’ll become too clingy and won’t work at a distance.” “You shouldn’t train an obedience dog to do tracking because they’ll start heeling with their nose on

the ground.” “You shouldn’t neuter a performance dog because they’ll get fat and lazy and won’t want to work at all.”

Can you pick out the myth in this group of statements? Perhaps these rules were developed by people who enjoy doing one thing at a time, but most of us “multi-task” every day, and our dog-training regimen is capable of following multiple paths at the same time. I train with many dog-trainers who show in multiple venues or sports at the same show!

Now that’s not saying your training skills won’t ever be challenged if you choose to train multiple skills simultaneously, but how much fun would dog training be if you were never challenged? Your intact male conformation dog keeps hiking his leg on agility equipment, your tracking dog finds hotdogs in the grass at the obedience training field, your agility dog spots sheep in the herding ring from atop the a-frame and obsesses on them at your national event, your rally dog spots an upcoming jump and takes off to do some distance work.

So, if you’re working on your championship, focus on that, most certainly. But, if you want to expand the horizons of your beloved companion, as well as your training repertoire, teach your dog a new skill and have fun combining it with what you’re already doing!

For example, my 5-year-old Aussie, “Dash,” was part of a little dog training demo last weekend. Bud’s Shelties, “Bogie” and “Birdie” were demonstrating pure agility, but Dash and I worked on retrieves. Folks didn’t actually know I was combining two sports, but I lead out past a set of weavepoles and a jump to drop his dumbell, then returned to him to send him through the weaves, over the jump, to pick up the dumbell and return over the jump and through the weaves. No harm done!

Wrestling with Ring Stress – by Marsha Houston

The most complex transition for the new dog trainer, or for the experienced dog trainer with a new puppy, is the transition from novice classes and homework to trialing.

The relationship we share with our dog is upbeat and happy-go-lucky through the training process. We encourage our dog to be a happy partner. We hand out treats and praise liberally. We plan to enter trials but we never prepare mentally for that transition.

And then we enter a trial. Suddenly our training goes on schedule. Any sign of weakness is followed by a frenzy of training for that particular weakness. We put pressure on ourselves and on our dogs. More elements of the performance start to go badly. By the day of the trial we’re awash with stress and worry about all those individual elements.


Shorts! (Cont’d)

Some folks enter dog shows often and, therefore, each trial absorbs a portion of the stress. They also become more accustomed to the stress and learn to operate in the show setting. But many of us enter fewer trials. Each individual trial holds a huge portion of our hopes and dreams for our dog. Each trial we enter is a rare opportunity to achieve a goal.

If we could see trialing as an “everyday” event, convince ourselves and our dog that this is nothing unusual, we could fake ourselves into not feeling stressed. But that’s a tough thing to do. Everything about a trial demands that we view it as a formal event, a test, an expensive and risky adventure.

In my lifelong effort to combat the desire to please others, learning to put my own feelings before those of my audience, I’ve established a few rules for trialing that have helped me a great deal. One that has affected the biggest change is the idea that a trial is my vacation. Since I teach dog-training classes for a living, and since I work 24/7 to run a home business, getting away from the training center for a trial has become one of the few opportunities I have to go somewhere and play with my own dog.

When I feel myself getting stressed or worried, I remind myself that I’m on vacation. Would I feel stress playing a

game of miniature golf in Florida? Would I worry about my ability to walk on the beach in Puerto Rico? Would I compete with others at horseback riding in the mountains? Certainly not! None of those things are important – and neither is my dog’s performance at a dog show.

It helps that I truly believe in the spiritual nature of dog shows – that thing you want the most will elude you until you open yourself to the spirit of the event and let it happen within you, in partnership with your dog. Focusing on yourself ensures error or failure. Focusing on others, or on your dog, ensures a more relaxed attitude toward your own personal performance.

Go Rally! Marsha Houston and my aussie mentors, Banner, Dash and Red

Back issues of

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Training Your Rally Dog

Teaching Your Dog to Front From a Sit at Heel By Ruthann McCaulley [email protected]

Calling your dog to front from a sit at heel doesn’t happen until Rally Advanced and Excellent work, but many people are ready to move on to RA and I’ve seen several requests for help teaching this on some of the lists.

# 41. HALT - Call Dog Front - Finish Right. With the dog sitting in heel position, the handler calls the dog to front, and the dog sits in the front position facing the handler. On command, the dog then moves from the front position around the right of the handler and sits in heel position. The handler may not step forward or backward to aid dog during exercise. (Stationary exercise)

# 42. HALT - Call Dog Front - Finish Left. With the dog sitting in heel position, the handler calls the dog to front, and the dog sits in the front position facing the handler. On command, the dog then moves from the front position to the handler's left and sits in heel position. Handler may not step forward or backward to aid dog during exercise. (Stationary exercise)

In exercises 13, 14, 15, 16, and 26, “While heeling, the handler stops forward motion and calls the dog to the front position (dog sits in front and faces the handler). The handler may take several steps backward as the dog turns and moves to sit in the front position.” In advanced exercises 41 and 42 the handler stops with the dog sitting at heel and is NOT allowed to take any steps back to help the dog come front. Handler may not step forward or backward to aid dog during exercise.

The dog must get up from their sit, move their body around and into a sit in front of the handler without any help from the handler other than verbal encouragement and movement of the upper part of the handler’s body and arms. NOTHING below the waist must move on this exercise or it could be IP – Improper Performance. At the minimum (depending on the judge and the severity of the movement) it would be handler error.

There are many ways to teach this, and what I am presenting is only one. This has worked very well for me. It evolved quite unplanned from the way I taught

my dogs to “come to front” using a chute to get them to come in straight.

When I advanced to calling the dogs to front while heeling (as required in exercises 13, 14, 15, 16, and 26) I simply adapted what I’d already done. The dogs were used to the chute and it was a definite plus in keeping the sit straight.

Calling front from a halt was another extension of my chute method. Knowing that they were to go “around” the end of the chute to come to front made it easier for them (or so it seemed) to grasp that they had to get up and move out and around and into a straight front.

Here is step by step the way I taught this. I hope it helps you. For details on teaching your dog to come front using a chute see “Teaching Your Dog to Front and Finish” in Go Rally July 2005 issue. Steps below marked with (review) are quick refreshers taken from that article.

Note: in these photos I am using a 4 ft long broad jump set on it’s side for the sides of the chute. You can use 2x4, PVC, anything that works for your dog.


Training Your Rally Dog (Cont’d)

Step one: Teaching the dog to front in a chute (review)

If your dog isn’t used to coming to front through a chute, you will need to teach that before you go on.

As I said earlier, this method evolved from using a chute to teach a straight sit at front. (See “Teaching Your Dog to Front and Finish” in Go Rally No 3 July 2003 for details on teaching this.) When the dog is used to coming to front in a wide chute begin to narrow the chute.

14-week-old Standard Poodle puppy Jude is introduced to the call front through the chute…. for only the 2nd time.

Step two: Teach your dog to come front through the chute while heeling. (review)

Always strive for good, quick, straight sits. That’s the purpose

of using the chute in the first place. Train for a perfect 100 – a perfect prompt sit.

Enough can happen in the ring to rob you of those points, don’t give them away by not train for the best you and your dog can be/do.

Step three: Teach your dog to sit at heel outside the chute while you are in the chute.

This varies with the dog, and may take a little while, or may come quite naturally. It depends on how much they are bothered by the boards/chute.

At this stage, you just want your dog to sit quickly, and preferably nice and straight outside the chute. I’ve found with my dogs I was better off to

work on quick sit and not mess with trying to get them to sit nice and straight outside the chute. The chute just added too much of a distraction for fiddling with that. I did use a straight up pressure on the collar as the dog halted to encourage the dog to sit quick and straight, but beyond this I didn’t pester the dog. That wasn’t what I was concerned about teaching – I was going to work on the call front.

Conor sits beside the chute ready to come front.

Don’t belabor the sit outside the chute. When your dog does it and doesn’t seem bothered by the chute being there, move on. What you want to focus on is the call front part of this exercise.

Step four: Stop heeling and have your dog sit outside the chute approximately one dog’s body length away from the end of the chute.

Stopping, where you do, will allow the dog to have room to do a front with his entire body in the chute. This is important because the dog must get up and move out and forward and around the chute enough that he is coming in straight towards you, which gives you a straight front.



Wally sits outside the chute. Note I have stopped my forward motion about one body length of my dog from the end of the chute.

If the dog is allowed to bring his front end around to “front” position, there is a very good chance his back end will NOT be straight but off to your left – which will give you a deduction for out of position/poor sit.

You want the dog to get up and move out and around.

Step five: Call, lure, help your dog learn to get up and go out and around the end of the chute and into front position.

If you are working with a large dog you may need to start a little closer to the end of the chute at first or you will be leaning way over when luring your dog, which isn’t an easy thing to do.

Barb offers Katie lots of help as she lures her around the end of the chute. She has taken a step forward, but it’s Katie’s first time.

Stop close enough to the end of the chute that your dog must get up and move out and around from the very first. Then each time you can move back a little bit until you are stopping a full body length back in the chute.

If you don’t want to bend way over for a small dog, or want a “longer arm” for luring a large dog, glue a clothes pin to the end of your heeling dowel and clip a treat in that. Use as an extension of your arm to lure the dog around.

Try not to move your feet while luring the dog to front. You want to teach the dog to get up and move on their own, although the first few times you may have to move to help the dog get it right.

Katie rounds the corner ready to come to front. She’s gone way out and around which will give her a straight front.

Anne lures Conor around the chute front without moving her feet.

If your dog simply doesn’t want to get up and go around the end of the chute, you might try going back to the “come front game” – toss a piece of food forward for the dog while you are standing in the chute and the dog is sitting at heel. After the dog has eaten the food call him to front. do not move your feet but let the dog go out and come back to you. A light pop on the leash as you command “come front”. (Practice this on pavement or somewhere that the food won’t get lost – such as in grass – or the dog will spend all their time looking for the treat.)

I like to pair the command “front” with what the dog is doing – and I start using the front command in the very beginning.

Cache sits beside the chute. Note: Janet has left him plenty of room to come in straight at the front of the chute.

Janet lures Cache out of his sit and starts him around the end of the chute.



Cache comes around the end of the chute. He is moving his entire body which leads him out and around into a perfectly straight front on the R.

Note: the chute just fits the dog’s body, which makes them sit straight when they enter the chute – which is the purpose of training this with the chute.

Step six: practice practice practice!

Just because your dog is doing the come front from heel with the chute doesn’t mean they know it yet. It takes a LOT of repetition, more for some dogs than others. Don’t rush and don’t be discouraged. HELP your dog, encourage your dog, and reward your dog. “Will work for food” is the motto of most dogs in training.

Work for nice prompt responses to your command….and straight sits in front. You will find that as the dog gets used to the chute, the sits they do outside the chute generally get straighter too…. but that isn’t what you’re really concerned about now.

Step seven: try it without the chute

This is the moment of reckoning….. does your dog know what you want or not. Expect the dog to be slightly confused at first and help them get it right by luring and encouraging them to come out and around from the sit into a front. (You might try removing one side of the chute at a time if the dog is totally baffled.)

If, after several tries the dog still seems very confused, you can go back to the chute for a little while longer. You can also try tossing a piece of food forward and telling the dog to get it and then calling them back to front to help give them the idea that they have to “get up and go out and around” and back to front.

Whatever you do, DO NOT correct the dog. That will only confuse them more. Help, encourage, and continue to teach. They want to get it right, and need our help learning what we want them to do and exactly how they are to do it.

Sitting at heel ready to come front. Wally has a nice straight sit at heel. Dog should pay more attention to me than the photographer.

Wally has started around to front – don’t hesitate to lure and help all you need to.

Wally comes into front and gives me a nice straight sit. Job well done!



To encourage a straight sit, have the leash directly behind the dog’s ears with the snap coming straight up between the ears. Pull STRAIGHT up as you say sit. You can use this both at heel and front position. Be sure you pull straight up and not back, forward, or in to the side which will pull the dog away from being straight. Don’t hesitate to use both the leash and command sit to help your dog learn to do a prompt and straight sit from the very beginning. Believe me, it’s MUCH easier to start slowly and teach it right the first time than have to redo it – or suffer through valuable points lost from being sloppy and crooked on the sits (any sit, at heel or in front) and/or slow to respond.

Because this is now being practiced in a different setting the dog may become confused at first and act like they’ve never ever in their entire life done this before. Be patient and help them see what you want. It won’t take long for them to make the connection. Make the practice a wonderful game. You can also CT the dog when the come front.

Step nine: take it on the road and plug it into a rally course

You’re now ready to work on this on a rally course. Before you do it on an entire course, set up a mini course to work on it a few times so that your dog makes the association with the new location and format. Again, expect some initial confusion. It’s natural and shouldn’t last long with patience and help from you.

Step ten: proofing

Practice in as many different places as you can. You can practice just the call front, or you can set up a mini course of three to 5 exercises and work on that in parking lots, parks, busy places, quiet places. Don’t forget noisy places – there are always a LOT of distractions at trials; this will help you prepare for them.

Mini practice courses for working on call front from heel. Always read the call front sign carefully on walk through (and when running the course) – it’s easy to get them confused and do the wrong one. Practice mixing them up, the ones you can do in RN with those from RA – remember in RA and RE all of the call front exercises can be used, but in RN you don’t have 41 or 42.

Step eight: more practice

Once the dog begins to comprehend and understand what you want, the response to your command will be faster and things will become more polished. Don’t forget to practice this several times each day. I’ve found you can practice all around the house at unexpected moments. Have treats in your pocket (aren’t they always there anyway??) and tell your dog to sit. YOU step into heel position (remember, train one thing at a time, and having the dog get into heel is NOT what you are working on here) and then command your dog to “come front” or “front,” whichever you use.



My Tues AM Rally class taking a break, trying to stay in the shade.

After we practice Rally we practice group sits and downs – good for the Rally dogs and several of the class members are traditional obedience participants. Renee and Nick are not as experienced as some of the other dogs, so Renee is correct to stand right in front of Nick so he doesn’t develop bad habits by breaking the sit. Remember, make haste slowly.



Long down – of course dogs get the shade and handlers are out in the HOT sun.

Practice makes perfect. Here Katie sits too far out, she hasn’t entered the chute. Don’t get discouraged when your dog is learning, you will BOTH make lots of mistakes before you get it right most of the time.

A special thank you to my Tuesday AM Rally class for allowing me to take photos during class. All photos appearing in this article are actual training photographs. If we look a little hot and wilted, we are. It’s mid July as I write this, and the temperature, even at 8AM, is pushing high 80’s – but Rally practice MUST go on.


Fundamental Dog Training Exercises

By Marsha Houston [email protected]

Weeks 3 & 4

Whether you’re training a dog for rally, obedience, agility, or good house-manners, you’ll find that certain fundamental training makes everything else progress more smoothly. This 8-week training program, designed as a series of hand-outs for group classes, should help you build a working relationship with your new puppy, with your adopted adolescent dog, or your housepet.

The more dogs I train, the more I work with students, the more I watch performances, the more I’m convinced that busy dog trainers do not spend enough time working on fundamental dog training. Simple exercises to condition a response to your dog’s name, for example, are an essential element of attention work, but are often neglected in the rush to teach more complex behaviors.

The following handouts may be reprinted for class use. I’ll be introducing all 8 weeks of my “Fundamental Dog Training” course over the next 4 issues of “Go Rally!” If you’re working these exercises as a student, you’ll have a month to do a week’s worth of homework. As busy adults, you’ll probably appreciate that. Think of this as prudent dog training.

Fundamentals always make great homework and there’s no way we can overdo when we’re working on basic dog training.

If you’re wanting to use this program to teach basic obedience classes, you’ll get the weekly handouts to be copied and distributed to students (marked “Student Handout”), as well as the instructor’s version to be copied and compiled into an instructor’s manual for your personal use (marked “Instructor Only”).

A Training Tidbit: for those of you who teach basic house manners classes – I allow my students to talk about their challenges and their brags. It’s easy for an instructor to get accustomed to the sound of her own voice but, when your students get to talk they become invested in their dog’s success. They get interested in what’s happening in this “reality show” called obedience class, and they don’t drop out !

Weeks 1 and 2: July 2005 issue (back issues available at www.dogwoodagility.com) Weeks 3 and 4: September 2005 issue (available 8/10/05) Weeks 5 and 6: November 2005 issue (available 10/10/05) Weeks 7 and 8: January 2006 issue (available 12/10/05)

Every training program can be improved, so please feel free to send me your comments and concerns: email Marsha Houston: [email protected].


Fundamental Dog Training Exercises – Student Handout, Week Three

ASSIGNMENT #1 – now that we’ve established our baseline for grading our recall (the act of calling our dog, using “[dog’s name], Come!”), we’re going to start practicing this very important dog-management tool. Your goal right now is to work on this at least once a day – your dog should learn to come happily and promptly when called, and allow you to take her collar in your hands.

Number of Recalls on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being unresponsive and 10 being per day... a complete recall, rate your dog’s average response

MON ______________________________________________________________________________

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TUE ______________________________________________________________________________

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WED ______________________________________________________________________________

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THU ______________________________________________________________________________

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FRI ______________________________________________________________________________

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SAT ______________________________________________________________________________

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SUN ______________________________________________________________________________

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ASSIGNMENT #2 – Practice this exercise once a day, with dinner or breakfast, feeding the entire meal for doing work. Hopefully dogs will return week 4 with an increased recognition of their name, the words “stay,” and “[dog’s name], Come!”

Teaching “come” versus “stay” Face your dog, holding dinner, have your dog sit and feed a bit of food. Say “stay,” back away a few steps and say, “[dog’s name], come!” Feed a portion of her dinner. Have her lie down, say “stay,” back away a few steps and say, “[dog’s name], come!” Feed a portion of her dinner. Have her alternately sit and down, back away as much as she’ll let you, call her to you, always using the same words “[dog’s name], come!” in the same tone (happy, upbeat). Repeat until all the food is gone.

In no time at all you’ll have conditioned an automatic response to the recall commands!


Fundamental Dog Training Exercises – Instructors’ Notes, Week Two

Instructors’ Notes

ASSIGNMENT #1 – now that we’ve established our baseline for grading our recall (the act of calling our dog, using “[dog’s name], Come!”), we’re going to start practicing this very important dog-management tool. Your goal right now is to work on this at least once a day – your dog should learn to come happily and promptly when called, and allow you to take her collar in your hands.

Number of Recalls on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being unresponsive and 10 being per day... a complete recall, rate your dog’s average response.

Now that we’ve taught our dogs their names, and are building a working relationship with them, I’m going to ask my students to start grading the attentiveness they see day-by-day, week-by-week. They’ll be asked each week in class how they grade their dog’s recall indoors and outdoors, at home and away from home. I’m going to make a very big deal each week of improvements they see. I want these folks to get their dog’s attention, and get their dog to come when called, after 8 weeks of my class.

Teaching “come” versus “stay” ASSIGNMENT #2 -- Practice this exercise once a day, with

dinner or breakfast, feeding the entire meal for doing work. Hopefully dogs will return week 4 with an increased recognition of their name, the words “stay,” and “[dog’s name], Come!”

Face your dog, holding dinner, have your dog sit and feed a bit of food. Say “stay,” back away a few steps and say, “[dog’s name], come!” Feed a portion of her dinner. Have her lie down, say “stay,” back away a few steps and say, “[dog’s name], come!”

Feed a portion of her dinner. Have her alternately sit and down, back away as much as she’ll let you, call her to you, always using the same words “[dog’s name], come!” in the same tone (happy, upbeat). Repeat until all the food is gone.

In no time at all you’ll have conditioned an automatic response to the recall commands!

If we’re going to teach “stay,” we need to teach “come” as the opposite. In other words, “this is what it feels like when I want you to stay,” and “this is what it feels like when I want you to come.” I encourage folks to make this fun for their dog, keep it lighthearted, and reward for even the shortest stays. Enthusiasm and promptness are endearing qualities and we’ll reward them.

It will become obvious to them if they need to focus on one more than the other. By repeating them over and over, back to back, the dog quickly learns to distinguish between the two.

Preparing for competition, weaning your dog off frequent treats

When you’re ready to move from class work or homework to the “diminished reinforcement” world of dog shows with your dog, you can play a little game to teach your dog to expect fewer and fewer treats while working.

I grab some treats and set an egg timer for 2 minutes, then start doodling with my dog, counting the number of treats I feed as we’re working. When the timer goes off, I record on a calendar the number of treats I fed. For the sake of my example, I’ll say I started with 12 treats in 2 minutes of doodling.

The next day I grab one fewer treat (in my example, 11 treats), set the timer for 2 minutes, and start doodling. The next day I grab one fewer treat (in my example, 10 treats), set the time for 2 minutes, and start doodling.

When I move from a quiet, non-distracting place, to a noisy, distracting place, I’ll add treats instead of subtracting. Or, at the very least, I’ll not take one away that day. Gradually the dog learns that the edible reinforcer will come less often, but it never goes away completely.


Fundamental Dog Training Exercises – Student Handout, Week Four

ASSIGNMENT #1 – we’re going to continue grading our recall (the act of calling our dog, using “[dog’s name], Come!”). Continue to work on this at least once a day – your dog should learn to come happily and promptly when called, and allow you to take her collar in your hands.


MON ______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

TUE ______________________________________________________________________________

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WED ______________________________________________________________________________

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THU ______________________________________________________________________________

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FRI ______________________________________________________________________________

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SAT ______________________________________________________________________________

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SUN ______________________________________________________________________________

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ASSIGNMENT #2 – We’re going to call this “[dog’s name], Let’s Go!” Practice this exercise once a day, with dinner or breakfast, feeding the entire meal for doing work. Put the leash on your dog for about half of the walking practices.

Teaching “Let’s Go” Let’s Go is the real-life version of heeling. In this exercise, we want to convince our dog that beside-our-leg is the most wonderful place to be. In competition-level obedience, this is referred to as a “choose to heel” training program, and it can create a really happy, upbeat walking partner. Basically, the dog is rewarded every time she comes into heel position -- beside our left leg. Of course, for pet walking purposes, either side of your body is marvelous -- left or right. So, with dinner in a bowl in your hand, walk random patterns in a quiet location without distractions. As your dog comes into position beside you, stop moving and feed your dog. You can ask for a sit, but arriving at that position beside your leg is the actual goal of the exercise.


Fundamental Dog Training Exercises – Instructors’ Notes, Week Two

Instructors’ Notes

ASSIGNMENT #1 – we’re going to continue grading our recall (the act of calling our dog, using “[dog’s name], Come!”). Continue to work on this at least once a day -- your dog should learn to come happily and promptly when called, and allow you to take her collar in your hands.


In some training schools, by week 4 you’d be seeing people dropping out for a number of reasons -- 1) they’re not seeing the results from the class time, 2) they’re not given real-life tools for living with their dog, and 3) it’s becoming boring or too rigorous. This constant grading keeps students active, engaged, and proud of their accomplishments.

Rather than testing their training in class each week, they test themselves at home, and can bring their “brags” to class. At the same time they’re telling me

their grade, they can ask any questions specific to their circumstances. I take plenty of time with these questions, working out solutions and training protocols as we go around the room.

ASSIGNMENT #2 – We’re going to call this “[dog’s name], Let’s Go!” Practice this exercise once a day, with dinner or breakfast, feeding the entire meal for doing work. Put the leash on your dog for about half of the walking practices.

Teaching “Let’s Go” Let’s Go is the real-life version of heeling. In this exercise, we want to convince our dog that beside-our-leg is the most wonderful place to be. In competition-level obedience, this is referred to as a “choose to heel” training program, and it can create a really happy, upbeat walking partner. Basically, the dog is rewarded every time she comes into heel position -- beside our left leg. Of course, for pet walking purposes, either side of your body is marvelous -- left or right. So, with dinner in a bowl in your hand, walk random patterns in a quiet location without

distractions. As your dog comes into position beside you, stop moving and feed your dog. You can ask for a sit, but arriving at that position beside your leg is the actual goal of the exercise.

I really enjoy “let’s go” as an exercise. Each dog has a bit of carpeting they’ve been sitting on in class, and we use these bits of carpeting to focus the handlers as they move around the room. The goal is to get the dogs to move from rug to rug, paying attention to their handler. We’re using lots of treats, the dog’s name, and the attention we’ve been teaching for 3 weeks. At first we move from one rug to the next, then back to where we were. Then we go the other direction to the next rug, and back to where we were. I want the handlers to be upbeat and happy, the dogs to be attentive and focused on the treats.

I do not, as you may have guessed by now, promote “pop and jerk” heeling. It’s more important to me that the dog be able to walk to the end of their driveway without pulling than it is that they assume heel position beside the handler’s left leg.


The Faces of Rally

Hot Dog! Hello, I am Jan Sund from Marengo, Illinois, along with my piebald Dachshund Colby, and we love rally! Our first rally trial was in October of 2004, an APDT trial, in Elburn, Il, we have now completed our level 1 and 2 titles. Our AKC rally experiences were on January 1st in Cudahy, Wisconsin, followed by McCormick Place in Chicago and the Badger Dachshund Club to get his RN in AKC, and his first leg toward his RA came with a 1st Place at Greater Racine in WI. We train in classes at Northwest Obedience Club, where I also assist in Beginner/Advanced Beginner classes. We also train in traditional obedience and agility.

Q ~ What drew you to Rally Obedience?

Don't throw tomatoes, but my first impression, a few years ago, was that it looked easy (and fun). After two classes, we dropped out and returned to traditional obedience classes. We trained in basic obedience and as soon as we were ready, we returned to Rally and have been there ever since.

Q ~ What are your goals?

I would love to go all the way with Rally. I realize it will take a long time and a lot of work, but I would love to get an ARCH and a RAE someday.

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My name is Suzanne Bria and I live in Orinda, California in the San Francisco East Bay. I have two golden retrievers, Gemma (8) and Finnegan (2). Finn is my first "performance" dog with whom I am (so far) doing novice obedience, rally, and conformation; he has already achieved his Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX) title and is in training for his Variable Surface Tracking (VST/CT) dog title.

Q ~ What drew you to Rally obedience?

I was drawn to rally even before it became an AKC titling event because of the upbeat and fun nature of the sport. Rally serves a wonderful purpose (or several) for experienced people -- even those with UDXs and OTCHs -- and also offers a number of benefits to Novice A people like me. It is helping both Finn and me become more comfortable in the ring and to view it as a fun place to be: it is helping with nerves; it is helping prepare me and my dog for our eventual work in agility through the course design, and it is also helping further develop and solidify a lovely bond between us -- perhaps the greatest benefit of all! And I don't find it easy at all... IF you are going for good scores and times, and I expect RA and RE with it's off leash work and more complex exercises will be quite difficult.

The ONLY downside I see is the challenge of making the transition from talking and encouraging and using lots of body language allowed in rally to where none of it is allowed (or little anyway) in formal OB. But the enthusiasm I am getting from my dog in obedience since training for rally also is worth any trouble I may be borrowing, although many people believe that a dog trained to do the obedience exercises should have no problem making the transition.


The Faces of Rally (cont’d)

To date, most of our training has been done on our own, but we did take several drop-in classes at our local dog training club. Finn earned his first rally NA leg in May, and I was thrilled with a 94/third place in a class of 22!

Q ~ What are your goals?

Our goals to go all the way to RE and then continue on to titles in formal obedience-- having lots of fun along the way.

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My name is Ellen Bloomfield and I share my home in the Chicago land area with 6 dogs, of which 3 are either training or competing in Rally. I mainly train alone, but sometimes will take a class or work with a couple friends.

Luke, 6.5 yr blue merle sheltie, Roo, 3 yr blue merle Aussie, and Danny, 6 yr sable. Danny has earned his AKC RN as well as having 1 leg toward his AKC RA and 2 legs toward his APDT Level 1 title.

I have been training dogs for competition since 1998, but only have been specifically training for rally since last December.

Back in 1998 I was a new subscriber to Front and Finish when Bud's idea was born. I was confused by it as the entire world of dog sports was brand new to me. I ended up purchasing Bud's books as they came out and it made a bit more sense to me. But I never thought about competing in it.

Danny and I were entered in the January 1 and 2nd obedience trials at Cudahy KC. Well, all it took was that first weekend at Cudahy and I was hooked.

Q ~ What is the biggest training challenge you have encountered in rally?

Probably my biggest training challenge I've encountered so far is teaching the left pivot. I realize that my dogs don't really realize they have back legs! So first I'm going to need to work on some exercises for rear end awareness and then go back to teaching the pivot.

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My name is Lori Marklein and I live in Janesville, Wisconsin and compete in Rally with my two Maltese, Tamar’s Cookie Monster, CDX, CGC and CH. Tamar’s Scooby Doo, CD, CGC. I also compete in regular obedience

I do most of our training alone, but do take an occasional class when I can find an advanced class and I have also consulted with a few instructors through private lessons. Our club offers a Rally run-through weekly that has been very beneficial.

Q ~ What do you think is the most attractive thing about Rally to new exhibitors and to "old timers"?

I think the most attractive thing about Rally to a new exhibitor is that it allows them to begin

showing their dogs sooner than if they had to wait until they were ready for Novice Obedience. They see Rally and they think, “I can do that”! It’s an attainable first obedience goal.

For the “old timers” it’s a way to give their dog a more relaxing, fun show experience. It’s a stress reliever for some dogs and handlers. It’s a way to get the senior, retired dogs back in the ring to strut their stuff!

I am neither a new exhibitor nor an old timer. My CDX dog does not have the attention needed for Utility, but is not ready to retire. Rally is the perfect sport for him. My CD dog is not yet ready for the Open ring and competing in Rally gives him real show distractions and I believe it’s a great confidence builder.

Thanks for asking!

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I am from Malta, Illinois (north central) and have started my 10 mo Golden girl puppy in Rally. We train at home and have participated in 4 matches since February where we learned a lot from others and the judges. At 8 months old in our first trial, Callan qualified 3 times but I blew by one station which



disqualified us (well, me). She did earn her RL1 title and 5th place that Sunday which I just couldn't believe. I have never taken a class or even seen an obedience performance before. I just thought after puppy kindergarten, advanced puppy and getting her CGC she could do Rally and love it too.

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I can't seem to condense my story.... I am just so excited about Rally and all it's benefits to my boys!

My name is Marny Temple I LOVE Rally! I am probably a fairly typical dog person; I've lived with and loved dogs all my life.... but never trained in Obedience on a regular basis until I got Logan 10 years ago. Logan has bad knees, so after he got his CD, we merely 'played' at Obedience and enjoyed our therapy work with kids and senior citizens. 'Little brother' Boo has been the original bad luck kid, having been a fabulous Obedience dog until age 15

months, when he was attacked in back-to-back training sessions during the stationeries and thereafter was fearful of other dogs in general and the obedience ring in particular and most especially stationeries. He, too, loves his therapy work, and we have continued working in Obedience, trying to work thru his problems. I have always said we are a work in progress! Both boys are trained thru Open, but could not compete, Lo because he could not jump with his bad knees, and Boo, because he could not do his stationeries.

The first time I saw a demo of Rally, I was so excited! Here, it seemed to me, was a venue in which my gimpy little ole man, Logan, could come out of 'retirement' and where I could talk to and encourage Boo all the while we work thru the tasks! In Wilmington, NC, there was no one who did Rally! No instruction to be had! One of my fellow club members decided to make Rally her own and began teaching herself the signs. She encouraged other club members to come train with her. Lo, Boo and I (plus three other teams) began working with Ginger and we embraced Rally with open arms.... and paws!

We worked hard for three months learning the signs and practicing footwork and skills. Then went to our first trial... with my ring nerves, I hoped I did not mess my boys up. I needn't have

worried! Logan was thrilled to once again be a trial! He did his very best and breezed thru the course with a score of 95! The twinkle in his eyes when we left the ring to the sound of applause made me cry! When Boo's turn came, he tried hard to overcome his fears, but could not bring himself to do his 'down', but did fairly well on the other tasks and qualified with a score of 86! I was so proud of his efforts and he was very pleased with himself! His self-confidence went up remarkably after that trial!

For our second legs, we traveled to our Specialty! Again, a very positive experience! Lo once again got a 95 and Boo gathered his courage, did his 'down' and got a 98! I was humbled by my dogs' joy in being in the ring AND in Boo's progress from working the Rally exercises, done with the happy voice! We are entered next weekend, hoping for that third leg and title!

Sometimes miracles DO happen..... have I mentioned I LOVE Rally?!?!

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My name is Erica Ferland.I was initially drawn to rally because I discovered I had a very talented Golden Retriever puppy who really needed and wanted to train and work.

Murphy ("SunKissed Karat Cake RN") excelled in puppy class and continued beautifully as we progressed through the levels our training center offered, I really felt like I should do "something" with him and I didn't dare do any serious agility with a growing youngster. Our local club put on an obedience show when he was 6 months old and offered rally as a non-regular class. Murphy clearly wasn't ready for Novice Obedience (stays and exam mainly) - but was ready to try rally. I would never show a dog as young as he is if it weren't for the opportunity rally affords us. I plan to bring him out Novice Obedience this coming July, he won't be a green novice dog worried about what happens in the ring, he'll be a confident rally dog wondering why mom isn't doodling with him. :-)

I've become a strong advocate of the power that rally offers to seasoned obedience competitors and newbies alike; rally is a place to start and ring train a young dog, a place to bring a ring sour

dog back into competition or to correct and improve a bad association with rings, and also a place for our seniors to come back and have another go round and train again.

Q ~ What are your goals in Rally?

As for my goals - they're lofty. I want to go as far as Murphy and I can. I'd love to finish is RA in the short-term and his RE of course with the ultimate goal of RAE (hard to do in my area, not much rally yet). We're going to try for a CD and maybe a CDX - who knows! We're having a lot of fun getting there though!

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My name is Susan Colton. I became involved in competitive obedience training about two years ago. I have trained a lot of breeds of dogs but right now, they are Kerry Blue Terriers. Halley, Blue Fuzzbutt, CGC, CD, RN started out about 9 years ago as a not too competitive conformation dog. She spent about 3 years being a spoiled couch potato until her obedience became a joke. That was when we started back at obedience class. Surprise, surprise she ended up with her CD in three straight trials and then got three more legs at the No.Cal.Terrier show in Sacramento in 2004. Since I don’t believe she is ready for CDX yet we started into Rally competition when it became an event in 2005.

Q ~ What advantages or disadvantages do you think your breed has when training and competing in Rally?

My other challenge is a two year old Kerry named Eidenbock's Jamison Lee, CD. When I got him just a little over a year ago, he had never been out of a kennel and didn’t know how to even walk on a leash.

What became an increasing problem with him was his overly agressive nature. I was at wits end when I was introduced to Renee Lancaster of Yolo Canine Academy in Woodland, Ca. Jamie spent 30 days with her in Doggie Boot Camp. He was neutered also. When he came home, he was a better boy.

Now, Jamie can go back to regular obedience class.

In Martinez, the end of April, Fuzz got her final leg of her RN making that three straight. and Jamie got his first leg of his RN.

I really like the Rally format because it seems easier on the dogs. They seem to enjoy it more and they have a lot less stress. It allows you to continue to compete with the dogs while they are still not ready to compete in higher levels of regular



obedience. I personally think it was a great addition to the performance format of the American Kennel Club.

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My name is Roberta Horner and I live in Pleasant Gap PA in central Pennsylvania. My dog is a Siberian Husky named Isagulek, call name Isa. Isa is a rescue dog. I got her in 1998. We have been going to obedience class ever since. About 2 or 3 years ago I watched rally at a match and it looked interesting.

On January 1st and 2nd we showed at all three shows at Westmoreland County Obedience Training Club and became the first Siberian Husky to earn a rally title. For the past year or so I have been teaching the rally class for the training club I belong to and recently started having rally run-thrus for club members every Friday so I can get some practice in also.

Q: What is your biggest training challenge: Isa is a very co-operative dog. She will try to do

anything I ask her to do. The excellent back up 3 steps was probably the hardest station to learn but once she knew what I wanted it was no problem. I think the hardest part of rally is at the trial and I am beginning to believe that this is my problem not Isa's. Isa knows all the exercises but in a trial it is like she forgot everything. I get nervous doing anything in front of people and I really think she is picking up on this.

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My name is Carol A. Wert.

Belle is a four year old Kerry Blue Terrier who has her AKC and CKC CD and is currently training for the Open classes. Comet our three year old Golden has his AKC and CKC CD including his JH. Hunter our one year old Golden is just in training for novice and his junior hunter titles. About myself I have put a UDX on Max a Kerry Blue who just passed away three weeks ago. I have trained Kerries for twenty years and my Husband Harry has trained Goldens for twenty-one years although his primary interest is the field. We live in New Fairfield, Ct. and are fortunate to have several facilities all within an hours drive to train.

Belle and I have just finished a six week rally class. I found it insightful about how the exercise is expected to be performed versus what is written. One of the other obedience classes we attend

the instructor has very skillfully integrated rally steps into the course such as the three steps forward and three steps backward. It has made obedience more fun for the dogs and the novice A handlers say "Hey we can do that" and it gives them a feeling of accomplishment with their dog.

In the middle of June we have all three dogs entered in Rally. Belle is going for her second leg, Comet is going for his first leg in Advanced and Hunter the baby is coming out for the first time in a ring ever in Novice!

To answer you question, I do not see any advantage with my Kerries, but with Goldens (unfortunately I hate to say this) I do see an advantage if that is the correct word. The Goldens definitely take direction/training more easily than my Kerries. This makes the time from first training in a venue, such as Rally or Obedience, to a first entry into a ring much shorter. Granted I am not talking about 200's but a qualifying score. The Hunting breeds were bred to take direction from a handler as in hunting. However, the Terriers in general were bred primarily to hunt vermin and other farm duties. This of course, created an animal that was more independent and a free thinker.

Thank you for asking for my input. I feel Rally can have a great future. Let's not screw it up!

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My name is Laura Nichols. My Novice A dog and first border terrier, Shiona, will be 13 years old in July. I began obedience work with her as soon as I got her at age 7 weeks, using the Monks of New Skete's and Carol Lea Benjamin's books as my initial guides, along with "How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With." We later took classes with one of my clubs, the Dog Obedience Training Club of Rochester, NY, and with an outside trainer. Shiona has earned her United Companion Dog (U-CD) from the United Kennel Club and her Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) and Rally Advanced (RA) titles from the American Kennel Club. She currently has one leg toward her Rally Excellent (RE) title, and she also has Agility and Earthdog titles. We have trained for Utility but competed in it only once so far.

My Dalmatian, Max, will be 8 in August, and I got him at age 13 weeks. Due to a heavy workload, I did not train him as intensively the first few weeks as I had Shiona, and I believe that was a mistake, especially since he was older than Shiona had been when I started with her. One trainer has told me young puppies are like young children, able to learn more easily than adults. Max also is very different to train than Shiona is -- he must be settled before going into the obedience ring, while she must be revved up, and he is more sensitive to

corrections, for example. So I had a lot to learn. In addition, at work I had to switch to a night shift, which made it impossible to take most classes. Within the last year, we have started clicking as a team, and he has earned his Rally Novice (RN) title, a leg toward his RA, two legs toward his Companion Dog title and two Agility titles.

We live in Rochester, NY.

Q ~ Do you think your dog has any advantages or disadvantages when participating in rally? Why?

Between my two dogs, Max enjoys Rally the most and has the most advantages, despite his lack of formal Open or Utility training. Because of his sensitivity, he loves the fact that I can tell him he is doing a good job, and the fact that I can stay beside him even in the honor exercise prevents him from getting worried, our downfall for many years in traditional Obedience. His primary disadvantages are his energy, which requires us to take long walks the morning of a trial, and the dearth of classes to which I can take him, which has prevented him from getting enough distraction training in a ring. One time when Rally was a non-regular AKC class, he kept breaking away from me to go kiss children at ringside. However, since I can keep talking to him, which he enjoys, he is learning not to do that.

Even before we started Rally training, Shiona could do all the exercises except the backing up because of our years of Utility and Agility training. She also has learned much better attention than Max has. However, most of the Rally courses we have run have had a large number of sits and downs, which are very demotivating for her. Under those conditions, she "stresses down," lagging, sniffing and either refusing to sit or lie down or doing so very slowly. She does better in traditional Obedience because I can rev her up by petting her between exercises.

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Lisa Leipold of Altoona, PA writes:

I have recently started training Whiz (2½ yr old Australian Shepherd) for Rally. At this time we have completed our RN title and have 1 leg towards our RA title. We have been working on Obedience and Agility since he was a puppy. I have trained other dogs over the years and have put numerous obedience and agility titles on my dogs. I also show my dogs in both the breed and performance rings. I feel that it is important to have dogs titled on “both ends.”

Basically I have trained alone or with friends. Myself and another member of our club have offered workshops on Rally to members of our club. I have also been teaching and hosting Rally run



thrus for our club. Our club had Sandy Walroth come and do a workshop on the Advanced and Excellent signs. A lot of what I have learned has been through reading and the “RallyObedienceGroup@yahoo.” Seems like anytime I hit a hurdle someone on that group can help! It also is a big help to have the support of very talented people in our club that teach agility and obedience.

I can’t say enough about how nice it is to take a dog in the ring that has never been in the obedience ring before and be able to encourage and talk to them. Helps calm your nerves which in turn calms the dogs down.

Q ~ Do you think your breed has any advantages in Rally? Most definitely. The Australian Shepherd is a very smart breed. Sometimes I have to wonder who is training who! I have found that he has done very well in any venue that we have competed in.

Any disadvantages? Sometimes I think that I expect too much from him because he is an Aussie. At times when I am training something new I have to stop and realize that this is new to him and go slow until he gets it!

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Stony is the dark wolfgrey, Ashlar is the silver... and the pic...is what happens when a nice photo session becomes an excuse to play "I touched you....I touched you....I touched you...I touched you- Come get me!" Laura Heft writes:

I started working my Alaskan Malamute, Stony, in Rally about three years ago- it had been a while since I'd worked him in ANY obedience. After two CD legs, he'd decided that obedience wasn't for him! He's EXTREMELY intelligent- too smart for his own good! Rally, however, seems to be right up his alley! My other male Malamute, Ashlar, had a few months of obedience training a couple years ago! He's not real bright, and I didn't think he had the aptitude for obedience work. He's very sweet, though, and as honest as the day is long. He really CARES about doing things right! I was very pleased this year when both boys earned their Rally Novice legs all on the same days, at the same trials, completing their RN's in three straight trials: Stony with a 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place! Ashlar will be training more, with an eye on Rally Advanced for him! And "wild-child" Rhya, my 14-month-old bitch, will be starting her Rally education this summer.

As a side note, my dogs haven't actually been to an obedience or Rally class in about two years. Instead, we've worked on "malamute" skills like sledding, carting, weight pulling, and backpacking. Plus Ashlar (and now Rhya) is mainly a breed-ring dog...well, ok, FIRST he's my house pet.

Q ~ Do you think your breed has any advantages in Rally? Any disadvantages?

No, I don't think my breed has any advantages in the Rally ring, except just MAYBE a naturally keen awareness of the nuances of body posture and movement...although this could be just as much a disadvantage! I believe the only kind of disadvantage in general would be SIZE. As with all large dogs, course size and configuration really matters. I recently competed on a course so tight, by the time my smaller Malamute made the 270 left turn, we had to correct our line, as the next sign was only a few paces away, and to our left! In fact, the whole course went like this. As anyone with large dogs knows, keeping our dogs with us usually entails taking big strides! So ring size could be a real issue for us! Also, as anyone with "independent" breeds knows, these types of dogs can be a challenge to train and compete with! Malamutes don't relish repetition. If they've done it right once or twice, they're now done with it - do something else, quickly! And Mals DON'T take orders...If you don't warm up enough, you haven't captured their attention yet. If you warm up too much, you lose it for good! It's a very fine line! Yet, I don't think this is any different for me than with ANY of the independent breeds...


Going It Alone

Ruthann and husband of 33 years, Raymond McCaulley, live in Sierra Vista, AZ. Her family includes daughter Jennifer, son-in-law Michael, and Matthew, the best grandson in the world (born 2004). Ruthann has been involved in formal dog obedience since 1999, and trained her LC Chihuahua, “Delia,” but has never been successful at training the dog-like cat, “Tara,” who remains totally disobedient. Ruthann and Raymond have a brand new Australian Terrier puppy, “Wally,” starting a career in obedience, rally, agility and therapy. She’s had multiple dogs since she was 20 and currently trains in rally as well as freestyle, agility, and therapy work. When she’s not teaching Rally classes, Ruthann’s a 4-H project leader for agility, obedience, rally and CGC, and a provisional Rally judge and CGC evaluator.

By Ruthann McCaulley [email protected]

This issue we finish the novice exercises. You’ve come a long way and should be proud of yourself and your dog. It takes a lot of work, diligence, daily practice, dealing with frustration, problem solving, and repetition, but it should be fun.

When you go out to practice, be sure you have a plan. I think that is where most people training alone fail – and why they fail to make progress. Each time you work with your dog you should have a goal, something specific

you want to train for, something you want to accomplish, improve, perfect, review.

Always start your training session with what you are having the most difficulty on, or the newest exercise. That way you are working on it while you are fresh.

Keep a training journal. Write down what you worked on each day and if you train several times a day write what you did each time. It is also good to write down what problems you had, what big success. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or fancy.

Conor heels with perfect attention and a bounce in his step.

Abbreviations

LT = Left Turn RT = Right Turn RH = Right Hand LH = Left Hand CT = Click and Treat (your correct response marker word) IP = Incorrect Performance MSSR = Moving Side Step Right R = Right L = Left HE = Handler Error OP = Out of Position

Class Outline for Months Five and Six

- Continue to work on attention - #9 – 270 Right - #10 - 270 Left - #11 – 360 Right - #12 - 360 Left - # 20 – Moving Side Step Right - # 21 – Spiral Right Dog

Outside - #22 - Spiral Left Dog Inside - # 25 - Halt 1,2,3,steps - # 27 - Moving Down - # 29 - Left About Turn


Going It Alone (cont’d)

You will be working on three things during all of your rally practices/classes:

1. Training the handler to properly perform the exercises, footwork, pauses, etc.

2. Training the dog to properly perform the exercises, one little step at a time. Don’t rush; don’t move on until it is right. Make haste slowly.

3. Train the dog and handler to work the course as a team – something that falls into place much faster when both partners know their parts and have learned to work together as a team outside of the rally course format. You have enough to concentrate on going through the course, don’t complicate it by adding things you should have practiced and learned.

For information on attention work, see Going It Alone in the last three issues. Marsha Houston also wrote a wonderful article on teaching your dog attention in the 2nd issue.

The heeling dowel is one of those training aids I can’t live without. It takes some dogs a LONG time to get used to the dowel, but don’t give up. Keep at it and go slowly. You can find information on teaching your dog to accept the heeling dowel in the first issue of Go Rally.

Here are the exercises you will be working on for the next two months:

The first group of exercises consists of turns only found in Rally. These 270s and 360s are such great fun, and judges love to use them on their courses. They do take some practice to be performed correctly, and all of them should be done as a nice tight turn – within a hula-hoop, not a big sweeping circle.

To practice, trace around the hula-hoop with chalk and do your turns inside the lines. YOU are the one turning inside the hoop, not the dog. TURN, don’t “circle” around.

#9 – 270° Right Turn. While heeling, the team makes a 270º turn to the handler's right. 270° turns are performed as a tight circle, but not around the exercise sign. (May be used more than once.)

Note the “tight circle, but not around the exercise sign.” This is important. Performing the exercise around the sign would be IP. Because this is a change of direction turn, it will generally be placed on the course so that it is directly in your path as you walk through the course. You will then be doing your turn right in front of the sign.

“Tight circle” is taught in Judges Seminars as “inside a hula hoop.” There is the added complication that these turns “may be performed as pivots” – BUT pivots (which we’ll get to when we do RA and RE exercises) may NOT be performed as turns.

The 270 R is essentially a left turn done the long way around. This seems to cause fewer problems for people than the 270L as the handler is on the inside with the dog going around them so their circle/turn stays tight.

This illustrates using the heeling dowel to help the dog’s front stay in as you go around. Note the shoulders are NOT turned toward the right but almost back, which is going to cause the dog to lag.



Lagging, tight lead, and possibly dog interfering with handler are some possible deductions here. Don’t be afraid to encourage your dog to hurry around the outside, pat your leg if you must. It will also help if you turn your shoulders around to the right instead of looking back at your dog. If you look back, it will cause your dog to lag even more. This is true in all heeling; not just on the turns.

To keep the dog close to your side as you turn, use a heeling dowel (see the first issue of Go Rally for getting your dog used to the heeling dowel). There is also wonderful information in this in Terri Arnold’s book. Press on the dog’s shoulder as you turn to the right.

#10 – 270° Left Turn. While heeling, the team makes a 270º turn to the handler's left. 270º turns are performed as a tight circle, but not around the exercise sign. (May be used more than once.)

The same tight circle applies here, and so does the admonition not to do this around the sign. Dog interfering with the handler is a common deduction here, as well as IP for making the circle

way too big. Practice those nice tight circles. Yes, they are more work, but the time spent will be worth it in the end. Take tiny little steps; which makes your part of the circle sure to be small.

The 270 L tends to give handlers more problems, especially if they have big dogs. The tendency is to walk around the dog while the dog makes a big circle, so your “hula hoop” sized turn becomes something resembling a run around a cul-de-sac. Not good – IP. To do this correctly you must train your dog to “back up” or get in with his rear feet, especially for large dogs. Terri Arnold’s books teach this beautifully.

Use the dowel to put pressure on the rear flank of the dog, pushing their rear end back around you. Here you do want to turn your shoulders back and to the left as you rotate around.

You will use a heeling dowel and this time put pressure on the rear end of the dog, along the flank. The dog should side step with the back feet, or just move his back

end to your left while the front end stands relatively still. I use the command “in” for this (borrowed from my freestyle training) but most people use “back.” Whatever command you pick is fine, just be consistent when using it.

Teaching your dog to do a tight left turn takes time, don’t rush and don’t be discouraged. It will pay big dividends in the end, especially when you got to RA and RE and have those lovely pivots to execute.

#11 – 360° Right Turn. While heeling, the team makes a 360º turn to the handler's right. 360º turns are performed as a tight circle, but not around the exercise sign.

Similar to the 270 R but this time you go all the way around in a circle and continue along on the same path. If you find yourself getting dizzy, do NOT look down at the dog. You may also find that it’s hard to keep your place and know when you’ve gone around. Again, look up and have the focal point as the next sign to help you straighten out at the right time.



Train this the same way you do the 270, using the heeling dowel. It also helps to lure the dog around with a BIG visible, tasty treat. The same problems and deductions common for the 270 apply here.

NOTE: Yunk and Byron teach “the dizzy spin” in their book, worth reading and applying to many things in rally. See resources listed at the end of this article.

#13 – 360° Left Turn. While heeling, the team makes a 360º turn to the handler's left. 360º turns are performed as a tight circle, but not around the exercise sign.

Just like the 270 L but you will go in a complete 360 degree circle. Keep your feet moving in tiny little steps to be sure that

you aren’t walking around your dog but your dog is backing in and staying tight and close to you as you both circle around.

One of my students uses her hands in a very subtle manner to direct her Golden Retriever – a carry over from her freestyle. Sometimes she will just gesture with a finger to show the dog to “get back” or follow on around.

Bonnie Burer and Bisbee heel through the cones, nice loose leash.

See the subtle hand cue telling Bisbee to turn left?

Bonnie uses her finger to indicate to Bisbee that she is to come around to heel position. It’s all very subtle and demonstrates a wonderful sense of teamwork between them. Their first time in the rally ring they won their Nov A class with a score of 98.

#20 – Moving Side Step Right. While heeling, the handler takes one step diagonally to the right and continues moving forward along the newly established line. The dog maintains heel position. The exercise may be performed just past the exercise sign.

This really isn’t a difficult exercise to perform, but is one that is most frequently seen being done wrong. There are two elements involved here, (1) handler takes one step diagonally to the right while walking – without stopping, slowing down, hesitating, turning, (2) the dog maintains heel position – moving to the right with the handler.



Step diagonally to the right with R foot

It is important to take the step to the right with the RIGHT foot. DO NOT cross step with the left foot that is IP. Do not step directly to the right but diagonally – which is actually quite easy if you don’t think about it too hard. You are naturally moving your R foot

forward for the next step, just imagine you are, as one of my students to descriptively put it, “stepping over a pile of poop.” Just as you are about to put your foot down, you move it over to the right and continue going along on the same straight line.

The step doesn’t have to be a giant one, but should be big enough to allow the judge to see it clearly. DO NOT make the judge think, “did she or didn’t she take that diagonal step.”

It is also important that you continue to go straight. You are only taking a diagonal step, not angling off to the right.

YES

NO

Many judges will try to be behind the working team on the course to judge this giving them a clear view of the step to the side.

The dog must move with the handler, maintaining heel position. Some dogs, especially larger dogs, can be taught to do a beautiful “side pass” moving sideways with the handler. This is wonderful but not required. As long as the dog heads to the right with the handler, showing teamwork and staying in heel position as it follows the handler “head first”, it should be correct.

(continued next page…)

Practical Exercises Here are some easy exercises to practice the turns. You can insert other exercises you need to practice between each of the 270 turns. Be sure to work going both right and left. For ease in practice, use cones to indicate the corners of your little square practice course and then insert exercise signs between the 270 turns as desired.

For the 360 practice, you are better off to use all cones, and do the 360 beside the cones rather than bothering with signs. Makes the course set up quick and easy and gets the practice in without much hassle. At each corner going clockwise you will do a R turn. Make this turn neat, sharp and exact, no sweeping arcs.

On the counterclockwise practice you will do a simple L turn at each corner. Alternate 360 L and R between plain L and R turns for practice. Be sure to go both ways around the square.

= 270 turn

= 360 turn Alternate R and L



If you move to the right but your dog continues along the old path and doesn’t respond to the new position and course of the handler it will probably be IP.

Pat your leg, call your dog to your side – let the dog know that the team is now changing course slightly. You can put a word/command to the move to the right. Many people use “close”, others repeat the “heel” command to remind the dog where they are to be.

A heeling dowel helps push the dog to the R with you as you sidestep. You would press the dowel against the middle area of the dog

Side step viewed from the rear.

#21. Spiral Right - Dog Outside. This exercise requires three pylons or posts placed in a straight line with spaces between them of approximately 6 - 8 feet. Spiral Right indicates the handler must turn to the right when moving around each pylon or post. This places the dog on the outside of the turns (See 1A and 1B). The exercise sign is placed near or on the first pylon or post where the spiral is started.

Ah, the spirals. What can I say but learn to deal with them and enjoy then along the way. I happen to love doing them, but many of my students grumble when they find them on my course. The most difficult part is remembering how many cones you are going around each time – and this is made much easier if you count out loud; “Going around three cones and back to the beginning, going around two cones ….” Don’t forget the “back to the beginning”, many of my students forget to go back around the first cone.

Nick and Renee do the spiral. Bonnie has been helping Renee use hand signals with Nick and it’s made a BIG difference.

A memory tidbit for handling spirals in sequences I use the analogy of boats in the open sea, all needing brought into the safety of the port.

The first cone in the spiral is your “anchored boat in the port.” You leave the port and head to sea to pick up the farthest boat, and come back to circle the port, then head to sea to pick up the nearer boat, and come back to circle the port.

When we first began training the spiral, my students and I experienced confusion as to which cone was the first of three. Sometimes I’d find folks circling the third cone before coming back past cone 1.

Since we started using this memory tidbit, I hear my students muttering to themselves, “circle the port and go back after the second boat.” Try this tidbit and see if it doesn’t work for you!

Marsha Houston



All cone exercises have potential for disaster if you aren’t careful when small cones are used and the sign is placed on the first cone. It’s SO easy to walk right by the first cone. Be vigilant when walking the course to note if the sign is on the first cone (very often it is) and whether or not the cones are small or large ones. Those little ones are so easily hidden behind the sign!

It’s a very good idea to practice cone exercises using cones of different sizes so you are prepared for anything you encounter in the ring.

To perform this exercise you will circle around all three cones heading to the handler’s right (clockwise) and back to the first cone. Be especially vigilant if the sign is posted on the first cone, it’s easy to miss and almost deadly if the cones are small ones, which can be nearly hidden by the sign. After circling all three cones, you will go around the first two – being sure to go back to the beginning, and then around only one.

It’s easy to get dizzy. Try NOT to look down or at your dog but keep your focus on where you’re going with an occasional glance down at the dog.

Judges LOVE to use cone exercises for change of direction, so when you walk the course be very careful to note how you enter and how you exit to get to the next exercise. Also be sure you do the spiral in the correct direction, there is both a right and

left spiral. Generally the course flow will take you into the spiral, but occasionally the course just doesn’t flow smoothly and you may find yourself having to jog to enter properly to spiral R or L instead of just moving into the cones with ease.

Nice flow in and out – I can’t draw lines on the computer, you will want to stay as close to the cones as you can.

Because you must turn L to get into the spiral from the direction of your approach, this doesn’t have as nice a “flow” as the other spiral entrance. Learn to “deal with” it and practice for it Also be very careful, this is one of those times it’s easy to do the wrong spiral.

Try to stay as close to the cones as you can, especially when the handler is on the inside (Spiral right). Be careful NOT to tick or hit a cone however…..you don’t want the points deducted. Lagging, OP, and tight lead are other more common deductions here, with frequent IP for not going around the proper cones in the proper order.

#22. Spiral Left - Dog Inside. This exercise requires three pylons or posts placed in a straight line with spaces between them of approximately 6 - 8 feet.

Spiral Left indicates that the handler must turn to the left when moving around each pylon or post. This places the dog on the inside of the turns (See 2). The exercise sign is placed near or on the first pylon or post where the spiral is started.

Spiral left is done exactly the same as the spiral right, but this time the handler is walking counterclockwise and the dog is on the inside closest to the cones. Here it is important to be sure the dog has enough room to maneuver smoothly but not tick or hit a cone. This becomes more of an issue with larger dogs.

Here are some illustrations to help you perform the spirals with their many variations.

Large dogs need more room, but try not to swing wide around any of the cones. Not only does it take more time, it is just sloppy.



Janet and Willie doing the straight 8 weave twice. Notice how close Janet is to the cones, and how attentive Willie is to her.

A Special thank you goes to Pat Knepley for her considerable computer skills drawing these lovely diagrams (at right) of spiral entrances and exits. She gave me permission to use the diagrams in Go Rally, but credits Sandy Walroth for the originals. As you can see, there are a lot of ways to get into and out of the spirals.

You should practice all of these entrances and exits. Don’t bother with an entire course, just set up the spiral, and then go through the diagrams using one exercise sign about 10 feet before the spiral (set so that you enter from the direction the arrow is pointing) and another about 10 feet after the spiral causing you to exit in the direction of the arrow.

It would be prudent to practice with cones spaced 6, 7, and 8 feet apart. Each gives a different look and feel to the exercise. You don’t want to be faced with something totally new and different on the rally course in an actual trial.

SPIRAL LEFT

SPIRAL RIGHT

#25 – HALT - 1, 2, 3 Steps Forward. The team halts with the dog sitting in heel position to begin the exercise. The handler takes one step forward, with the dog maintaining heel position, and halts. The dog sits when the handler halts. This is followed by two steps forward - halt, and three steps forward - halt, with the dog heeling each time the handler moves forward, and sitting each time the handler halts. (Stationary exercise)

I’m still trying to figure out why I didn’t include this exercise the very first session – it’s straight forward heeling and sitting – getting the dog to get up from a sit and move with the handler (maintaining heel position) one, two, then three steps at a time with a nice straight prompt sit after each step or series of steps.

Bert and Julia halt and are ready for the first step. Note the perfect attention Bert is giving to Julia, and she is smiling at him. Julia is 11 and she and Bert are quite a team. They placed 3rd in Nov A their first time in rally.



Count out loud. It’s easy to forget how many steps you are supposed to take. Work with the dog to get a prompt straight sit each time. DO NOT pop the leash to get the dog to sit (you can while training, but that would be major HE in the ring). DO NOT shuffle your feet after you take a step. Another handler error to IP. Try to keep your steps nice and even, and make each step distinct. DO NOT make the judge think and wonder if you took a step, if you shuffled your feet for another step. Practice this without the dog if you must, don’t confuse the dog while you are practicing your part.

This exercise is similar looking to the call front 1-2-3 steps Back, so be careful to read the sign when walking the Course.

Compare the 1-2-3 step signs

Remember, you can talk to your dog! Try “Ready? Heel one, sit” and as you say heel your dog will hopefully get up and be ready to move forward with you as you

take one step. You may step out on either foot, it doesn’t matter.

As you tell your dog to “sit” bring your feet together ending the first step. “Ready? Heel one

two sit” and bring your feet together. Repeat for three steps. You’ve then completed the exercise and are ready to move on.

Be sure the dog sits completely after each stop. It’s a common IP for the handler to take the next step(s) before the dog’s little bottom is completely on the ground, especially if the dog is slow to sit.

Many people think this is one of the “easy” exercise, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted!

# 27 – Moving Down. While moving with the dog in heel position, the handler commands the dog to drop to a down position, as the handler pauses next to the dog. Once the dog is completely in the down position, the handler moves forward commanding the dog to heel from the down position. (Stationary exercise)

The moving down is an exercise that gives many novice people a lot of trouble. It must be taught one little step at a time, and then practiced repeatedly in many different places until the dog is comfortable and quick at dropping from a walk into a down.

There must be NO pause before the dog goes from MOVING to DOWN. The handler, however, may stop forward movement as they direct the dog to down – and use hand signals. IF the dog pauses, sits first, stops in standing heel position it is not a moving down. The dog moves directly from walking to down.

I give Wally the signal to go down and turn toward him. I want him to do a “fold back” down right where he is. Using my hand directly in front of his face helps stop his forward motion and start the fold back down.

Wally is down, dropped right where told to, and I am giving him a treat – actually right now he’s licking liver from my fingers. I will stand up in heel position before we go forward again.



Delia has a very good moving down (she’s been practicing 4 1/2 years longer than Wally). Here I’ve deliberately stepped in front of her with my R foot and turned toward her – something you might do in training to help the dog stop forward motion as you signal them into the fold back down. Of course even dogs who do know the exercise expect special treats when they’re being used as photographic demo dogs.

I taught the moving down by first teaching the dog a “fold back down.” I then began to “drop the dog” all around the house, yard, everywhere. For detailed information on teaching your dog the fold back down, please see Perspectives column in this issue. There are two questions about the moving down from exhibitors with input from a judge and two instructors, including detailed information provided by Pat Steer on teaching the fold back down.

Don’t get discouraged if this takes a long time to teach. The time you spend will be rewarded with precise performance when you’re in the ring.

#29 – Left About Turn. While moving with the dog in heel position, the handler makes an about turn to the left, while at the same time, the dog must move around the handler to the right and to heel position. The dog does not sit before moving forward in heel position with the handler.

This exercise is more difficult to try to describe this than it is to actually do. While moving with the dog in heel position, the handler makes an about turn to the left. So far, so good, you’ve done left U turns. Try it now WITHOUT your dog. Walk along and then make a U turn to your left and return back the way you came. Do it a couple times until you feel confident doing it.

The dog must move around the handler to the right and to heel position. Think of this as the “right finish.” I use the command “around” for my dog to finish to the right, so that is what I use in this exercise. The dog moves “around” the handler to the right, while the handler is turning to the left. The dog does not sit before moving forward in heel position with the handler.

Delia and I approach the left about turn in heel position.

Delia has started the “around” finish. I would NOT be standing still if we were actually doing this, but for purposes of illustration, I stood where I approached while heeling so you could see the dog moving around me.

Transfer the leash from the L hand to the R hand as the dog goes around you. Past the leash around behind your back and after your turn and the dog is back in heel position, the leash can go back to your L hand. Keep that leash loose!



Delia is just about around and back to heel position and I have turned around to my left. We are both facing the same way again. OOPS – looks like her leash may be a little tight.

We’ve finished the left about turn and have started heeling off to the next sign. The slack is back in my leash.

Working with my 5 month old puppy Wally. He knows the “around” finish, but this was only the 3rd time we’ve worked on the left about turn. You can see that I’ve turned almost completely (my feet aren’t squared around yet) but he is lagging. I need to encourage him to go around more quickly – and watch the leash doesn’t tighten.

Ah, Wally made it around and we’re ready to heel to the next sign.

And off we go – with a nice J in the leash.

Using the pictures as reference, here is one way I use with my students to help teach this.

Start with the dog in front and tell the dog to “around” or whatever command you use for the R finish. Do this once or twice to get the dog “into the groove.” Now while the dog is doing the R finish, you turn to the left and meet the dog back in heel. Don’t forget – LOTS of treats and praise.

Keeping your dog in the zone with interactive play After years of adopting dogs with “issues,” and years of teaching new pet owners how to live with their cherished companion dogs, I’ve developed a training habit that is detrimental to an enthusiastic, upbeat performance program.

I tend to “tame” my dogs. I use lots of calming signals, soft petting, soft talk, smiles, etc. And my dogs respond by calmly responding to cues.

In order to pick up the pace and encourage vigor and excitement from my dog, I have to learn to cue vigorously, and reward vigorously! One way to reward vigorously is with interactive play.

A brilliant dog-trainer (Pati Hatfield Mah) once pointed out to me that my dog’s performance begins the moment we head to the start line, ends when the last reward has been doled out. The entire time should be the most exciting part of my dog’s life.

If I approach the start line vigorously, work the course vigorously, and spend an equal amount of time rewarding vigorously, my dog will learn that this is an exciting, vigorous event. He’ll react by offering an enthusiastic performance.

Interactive play allows me to infuse our reward ritual with excitement and adrenaline. Tossing a tennis ball or Frisbee, tugging on the leash, chasing and retrieving a sealed bowl of food which he gets to eat, or simply getting to gobble treat after treat from a generous pile – all are vigorous forms of play and reward.

Marsha Houston



Using the pictures as reference, here is one way I use with my students to help teach this.

Start with the dog in front and tell the dog to “around” or whatever command you use for the R finish. Do this once or twice to get the dog “into the groove.” Now while the dog is doing the R finish, you turn to the left and meet the dog back in heel. Don’t forget – LOTS of treats and praise.

You don’t want to drill this to death at any one time, but repeat a couple more times, each time having the dog a little more to your left before you tell the dog to “around.” DO NOT make the dog set himself up in this off center position. You have the dog sit and then step off to the side and give the command. Each time, use treats and praise to tell your dog they are doing just what they should.

This is one exercise that is best done with speed. If you slow down your dog is most likely going to sit or stall, confused about what they are to do. Just heel forward, give the around command, do your left U turn and continue heeling on. Most dogs will hustle to get back into heel position. You might tell your dog to “heel” as you finish your left turn and the dog is behind you starting to circle around. This will remind you where they are headed. The minute they get back into heel position CT and praise. Play for a minute and then repeat.

When you do this exercise in competition, don’t slow down. Keep the momentum going and keep driving forward. It’s a LOT of fun to do and looks fantastic, especially to the spectators who see both dog and handler “whirling about in different directions.”

I would like to thank my “personal photographers”, my husband Raymond, and good friend Barb Tillman. It seems like Ray gets to work out in the hot sun trying to get just the right photo while I train the dogs and even pose some things to make my point. Barb brings her daughter Julia to rally class and has taken many wonderful “working” photos for me during the actual classes. None of the class photos were posed.

Special thanks to my students and their dogs: Julia Tillman (11 years old) and “Bert”, Ch. Penema’s Prokofiev CGC, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel; Janet Wray and Australian Shepherd “Willie”, Colorado's Chipita Royale; Renee Polite and GSD “Nick “, Ch. Kimbers St. Nick of Kingsford CGC; Bonnie Burer and Golden Retriever “Bisbee”; Anne Lynch and Border Collie “Conor”, Darkwind's Blame It On Love CGC; and my two special dogs LC Chihuahua “Delia”, AZ Kik’n Tuff-E-Nuff Delia, CDX, NAP, NJP, CGC, V-NAC, V-NGC, TDI; and barely 5 month old wild child Australian Terrier “Wally”, Benayr R Walkabout Wally.

References Steppin’ Up to Success Terri Arnold with Anne Paul.

Book one focuses on footwork, theory and attention, the foundation work and the one you must read first. Book two deals with CD work and most things in this book can be applied to rally. Very good advice on training heeling and figure 8 work. Book 3 moves onto Open and Utility work, but provides a wealth of good information on teaching your dog to jump, pivoting footwork (used for directed retrieve and scent discrimination). Some clicker work is done in these books. Terri uses an actual clicker rather than a marker word.



Competition Obedience, A Balancing Act Adele Yunck and Judy Byron.

This book has a lot of wonderful information on teaching your dog to heel, footwork, clicker (CR) training, as well as jumping which is used later. Much of the information can be applied to rally training.

Competition Obedience for the Small Dog by Barbara Cecil and Gerianne Darnell

This is the small dog owners “bible” for obedience training. Small dogs have unique problems and this book deals with many of those special issues. It covers everything from teaching the puppy/dog to sit and down to utility work.

Click for Joy! by Melissa C. Alexander.

This is a superb book on the subject of clicker training, highly readable and valuable for trainers of all experience levels.

Building Blocks for Performance by Bobbie Anderson with Tracy Libby

This book is aimed at owners with new puppies, but I’ve found several of her ideas applied to my older dog have worked wonders. (Training alone for competition obedience I missed a lot of things.) Lots of good interactive games for you and your dog.

Online groups that offer help in obedience and rally Rally obedience list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rally-obed/

Front and Finish obedience list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/frontandfinish/

Obedience Small Dog list (geared toward special needs of the small dog) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ObedienceSmallDog/

ClickerSolutions email list, http://www.clickersolutions.com/subscribe.htm

Obedienceterriers list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/obedterriers/

There are also many breed specific lists that offer lots of help for your special breed.



Practice Courses Here are four full courses for you to practice. Watch the spacing very carefully, and after you’ve set up the course, walk it and tweak it to be sure you aren’t running into cones or signs, especially after any about turns. The spiral exercises are stressed in these courses, watch the entrance and be sure you’re going the correct way around the cones.. Watch how you must exit to get to the next station.



Be sure you go all the way around the first cone the last time and head toward the CFFRH on the spiral left. On the spiral right, you must be sure to completely circle the first cone and head toward the RT. Many times errors are made on cone exercises because the first cone isn’t properly circled. Entry to the spiral left is not “smooth” but deal with it and learn it, you may well see it in a trial.



The spiral L is quite awkward here. BUT, not all courses are going to be smooth and have a good flow so it’s good to practice these things.



Test Yourself – by Ruthann McCaulley

Remember last issue I promised you a test. If you were in a class setting, the instructor would most likely be “testing” you all the time, asking you questions and commenting on your performance to help you improve and get things right. Since you are going it alone, you will need to test yourself. There are two parts to this test, the first is about rally rules and regulations, the second deals with your performance and practice.

Rally Rules and Regulations 4. Have you read and studied

the Rally Regulations?

5. Have you read and studied the Obedience Regulations? Anything not specifically covered in Rally Regulations always reverts back to the Obedience Regulations and you need to know BOTH of them.

6. Have you read and studied the AKC Description of Exercises with Signs book? You should know these backward and forwards. (Both of these can be ordered from www.akc.org - click on store. There are two separate booklets you need to order, the regulations and the descriptions of the rally signs. When you enter a rally trial you sign a form saying you’ve read the rules and agree to abide by them!)

7. What is the minimum size of a rally ring?

8. Where are the signs to be placed on the rally course? What are the exceptions to this?

9. What will the judge say to you when you enter the ring?

10. When does timing start?

11. Why does timing matter?

12. Complete this statement: “The team of dog and handler moves continuously . . .”

13. What kind of communication between dog and handler may be used in rally?

14. Can you give a verbal command and hand signal at the same time?

15. How many times can you repeat a command/signal?

16. How many exercises are there on a Rally Novice course?

17. What score do you need to qualify for a leg in Rally?

18. How many legs do you need for your RN title? Under how many judges?

How are You Doing in Practice? Are you having fun? Is your dog having fun? If not, why? Don’t forget to play with your dog after you do a little training. Training and play should not be separate things, they should be so interwoven that you and the dog don’t know where one ends and

the other stops. Don’t drill until you and the dog are sick of practicing something. Work on an exercise (or part of an exercise) two or three times and then move on – always end with success, even if it’s only doing a little part of an exercise. You can go over things many times during the day one or two at a time and make more progress than if you spend extended periods of time drilling. Don’t forget to train with treats and toys – you’re training! Phase the treats out gradually, but never leave them out completely, especially when working on new things. Treat your dog and play with your dog at totally unexpected times, especially if they’ve done something especially well, or conquered a difficult element.

Are you walking at a brisk pace? This is required by the regulations “brisk but normal pace”- use a metronome set at a minimum of 120 beats per minute and take a step with each beat. This applies to even small dogs – I have a Chihuahua and have been docked for not moving at a brisk pace!

Are you training for a 100? Always train for perfection. So many things happen in the ring to steal your points; don’t give them away by not training for a 100 even if you don’t care what your score is as long as you get your Q.



Are you using the leash to correct your dog or get him to sit when you halt? Even when training it is a good idea to start phasing this out ASAP – every time the leash tightens you loose one point, and if you are correcting the dog or pulling on the leash to get the dog to do something it is handler error and can even lead to NQ if it is done all through the course. Use VERBAL encouragement and hand signals. If you are having a hard time not tugging on that leash, do NOT hold the least in the LH at all – hold it in the RH and let the LH hang loosely at your side.

Do you have a nice “J” in your leash where it dips slightly coming from your hands to the dog’s collar? This J will give you slack in the lead, enough “play” so the leash doesn’t tighten easily, but also insures that the leash isn’t so loose it drags or can become tangled in the dog’s feet or wrap around it’s ears etc.

See the “J” in the leash?

See the “J” in the leash?

Are you working in different locations to practice attention and work around distractions with your dog? Attention is everything – if the dog isn’t paying attention to you, you will not be a team and work well together in the ring. Attention is something you must work on constantly. You will have a ton of distractions at every show, so work up to them, introduce them slowly and always be on the lookout for new things to “proof” for.

You expect your dog to know her part of the exercises; do you know your part? Can you explain clearly what is expected in each exercise and tell someone exactly how it is to be performed? TEAMWORK is a very important element in rally. You are not in this alone, you are one of the team of two - - do your part well and help your dog as much as you possibly can.

At the start line, do you pop up on the leash to get your dog to sit? This is a leash correction to your dog and could be scored. Tell your dog to sit and work until you do not need to use the leash.

Is your cone work good? Do you move around the cones as close to them as possible when you’re on the inside? When the dog is on the inside, do you stay close to the conebut not so close that he is crowding them and bumping them? How much room you leave will depend on the size of your dog. You should also keep a good brisk pace around the cones. Don’t lean back and look back but push forward and move your shoulders with your body as you round the cones no matter which direction you are going.

Are your turns nice and tight? The 360s and 270s should be inside a hula-hoop and the Right and Left turn should be smart and sharp. Don’t make the judge wonder if you did or didn’t – do them right and practice them right from the very first.

Are you performing the exercises within about 2 feet of each sign? The signs should be off to your right, except for turns (when sign is generally placed directly in your path) or the Moving Side Step Right where you may perform the exercise past the sign.



How is your footwork? Are you dragging your feet? Taking steps of various lengths? Do you speed up and slow down, or nearly stop on some of the turns? Do you shuffle your feet on the 1-2-3 step exercises or the call front exercises? Poor footwork, especially on the 1-2-3 step exercises and call fronts can range from handler error of –3 to IP.

Are you wearing good shoes? NO sandals, flip-flops, thongs, etc. Shoes should fit well and look nice – no sloppy tennis shoes. Laces should be tied. Ideally you should wear soft soles – easier for the dog if you step on him, and the soft soles generally give you better traction on all surfaces than grass.

Is there an obvious sense of teamwork between you and your dog? Teamwork is a very important part of rally. Lack of teamwork can cost you up to 10 points. It should be obvious to the judge that the dog is working with you – going with you

willingly and is attentive to you and your commands and signals, not just slogging around the ring at the end of a leash (which you’re desperately trying to keep loose) with you bossing him around. Teamwork goes both ways. The dog should be attentive to you, but you should always be attentive to your dog and working with him to make his run the best it can be.

Conor and Anne demonstrate wonderful teamwork – and focus. Good heel position too!


The Teaching Scene

Lyn lives with her husband, John, and two Belgian Tervuren in Toledo, Ohio. She’s been involved with dogs since 1979, and has been training for conformation and obedience since 1981. Lyn has retired from teaching and freelance writing, but has taken up her pen again to help build this Rally magazine. Lyn is also a Rally judge, and enjoys teaching classes and course design. Lyn says, “I’d like to see rally succeed beyond our wildest dreams and I want titles won by exhibitors in my ring to be something they can be proud of having earned.

By Lyn Kalinoski [email protected]

Stationary Exercises Stationary exercises are defined as exercises requiring one or more sits at heel. Come front exercises while stationary have their own set of training issues and are covered in another lesson.

Stationary Exercises can be divided into two groups: those with no change of direction and those with a change of direction. The critical element in performing stationary exercises correctly is that the dog must halt when and how indicated by the sign.

Deductions will come if there is a slow response to the command or the handler repeats multiple commands to sit. If the dog sits crookedly so that there is more than a 45 degree angle to the handler, there is usually a one-point deduction for a crooked sit. A slow response or a crooked sit does not however IP the exercise, it’s simply points off.

Novice Rally Stationary Exercises Halt: Sit and Forward. This is a pretty straightforward exercise. Just a halt with an automatic sit at heel, except in Rally you can give the sit command as you halt.

As long as the dog sits and remains in the sit until given a command to move forward, the exercise is complete.(all levels)

IP’s: failure to sit or moving out of the sit into a stand or down.

Halt, Down and Forward. While heeling the handler halts and the dog downs at heel.

The handler then commands the dog to down, followed by the command to heel forward from the down. This is different from the moving down where the dog drops into a down while heeling or standing, not from a sit (all levels). The critical timing element is that the dog go all the way down and remain in the down position until given a heeling command by the handler.

IP’s: failure to sit, failure to maintain the sit, failure to down, failure to maintain the down position until given a command to go on.

Halt Fast Forward From Sit. From a halt, with the dog sitting at heel, the team immediately moves forward at a fast pace.

According to AKC rules, this must be followed by a normal sign unless it is the last station on the course. APDT rules do not require a normal (all levels). The critical element in performing this station correctly is that the dog sits promptly and that the team goes immediately into a fast pace and maintains that pace until the next station or the finish.

IP’s: failure to sit at the beginning, failure to perform a fast pace, failing to maintain the fast until the end.


The Teaching Scene (cont’d)

Halt and Walk Around the Dog. With dog sitting in heel position, the handler puts the dog on a stay and walks counterclockwise around the dog returning to heel position.

The leash may not be dropped and a tight leash will be scored. The handler must pause in heel position beside the dog. A pause is variously defined as a deep slow breath or a count of three. It must be a noticeable pause (all levels).

IP’s: failure to pause in heel position, dog moves out of the sit before the command to heel. Dropping the leash would be scored as a handler error.

Halt, Down and Walk Around Dog. With dog in heel position, the handler commands the dog to down and stay, then proceeds to the left around the dog returning to heel position.

The leash should not dropped and it should not be tight. As soon as the handler returns to

heel, they must pause in heel position. The dog must remain in the down until commanded to move forward. Leash handling can be tricky. The handler may not drop the leash and the dog should not get tangled in the leash while lying down.

IP’s: dog does not go down; dog does not hold the down position; handler does not pause in heel position before going on to the next station.

Advanced Rally Stationary Exercises When teams move to advanced and excellent levels, the stationary exercises become increasingly important and much more difficult.

At the upper levels, those one point deductions for poor sits or Out of Positions can morph into IP’s if a handler isn’t careful.

Practice is needed to get straight sits by practicing next to a ring gate or a wall so that the dog cannot move out of position.

Train with a mirror!

Sit the dog in front of the mirror facing straight ahead. Look at how the dog is sitting. but don’t look directly down at the dog, that’s what the mirror is for. If the dog is not sitting at heel, fix the problem now by re-teaching the sit. Do not turn look directly at the dog. If the left shoulder moves back it cues the dog to sit

in a lagged position. If the dog learns to expect to see the handler’s face when he sits, the dog will begin to wrap or forge (sitting too far forward) and that is also incorrect.

Advanced Stationary Exercises

Halt-stand-walk around. There are three elements to successfully performing this exercise without incurring a lot of deductions:

19. The dog must sit straight at heel and do so immediately

20. The dog must get into a stand while remaining in heel position and must stay while the handler walks around the dog,

21. The handler pauses in heel position and the dog remains standing and stationary until the team resumes heeling.

The rules allow the handler to pose the dog in a stand if necessary as in the novice obedience stand for exam, but it is much easier to teach the do to go to a stand from a without touching the dog. Remember the handler may not touch the dog to cue a stand in Excellent. Use a hand signal and a barrier to keep the dog from moving forward. A barrier can be a piece of chicken



wire, a board, a piece of folded towel, etc: anything that keeps the dog from moving forward out of heel position. The goal is to get the dog to do a popup stand: to go to a stand by moving the hind legs back while leaving the front stationary. Once the dog can do the stand in advanced, teaching the excellent level stands becomes much easier. These include the moving stand walk around, the halt-stand-sit, and the halt-stand-down.

Stationary Exercises With a Change of Direction Turns and Pivots

All of the following exercises are pivots:

- Halt Pivot Right Halt- dog moves with you

- Halt Pivot Left Halt.- dog moves with you

- Halt 180 Pivot Right Halt- dog moves with you

- Halt 180 Pivot Left Halt-dog moves with you

If the handler takes a step forward, this is not a pivot and will probably be scored as Incorrectly performed.

Turns which can also be Pivots

These turns may be done as a tight pivot but the handler may also take a small step in performing and not risk an IP:

- Halt About Turn Right Forward-dog moves with you

- Halt About Turn Left Forward.-dog moves with you

Turns which involve steps, not pivots

Caution, to be correctly performed, this exercise requires a definite step to the right and a clear turn. A pivot is NOT a step.

Halt, turn right one step forward, call dog to heel.

When a pivot is specifically called for, you cannot perform a turn with steps.

A pivot is done in place (think a paper plate) before moving on. A turn may be wider but can be performed as a pivot if you wish unless a step is called for.

Turns and pivots need to be smooth or the dog’s position may be thrown off and a deduction for interference or out of position result.

In the Halt About Turn Right and Halt About U Turn, the dog moves with you. You halt, turn in place or pivot and go. You do not move forward until the turn is completed. I say pivot or turn in place meaning you may use more than one step as long as there is no forward movement.

The One Step Right needs to be a definite step. Most judges prefer to see it done with the right foot taking a definite medium sized step from the halt, then turn and bring the left foot up to close. It is awkward to take the one step right with your left foot. After you have brought the right foot up, then call the dog to heel.


Signs of the Times

Laurie, her husband Ken, and her daughters Megan and Kendra , live in Fremont, OH, with “Lord,” hubby’s GSD police K-9 partner, “Daisy, CD” the Beagle and “Husker” the Golden, as well as a menagerie of small pets. Laurie’s had dogs all her married life, and began dog training classes in 2003. In addition to raising her daughters, Laurie is the program coordinator for her community’s crisis pregnancy center, and is the volunteer coordinator for her school’s reading program. She’s piloted a reading-to-pets program, P.A.L., Pets Assisting Learning. Though her rural setting doesn’t afford many opportunities to attend classes, Laurie has recently put a CD title on her Beagle and says, “My goal is to keep learning, keep training, and have as much fun as possible with my dog. I’m working hard and I really want to judge rally someday!”

By Laurie Buchele [email protected]

Rally Signs Cones, pylons, posts, obstacles – all names associated with a particular set of rally exercises. All of the signs/exercises this month include moving in and around one of these types of equipment. Up until now the signs/exercises have not required any additional equipment; these exercises require a maximum of four cones, pylons, posts, or obstacles and a maximum of four covered food containers.

Traffic/construction cones are great and can be purchased at home improvement stores and some discount stores. Dollar stores, discount stores, and sporting goods stores carry cones for games like soccer and these are wonderful because they are a little smaller, more lightweight, and therefore more easily transported.

You can also use buckets, poles, fence posts, boots – use your imagination! This is for practice – be aware what the guidelines specify for competition. The same stores also carry different options for the food containers.

APDT requires the food dishes to be covered with a “screen wire cover;” AKC specifies two “loosely covered, but secure containers.” What is in the containers will be covered in the section on these particular exercises.

Different types of cones and food containers

Spirals Spirals require three obstacles placed in a straight line with spaces between them. AKC specifies the spaces be approximately 6 – 8 feet between obstacles and APDT specifies the spaces be approximately 5 feet.

There are not any halts in any of the spiral exercises. Spirals are used in all levels of both AKC and APDT rally and are listed in AKC Novice exercises and APDT Level 1 exercises.

AKC Spiral Right – Dog Outside; Sign #21

AKC Spiral Left – Dog Inside; Sign #22


Signs of the Times (Cont’d)

APDT Spiral Right – Dog Outside (sign number 25)

APDT Spiral Left – Dog Inside (sign number 26)

AKC describes the Spiral Right exercise: “Spiral Right indicates the handler must turn to the right when moving around each pylon or post. This places the dog on the outside of the turns. The exercise sign is placed near or on the first pylon or post where the spiral is started.” The Spiral Left is exactly the same except the handler must turn to the left when moving around each obstacle. This places the dog on the inside of the turns. (Rally Signs – Descriptions and Symbols for Rally Signs, published by The American Kennel Club, January 1, 2005.)

APDT has a written explanation as to how to negotiate the three obstacles in the Spiral Right – Dog Outside: “The ‘Right’ direction indicates that the handler turns to his/her right when moving around each of the cones (clockwise). This places the dog on the outside of the

turns. The exercise sign is placed next to the first cone facing the direction of the team’s approach. Dog and handler pass the first cone and proceed to and around the third one, then loop the first cone, proceed to and around the second, then loop the first cone one last time. Each of the three spirals circles the first cone.” The APDT Spiral Left – Dog Inside is performed as in the Spiral Right – Dog Outside “except that the turns of the spiral are to the handler’s left (counterclockwise) and the dog is on the inside of the turns.” (Level 1 Exercises, http://www.apdt.come/rallyo/performance-standards/level-1- exercises.htm.)

Straight Figure 8 AKC Straight Figure 8 Weave Twice (sign number 23)

APDT Straight Figure 8 (sign number 29)

AKC titles this exercise “Straight Figure 8 Weave Twice” and describes it: “This exercise requires four obstacles (pylons, posts, or people) placed in a straight line with spaces between them of approximately 6 – 8 feet.

The exercise sign is placed near or on the first obstacle where the exercise is started. Entry into the weaving pattern is with the first obstacle at the dog/handler’s left side.” (Rally Signs – Descriptions and Symbols for Rally Signs, published by The American Kennel Club, January 1, 2005.) While AKC leaves room in the guidelines for a trial to use people as the obstacles, it is unlikely it will happen due to the higher amount of manpower and the abilities of four people to stand for an extended period of time. However, it’s probably a good idea to occasionally train for that possibility!

The APDT’s Straight Figure 8 description: “Four cones (pylons) are placed in a straight line approximately 5 feet apart. The exercise sign is placed near the first cone in the line. Entry into the weaving pattern is between the first and second cone with the first cone on the team’s left. Dog and handler weave through the cones, loop the end cone and weave back to the beginning of the pattern. Exit direction from the pattern is dependent on the placement of the next exercise station.” (Level 1 Exercises, http://www.apdt.come/rallyo/ performance-standards/level-1- exercises.htm.)

In both the AKC and APDT Straight Figure 8s, the team enters the cones, weaves to the end cone, and then weaves back to the first cone.



Serpentine AKC has a Novice level Serpentine and APDT has a Level 3 Serpentine. The exercises are similar in execution, but have different level designations.

AKC Serpentine Weave Once (sign number 24)

APDT Serpentine Weave Once (sign number 58)

The AKC Serpentine Weave Once again uses four obstacles approximately 6 – 8 feet apart. The exercise sign is also placed on the or near the first obstacle. The actual exercise is described: “Entry into the weaving pattern is with the first obstacle at the dog/handler’s left side. It should be noted in this exercise, the team does not weave back through the obstacles as the do in the Straight Figure 8 (Rally Signs – Descriptions and Symbols for Rally Signs, published by The American Kennel Club, January 1, 2005.)

APDT places their Serpentine in Level 3. It is sign number 58. The exercise is described as using four cones, approximately six feet

apart in a straight line. The team enters with the first cone on their left. The team weaves through the cones and exits at the last cone and the team does NOT weave back down through the cones. (Level 3 Exercises, http://www.apdt.come/rallyo/ performance-standards/ July, 2004.)

Offset Figure 8 The Offset Figure 8 exercises are set up a little different from AKC to APDT, but the idea for them is the same. In AKC, this exercise is an Advanced exercise; in APDT it is a Level 2. AKC “requires two pylons, posts, or people placed about 8 – 10 feet apart around which the team will perform a complete Figure 8. Two distractions will be arranged to the sides of the Figure 8 about 5 – 6 feet apart. The distractions will consist of two loosely covered, but secure, containers with tempting dog treats; however, dog toys may replace one or both containers, or may be placed next to the containers. The exercise sign may be placed on or near the cone where entry is made into the Offset Figure 8.” (Rally Signs – Descriptions and Symbols for Rally Signs, published by The American Kennel Club, January 1, 2005.)

AKC Offset Figure 8 (sign number 39)

APDT Offset Figure 8 (sign number 30)

APDT “requires four bowls with tempting dog treats. A screen wire cover is placed over the bowls to prevent a dog who breaks heel position from being rewarded by eating the treats. The four bowls are arranged in a flattened diamond pattern – the two ‘end’ bowls are 10 feet apart; the two ‘side’ bowls are five feet apart.” (Level 2 Exercises, http://www.apdt .com/rallyo/performance-standards/level-2- exercises.htm.)

APDT goes on to describe the actual exercise: “The team enters the Figure 8 with the exercise sign to their left and turns either to the left or the right, proceeds toward the ‘end’ bowl in that direction, loops that bowl and completes the Figure 8 around the other end bowl and exits the Figure 8 as indicated by the placement of the next exercise station. There are no halts in this exercise. A dog that breaks heel position to sniff a bowl and then returns to heel shall be given a substantial deduction. Biting at the screen or tipping the bowl over shall be scored as non-qualifying.” (Level 2 Exercises, http://www.apdt.come/rallyo/ performance-standards/level-2- exercises.htm.)



The obstacle exercises are a big part of what makes rally so interesting! They offer so much variety in coursework. Don’t let any of them intimidate you –

have fun with them and your dog will have fun too. As always, use your sign books, practice your flashcards, and work on sign recognition for the best possible

results. Until next month, I’m just following the “Signs of the Times!”

A memory tidbit for handling the offset figure 8 in sequences There are a multitude of ways to enter and exit a figure 8 but, in a rally course, there’s always a perfect direction to exit in order to line up perfectly for the next station.

I teach my students the following phrase, “enter the figure 8 the way you want to exit it.” If you set up two cones as your figure 8, and set up another station sign randomly beyond the figure 8 cones, you’ll see what I’m talking about.

You’re going to pass through the center of the figure 8 three times. In the process of going around two cones, your first and third pass through the center should be identical. Therefore, if your exit from the figure 8 takes you east, then you should enter it going east, circle the first cone to head west around the second cone, come through the center heading east and move on to the next station.

Try to “enter the figure 8 the way you want to exit it,” and see if this doesn’t work for you!


Perspectives

Ruthann and husband of 33 years, Raymond McCaulley, live in Sierra Vista, AZ. Her family includes daughter Jennifer, son-in-law Michael, and Matthew, the best grandson in the world (born 2004). Ruthann has been involved in formal dog obedience since 1999, and trained her LC Chihuahua, “Delia,” but has never been successful at training the dog-like cat, “Tara,” who remains totally disobedient. She’s had multiple dogs since she was 20 and currently trains in rally as well as freestyle, agility, and therapy work. When she’s not teaching Rally classes, Ruthann’s a 4-H project leader for agility, obedience, rally and CGC, and a provisional Rally judge and CGC evaluator.

By Ruthann McCaulley [email protected]

Both questions this month deal with the moving down. There are two questions which are related, but still quite different. I wanted to include both of them to cover this exercise which proves rather difficult for many handlers and their dogs.

Question from Joyce McIntyre about how her dog does the moving down.

My name is Joyce McIntyre I have two Cocker Spaniels, Molly Bee (blonde) 6 yrs old, and LadyBug (black) 2 yrs old. Molly Bee is a therapy dog, and LadyBug is my obedience and rally trial dog. We have been training at the Okla. City Obedience Training Club, where I am a member, since Molly was 2 1/2 and since LadyBug was 9 months. LadyBug has been competing in obedience since she was around 10 months old. We began in fun matches with Pre-Novice. She has done well and has qualified in all trials and

placed in most. OCOTC offers classes in all levels of obedience, rally, therapy dog, and confirmation.

Molly Bee is very active in therapy work, and she has earned the TDIA status. LadyBug has passed the CGC test and earned an ASCA-CD. We have been training for rally and are ready to compete. I plan to title her in Rally Novice and then proceed to AKC regular obedience for her AKC-CD. LadyBug and I are also beginning freestyle. The exercises in Rally help with the freestyle routines.

My question is about the "moving down" exercise for Rally Novice. My dog goes down front end first, but she creeps a little forward before she is completely down. How far can she creep before it is a deduction or is it a deduction just creeping period?

I have to bend down close to her with the command. I always stand back up and then go forward. I am tall and sometimes I have to bend over and sometimes I just bend my knees. She usually is down pretty quickly if I say "stay" as I am coming up before we go forward, I haven't noticed that many dogs creeping in practice. If creeping

forward is a problem, how is the best way for me to train her to stop. She will probably creep at least a foot before she is down. She wasn't trained for the moving down in regular obedience as we have earned an ASCA-CD. She downs well if the down is stationary, but she will creep forward somewhat on the moving down.

Question from Kathy Howse about performance of the moving down. My name is Kathy Howse. I live in Foxfield, Colorado (suburb of Denver).

Currently I own 3 dogs, 1 Rottweiler male that I actively compete with and 2 retired German Shepherd females. My interests are: Conformation, herding, obedience, and, most recently, rally. I train at a variety of locations throughout the Denver area and have taught obedience for over 18 years. I became involved in rally last summer and started teaching it last fall.

Would you please explain the moving down for me? I have heard several judges state that if the dog sits first it is a 10 point deduction. I understand that if the handler stops with the dog


Perspectives (cont’d)

sitting at heel and then commands the dog to down, it would be an Incorrect Performance and 10 points off. However, what about those dogs that normally lay down by putting their rear end to the floor first, then their front end?

Barbara Arine provides her Perspective as both a judge and instructor. Barbara provides this information about herself: I have been training dogs for over 30 years and have been an all-breed obedience instructor for over 20 years. My involvement with Rally Obedience, teaching and presenting seminars and workshops, began five years ago when it was first introduced. I have “several” Border Collies including two rescues and live in Lompoc, California where we also raise St. Croix Hair Sheep. I enjoy showing in obedience, herding and conformation, and have put multiple titles on my dogs in all of these events. A certified Pet First Aid instructor for the American Red Cross, evaluator for the Canine Good Citizen program and therapy dog work are just a few of my volunteer activities. As a

retired engineer, I enjoy designing Rally courses and having more time for judging and training.

Regarding Exercise 27, “Moving Down”

Q: “…How far can she creep before it is a deduction or is it a deduction just creeping period?”

A: As a Judge: I will allow a little “creep” as long as the leash does not tighten. If the dog continues to creep, then I would deduct 1 point for either a tight lead or out of position. “Just creeping” is not a deduction per se, however, it usually becomes a deduction because of the tight lead or out of position that results from creeping.

A: As an Instructor: I recommend going back to your basic training for the down – on leash so you can enforce your down command and not let your dog creep. First, be SURE your dog UNDERSTANDS the “down” command! Once he/she understands that “down” means NOW and that really good things happen when they are down, i.e., LOTS of praise and chest scratches, you can move on to the next step – preventing “creeping.”

While heeling briskly, give your down command and immediately pivot and step directly in front of the dog with lots of praise and scratches on the chest. Pivoting and stepping directly in front of

the dog as it is going down will prevent him/her from creeping forward. Remember that the more quickly you give the command and execute your part of the “teaching” (pivoting and stepping in front of the dog and praising), the more quickly your dog will respond. I always tell my students, if you want your dog to work briskly, YOU must work briskly. By the way, I am probably in the minority as I don’t train with food… I train using lots of praise! Good Luck!

Q: “ Would you please explain the moving down for me?..... What about those dogs that normally lay down by putting their rear end to the floor first, then their front end?”

A: As a Judge: As the exercise description states that, “…while moving with the dog in heel position, the handler commands the dog to drop to a down position, as the handler pauses next to the dog…” This is one of my favorite exercises, not only to perform, but to watch. I like to see the team move smoothly from heeling to the dog dropping to the down and the handler pausing before moving on. The moving down is a CONTINUOUS movement. If the dog sits first but continues to down without pausing its movement to the down position, then I will not score it. If the handler downs the dog while moving and the dog starts to go down, and pauses a bit I may x



score it as a 1 point slow to respond (it’s a “gotta see it” situation). However, if the handler stops first, then commands the dog to down or if the dog sits first and waits before going down, I will score it as a -10 point, incorrectly performed station.

A. As an Instructor: As stated previously, I recommend going back to your basic training for the down – on leash so you can enforce your down command. But, be SURE your dog UNDERSTANDS the “down” command. Once he/she understands that “down” means NOW – on the first command with a CONTINUOUS motion. Don’t forget the praise and chest scratches while training! That tells the dog that really good things happen when they are down. As you and your dog progress, try doing random “drops” while heeling – with LOTS of praise! Good luck!

Note: Before you go out to train, identify a goal for that training session. Don’t try to train “everything” all at once. Breakdown each exercise to its smallest component and be sure your dog understands what you want. Then use those components as building blocks so you get a solid foundation for each exercise. Also, keep your training session short, no more than 15-20 minutes at a time and always end the session on a positive note – do something you

KNOW your dog can do… even a favorite trick – then praise, praise, praise! And whatever you do, DON’T train if YOU are upset, frustrated or mad – chances are you will inadvertently “take it out on the dog” and training for him/her won’t be fun anymore. Have fun with your dog and Rally On!

Bill Allen provides his perspective

I responded as a trainer and as a judge.

I had to restart the training of my second dog on this exercise because her previous trainer had taught the down from a sit. I used food and got the dog to fold back on a hand signal. I would try teaching the dog not to creep by using a barrier (the bar from the bar jump) and then gradually lower the barrier to nothing. I have a new puppy and am teaching him everything starts with a stand.

As for scoring, the description reads "while moving at heel position.” So if the dog is a foot out of heel position that is a one point deduction. As to sitting first, that depends on how long the dog stays in that position. If the dog moves immediately through the sit and into the down, I don't see a problem. If the dog remains in the sit for any length of time then it becomes an incorrectly done exercise. I took a retry on a dog that I felt stayed in the sit too long. The judge said she thought the dog had been ok.

As to bending over, the judge's seminars have talked about scoring below the waist. So bending at the waist is acceptable. I see bending the knees as a one point handler error. I hope this helps.

Pat Steer gives her perspective on teaching the fold back down

Pat Steer is a trainer and technical writer for a pharmaceutical company, specializing in drug safety research. She has been a member of Syracuse Obedience Training Club, Inc. in central New York since 1981, where she taught beginner through open obedience and beginner and advanced agility classes until 2000. Pat has trained seven of her own dogs (a mix, two Gordon setters, three English Springer Spaniels and an English Cocker) to traditional obedience titles through the CDX, and trained both setters and her English cocker in agility. English cocker Casey is trained through Utility obedience, has earned a CD, NA, two legs on his NAJ, and his RN, and is looking forward to attacking his Rally Advanced and Excellent titles and Open obedience titles in the fall.

Teaching a Fold-Back Down and a Moving Down

I find luring/targeting helpful to teach the idea of the down position and a stationary drop to very young or small dogs. However, it’s less effective with



larger or older dogs, and with handlers who may not be as physically flexible as the creatures they’re teaching. It’s also not very effective in teaching the dog about the moving down position.

First, I teach the dog a stationary down, and that down equals hit the ground. You can use luring to teach this, and no matter what size the dog, it usually helps to place them up off the ground (for instance, on a low table.) With larger dogs, I prefer to place my hand in the collar in the place where his neck meets the hollow of the dog’s throat, knuckle side toward the dog. Gentle pressure on the collar, into the hollow of the dog’s neck and downward, teaches the dog to fold backwards and down into a sphinx-style position. Once the dog is folding into the down position without a hand on his collar, I teach the dog to do a moving drop by pivoting into his path.

This method teaches the dog to drop from a moving standing position, no matter where he is in relation to the handler. It avoids problems such as the dog stopping to either stand or sit and then drop (a very different set of body motions for the dog.) It also avoids teaching/allowing the dog to creep forward in the process of or right after dropping. Pivoting into the dog’s path helps create the fast moving drop which is required for the

drop on recall and saves seconds on the agility table. It also transitions nicely into random drops.

The exercise begins this way:

1) Handler moves forward with dog on a short leash at his left side.

The dog doesn't need to be in exact heel position. The idea is to keep the dog close to the handler’s side during what is about to happen.

2) Handler TURNS DIRECTLY into dog's path--the handler is doing a 180 degree turn into the dog. After his turn, the handler will be toe to toe with the dog’s front feet, stopping the dog’s forward motion. While turning, the handler does two additional things simultaneously:

-- says 'down'

-- uses as much upper body movement as needed in a down signal that stops the dog's forward motion and gets the dog all the way down to the ground.

3) As soon as the dog drops (both his rear end AND elbows on the ground), the handler gives an exuberant happy release UP into a standing position. Once the dog is happily released, the team can move off and play the game again.

This method is designed to capitalize on a dog’s natural reaction to crouch when he encounters an overhead motion

coming directly at him, and it can be intimidating. Handlers need to carefully moderate the ‘drama’ they use in their overhead signal depending on their dogs’ temperament. The drama of the handler quickly cutting off the dog and 'pushing' into his space with body language (by bending directly into and over him) should produce an immediate crouch. It should only have to be used at full intensity a couple of times to be effective, and if done correctly, very confident dogs will interpret it as a game. If huge signals are needed more than a couple of times when introduced, the handler is not supplying enough drama or moving far enough into the dog’s forward space.

After the team has a quick and happy drop at side, I teach the handlers to minimize bending over into the dog and any other upper body motions, until they have the drop reliable using a much smaller down signal where the handler remains upright. Ultimately the handler will be able to use a simple arm raised-and-lowered down signal, and even be able to drop the verbal ‘down.’

Advanced practices of the moving down include moving away from the dog after the drop and then returning, and dropping the dog on both the handler’s left and right sides. Ultimately, the handler will be able to drop the dog when he’s several steps



away, and when the dog is moving toward the handler, laying the foundation for the obedience drop on recall.

Some dogs need less drama and more happy release. If the dog is very sensitive, the handler may only need to supply the big signal and a lot of drama once. After that first time, the handler can often immediately begin to make his body language and signals smaller. However, many dogs

need more drama than the handler initially provides. If the dog is NOT particularly sensitive, the handler may need to escalate the drama--up through and including tapping his fingers across the tip of the dog's nose as he moves into the dog’s forward space. Very strong and confident dogs may even need ‘lights and sirens’ in the message from the handler, including swinging the end of the leash directly into the dog’s path to stop his forward

motion. Whatever the level of drama and signal used, make sure to follow the dog’s prompt moving down with an immediate happy release moving up and forward. Remember that big signals need to be balanced by equally big releases to keep the learning fun for your dog.


Team Profiles

– by Laurie Buchele

This issue’s team profile introduces us to Judy Jones and her Irish Water Spaniels, Bailey and Caitie. Judy lives in Northwest Ohio and has been involved in dogs and their training for more than 35 years.

Laurie ~ Tell me about your dogs – what are their names, accomplishments, unique traits?

Judy ~ I have two Irish Water Spaniels. I currently have Bailey

who is 4 years old and Caitie who is a year old. They both earned their CGC this past March. They love to play ball and swim. I would like to do flyball with Bailey some day.

Laurie ~ Do you currently have, or have you had in the past, another breed of dog or other pets?

Judy ~ I had two Siberian Huskies 35 years ago. I put a CD on my female husky and my daughter used her in Junior Showmanship. I have also had Newfoundlands and my male lived until he was 13, which is a pretty good age for a large breed like that. The only other pets that I have had are tropical and marine fish. At one time I had 5 tanks and one was a 75-gallon tank.

Laurie ~ What attracted you to this breed?

Judy ~ The Irish Water Spaniel is reputed to be a clown. You never know what they are going to do. They are very energetic and equally capable in the ring or in the field.

Laurie ~ Tell me about the breed itself including any special grooming or training it may need.

Judy ~ I could tell you about it myself, but the official IWS website would be much more thorough than I would be!

The following information about Irish Water Spaniels came from

the website http://clubs.akc. org/iwsc/aboutiws.htm:

IWS have several immediately distinguishing characteristics which place them among the more unique of all breeds: The topknot of long, loose curls growing down from the head in a well-defined peak which covers the eyes; a beard growing at the back of the throat often accompanied by sideburns as well; the crisply curled, liver-colored coat covering the body; and the smooth "rat tail," completely free of long coat except at the base where it is covered for two to three inches with curls.

The face is entirely smooth-coated and, unlike the poodle, should require little or no trimming to stay that way. He is ruggedly built and the feet are webbed between the toes to aid the IWS in its powerful swimming. The IWS combines great intelligence and rugged endurance with a bold, dashing eagerness of temperament. Like most dogs of the Sporting group, the Irish Water Spaniel is essentially an active, willing and energetic companion.

Because it has been bred from stock used to fetch game and return it to hand without a fuss, it has the natural instinct of wanting to please. Its keen sense of working as a team makes it a relatively easy dog to train and discipline. Because of its great


Team Profiles (Cont’d)

intelligence and quizzical nature, it has the reputation of being the clown of the spaniel family and will do ordinary things in extraordinary ways to achieve that which is asked of it.

All Irish Water Spaniels require a grooming regimen that includes maintaining healthy ears, teeth and nails. The tight double coat of the IWS sheds slightly, however many allergy sufferers have found them to be a comfortable pet with which to live. The texture of the hair prevents the coat from becoming tightly woven into fabric and upholstery and any stray hairs are easily removed as they will gather together to form "dust bunnies." The coat can be maintained by even the novice owner if a regular effort is maintained to keep it clean and free of mats. A thorough combing to the skin should take place every 1-2 weeks to promote healthy skin and to remove any objects from the coat. Scissoring will be required every 6-8 weeks to neaten and shape the coat while regular exposure to water will

promote the correct "ringlets" over the body coat.

Laurie ~ How does this breed adapt to family life, other pets, children?

Judy ~ Again, the website could answer that question so much better than I:

The Irish Water Spaniel is primarily a one-family rather than a one-person dog. Because of its long tradition of faithful service as a retriever, the IWS comes by its willingness to please instinctively. The IWS is a devoted companion and can be an exceptional watchdog if properly socialized from an early age. Socialization is particularly important when an enthusiastic IWS is expected to coexist with small children. While it has innate courage and will protect itself or its owners when necessary, the IWS has been bred for the characteristic of not barking excessively. Some individual dogs can be very wary of strangers and not every IWS can be trusted to get along with other pets. Early socialization and training is a must.

Laurie ~ What are your competition accomplishments and/or plans for your dogs?

Judy ~ I am currently working with Bailey in agility and I have been trialing him since April. I plan to go on and try for as many titles as we can earn, as long as he continues to enjoy it. I am also hoping to get a CD on Bailey now that he is more mature. Both Caitie and Bailey are working in rally and we hope to get some Rally titles too.

Laurie ~ What attracted you to rally?

Judy ~ Since I have already been working with Bailey in obedience I thought that would be another way to challenge him. I also thought it would be good for Caitie since she is younger.

Best of luck Judy to you, Bailey, and Caitie! I know you are approaching your first rally trial and hope all three of you do well. It will be such fun to watch your dogs work a rally trial course. Thank you for sharing your breed with Go Rally!


Best Seat in the House

Sandy lives in Greensburg, PA, with her teenage son, 3 older Shelties (Cara, Chase and Lexi) and 5 Aussies (Geordie, Ruby, Dottie, Ilea and Trent). In addition to her occupation in database management and word processing, Sandy has been obedience training for 17 years, teaching and judging rally, as well as presenting rally seminars, for about 5 years. Sandy is a provisional AKC Rally judge and trains and shows in obedience, rally, agility, freestyle and conformation.

By Sandy Walroth [email protected]

As both a judge and an exhibitor, I get to see a lot of teams on the Rally courses. While watching these teams, I see some great performances, but I also see a lot of handler errors. When I show, I love to watch others in the ring. I learn a lot by doing so. I can see how others handle a specific spot on a course, and how they handle a dog that may have issues in the ring. Watching others in the ring can prove to be very educational.

I’d like to talk this month about what you can do in the ring to help your performance. Even though there should be no “traps” in a Rally course, there are often places in a course where you may have a bit of a challenge. These can be caused by distances between signs, location of signs in relation to other things in the ring (such as ring gating, gates, jumps, etc), and other outside influences.

By planning your course strategy, you can help to reduce, or even eliminate some of these challenges.

Distance between signs: While you are walking the course, make sure to note how far apart the signs are. If it appears that the distance is a bit close, figure out how to perform

the exercises on either end so that you have space to move in between.

The 1-2-3 exercises require a good bit of space. The larger a step you take, obviously, the more space it takes. While walking the course, be sure to take the exact size steps you will with your dog, and see where you end up. If you’ll run into the previous sign when backing up, adjust your step size, so you will end up in a good position. If you’re too close to the next sign, again adjust your step size so you have enough space to move out before coming to that next exercise.

Before a jump, see how much space you have available, and compare to how much space you need to get your dog moving fast enough to jump. Usually, you will have plenty of room, unless your dog requires a long lead out. More of an issue is the space following a jump. If there is only 10 feet before the next sign, you’ll need to rein your dog in and get them back into heel position very quickly. One way is to stop running after only a couple steps past the jump. Usually, when you slow down, the dog will, too. If you’re not moving forward at an accelerated speed, you’ll have more time to get the dog back to heel before

reaching the next exercise. You must “run” past the jump, but there is no requirement about how far you must run.

Position in relation to signs #20, Moving Side Step Right

#40, HALT Side Step Right – HALT

Generally, you should be performing an exercise within about 2 to 4 feet of the sign. But, you can use that space to your advantage when you need to. The side step exercises (pictured above) specifically allow you to perform them past the sign. In most cases, this is the best place to perform these two exercises. That way, you eliminate the risk of running into the sign.


Best Seat in the House (cont’d)

#37, HALT – 90° Pivot Right – HALT

#11, 360° Right Turn

If there is a turn followed by another sign very soon afterwards, you can veer slightly to the other side of the turn sign, giving yourself a little bit more space. For example, there’s a HALT – 90° Pivot Right – HALT followed by a 360° Right Turn about 7 feet later. If you do that pivot slightly to the left of the sign (but still within three feet or so of the sign), you can gain an extra couple of feet, and perhaps an additional step before you have to perform the right circle.

#25, HALT – 1, 2, 3 Steps Forward

On the HALT – 1, 2, 3 Steps Forward, if the next sign is a little close for your step size, you can do the initial halt three feet in

front of the sign, giving your second halt (after the 1 step) right at the sign, then the last two parts past the sign. This will give you more space at the conclusion of this exercise than if you did the first halt right at the sign. That, combined with slightly smaller steps during the exercise, could give you two or three more steps between the exercises.

#9, 270° Right Turn

On the 270° Right Turn and the 360° Right Turn, you need to be sure you give enough room before the sign for your dog to pass between you and the sign. Remember, you may not do this exercise around the sign (that would be a 10 point IP), so if you don’t leave enough space, you may end up too close and not be able to perform it without circling the sign.

#13, Call Front, Finish Right, Forward

#15, Call Front, Finish Right, Halt

#41, HALT – Call Front – Finish Right

You also need to do the call front exercises with the finish right (pictured above), far enough from the sign for the dog to pass between you and the sign.

Working near jumps: If you have a section of the course where you will be passing, but not taking the jump, be extra vigilant to get and keep your dog’s attention. A dog who takes the jump between exercises will receive at least a 1-point Out of Position deduction, or more likely a 3-point Lack of Control deduction. If the dog takes the jump during an exercise (where the jump isn’t used), it will result in an Incorrectly Performed (IP) deduction for 10 points.

Working near ring gating: If a path takes you close to the ring gating (or wall), especially on the dog’s side, it could lead to some problems. The dog could become distracted at what may



be outside the gates. The dog may be wary of those gates, especially if they’ve had them fall before. In this case, you may want to be sure you give as much room as possible between the dog and the edge of the ring.

#30, HALT – Walk Around Dog

#31, HALT, Down – Walk Around Dog

#36, HALT – Stand Dog – Walk Around

#48, Moving Stand, Walk Around Dog

If there is a walk-around exercise (pictured above), be sure to leave your dog in the proper position

far enough from the edge of the ring for you to pass between.

#14, Call Dog Front –Finish Left, Forward

#16, Call Dog Front – Finish Left

#42, Call Front Finish Left Halt

If there is a “Finish Left” exercise (pictured above), make sure you leave enough room for the dog to make that turn at your left side.

Offset Figure 8: Oh, those distractions. <vbg> Obviously, you need to have your dog’s rapt attention as you enter this exercise. But, you also have to watch during the entire course – especially if the pathway takes you near or toward that exercise location.

Taking jumps: In order to qualify, the dog must take the jump properly and in the

right direction. So, you want to do all you can to assist them to do so. The most important thing is to know your dog. How much room must the dog have to get enough speed to take the jump? Once you know this, you’ll be able to judge how soon to start your run. It’s generally best to stop running fairly quickly after the jump to get the dog back into heel position well before the next exercise. “You” must run as you pass the jump, but there is nothing that says how far you must run. Gauge that by how much space your dog needs to jump, and how quickly it takes you to get them back to position.

Spectators outside the ring: You have a great tool to help this – you! If there is someone especially attractive outside the ring (a friend, a child with a hot dog, another team playing with a toy, etc.), you may have to work to get the dog to continue to pay attention to you, rather than whatever is very interesting outside. Use your voice, your hands to signal, and in Novice and Advanced, clapping and tapping your leg. Being close to that ring gating is the most common problem area, but dog’s have awesome peripheral vision – they can see that popcorn from clear across the ring!



Footwork #25, HALT – 1, 2, 3 Steps Forward

#26, Call Front, 1, 2, 3 Steps Backward

#49 Backup 3 Steps, Dog Stays in Position

On any exercise where a specific number of steps is required (pictured above), be very careful to take the proper number of steps. Even an extra half-step could result in an IP, if it appears to be an extra step. Shuffles of the feet, however small, will probably result in a Handler Error for 3 points. Watch your foot work closely. It might not be a bad idea to practice these without your dog until you are comfortable with performing them.

#13, Call Dog Front Finish Right – Forward

#14, Call Dog Front – Forward Left

#15, Call Front, Finish Right, Halt

#16, Call Dog Front, Finish Left, Halt

#41, HALT – Call Front – Finish Right

#42, HALT – Call Front – Finish Left

On all finishes (pictured above), you may not take a step to accomplish the finish. Once you stop, you may not take any steps until you are ready to move forward again.

#46, HALT – Stand, Down

#47, HALT – Stand, Sit

On all of the stand exercises in Excellent (pictured above), you may not move your feet until the conclusion of the exercise. Be careful to keep your feet still as your dog is changing positions.




Also remember that the #36, HALT – Stand Dog – Walk Around when seen in the Excellent class does not allow a step to stand the dog, nor may you touch the dog. These two aids are permitted in Advanced, but not in Excellent.

Miscellaneous Pivots versus Turns: On a “turn,” you may make a small circle to accomplish the exercises. These may also be done pretty much in place. However, a “pivot” must be done in place. Any steps in the performance of these exercises will result in at 10 point IP.

Walk-Around Exercises #30, HALT – Walk Around Dog

#31, HALT, Down – Walk Around Dog


#48, Moving Stand, Walk Around Dog

On the Walk Around exercises (pictured above), you must pause in heel position after the walk around. Be sure to pause long enough for the judge to see that you have indeed paused, and not just slowed down.

On position changes (where the dog goes from heel to sit, sit to down, or sit to stand, etc.), be sure the dog is fully in that position before moving forward or asking for the next position. On the stationary exercises that call for position changes, the dog must hesitate in that position – it cannot be simply a transition from one to the next.

#21, Spiral Right Dog Outside

#22, Spiral Left Dog Inside

#24, Straight Figure 8 Weave Twice

#25, Serpentine Weave Once

#39, Offset Figure 8

On the cone exercises (pictured above), be cautious as you are rounding the cones. For every one you or the dog knocks over, you will receive a 3 point deduction.

Be sure that any pace changes (normal to fast to normal, normal to slow to normal) are “visible” changes of pace.



Another commonly seen handler error is running where no fast is called for. Often times, this is seen between the last exercise and the FINISH sign, usually as the handler is either trying to save a couple seconds or they get so excited to be almost done, they rush. This will result in a Handler Error, of either 3 or 10 points, depending on the circumstances.

* * * * *

As a general rule, anything you add to the exercise (additional positions, steps, etc.), or remove from the exercise (missing a position, etc.) will be a 10 point deduction for IP. Be sure you understand what is required for each exercise, and perform each one as described. During your walk-through, take note of everything in and out of the ring. Imagine your dog is with you, and plan your performance based on how much space you and your dog needs. If you plan correctly, you and your dog can have an awesome run!

Good luck, and happy Rally-ing!

The AKC Rally Honor The Honor exercise is the only “stay” in AKC Rally. The exercise description states:

50. Honor. This exercise will be performed on leash. Dog and handler will enter through the exit gate, or may proceed directly to the Honor Station after completing the Excellent Course. The judge will designate whether the dog is to perform a sit-stay or a down-stay, which shall be for the duration of time it takes for the next dog to run the entire course. The judge will, also, designate whether the handler will stand next to the dog or stand facing the dog during the Honor exercise. All dogs in the class will perform the exercise in the same manner. The Honor dog will be monitored and scored by a steward, as directed by the Judge.

Performance After completing the course, the team will proceed toward the exit gate, and retrieve the lead. It is attached it to the collar of the dog, and then the team go to the place in the ring where the Honor exercise is to be performed. This spot should be such the working team does not interfere with the honor team and vice versa. Usually, there will be around a 10 foot space between the honor position and the course.

The judge will have indicated a position for the dog – either a sit

or a down. She or he will also have indicated a position for the handler – either beside the dog (in heel position) or directly in front facing the dog. While the next team is preparing for their run, the dog is to be positioned in either the sit or the down. Prior to the judge telling the next team “Forward”, the handler will position themselves in the prescribed place. The team must maintain this position for the entire time the next dog is on the course. The team is released when the next team passes the FINISH sign. After that, the handler may either return to heel position, or release the dog directly from their position.

During the honor exercise, the handler may talk to the dog as much as they want – praise for staying, reminders to stay in the proper position, etc. They may also use hand signals to reinforce the stay as they wish. Using the lead to “remind” the dog to stay or to reposition is not permitted.

Monitoring Since the judge will be occupied judging the next team on the course, an Honor Steward will monitor the team performing the Honor exercise. He or she has been instructed by the judge as to what to do and watch for. Often times, the Honor steward will direct you to position and leave the dog. Occasionally the judge will issue the instructions from the START sign position. How this is handled can be learned



either during the briefing (either verbally or a posted written briefing) or by asking the judge during the walkthrough.

Generally, if the team performs the exercise correctly, the Honor Steward will report this directly to the Table Steward, who will then tally the score and have it posted. If, however, there are any questions, the steward will report to the judge, who will make a determination as to any deductions that should be taken.

Scoring Scoring begins when the judge says “Forward” to the next team, and ends when that team passes the Finish sign. If the team performs the exercise as described, there will be no

deductions. If, however, the dog breaks the position (sits or stands on a down, or downs or stands on a sit) or moves substantially out of the spot where they are left (without breaking position), it will result in a non-qualifying score. The dog must maintain the position for the entire time the next dog is on the course.

Other deductions may be taken for the following:

A dog who moves a slight bit from the spot (without breaking position) may receive a 1 point Out of Position deduction.

A handler who moves the lead such that it becomes taut will receive a Tight Lead deduction. If the movement of that lead is a gentle correction, then a Handler

Error will be assessed (generally 3 points), where as a stronger correction could get either a 10 point Handler Error or an NQ.

A handler who verbally corrects the dog harshly will receive anywhere from a 3 point deduction to an NQ if exceptionally harsh.

The handler may not move from their spot. A slight shuffling will probably receive a 3 point Handler Error, to an NQ if they move substantially from either beside or in front.

A dog that barks during the Honor will receive a deduction from 3 points to NQ depending on the severity of the barking (length of time and volume).


Training Journal

Kristina is a member of APDT, is a Certified Pet Dog Training, and lives in Saratoga Springs, NY, with her two shelter dogs, “Cody” (7-yr Aussie) and “Murdock” (4-yr hound mix). Kristina has been training her own dogs since 1985, has been a professional trainer since 2000, and owns SmartDog Dog Training. She offers Family Dog training, Canine Good Citizen training, Rally and Companion Dog Sports obedience program. Kristina is getting married in September 2005, but still found the time to keep a training diary which she’s agreed to share with us! Next issue will include a journal outline for you to copy and use!

– by Kristina Spaulding <[email protected]>

I recently started retraining my Australian Shepherd Cody for rally and obedience work after a break of several years. Cody has his first two legs in AKC Rally and will be starting APDT this fall. He knows all the basics, but I’m trying to get him polished up so we can get high scores. I am also training our new dog, Murdock, a hound mix, for both rally and obedience. He has had basic manners training, but is far from being ready for the ring. I was focusing on different things with each dog and wanted a way to track the training and progress for each of them. I decided to start a training journal. This allows me to see how they are doing from week to week and keeps me focused. I can also review the training from the last few sessions before I start working for the day and it will remind me what I should be working on. For the most part I use shaping to teach all the behaviors I want. In some cases I will also lure them to teach a new behavior. Below are excerpts from the journal for each dog. The fluencies I refer to are from Morgan Spector’s book, Clicker Training for Obedience and are in preparation for the obedience. The obedience I refer to is the new Companion Dog Sports Program (CDSP) Obedience sanctioned by St. Hubert’s. Shows will begin in 2006. CDSP does take off ½ point deductions, so you will see me refer to ½ point deductions several times in the journal. MURDOCK Long-term goals: 1) Teach the fluencies

2) Prepare for Level 1/Novice in Rally and obedience. Goals for this week: 1) Heeling - Loose leash walking from one side of the driveway to

the other and back

2) Finishes – Take away 2nd lure 3) Targetting (fluency) – Get him to send to target from 4 steps away within one

second of the cue

4) Sits – Sits in heel position within one second of the halt

5) Fronts – Use special treats. Get fronts close enough that I can easily touch his head. If still very little progress after this week, start luring.

6) Playtrain! – Practice some easy things with him to make sure the training stays

fun.


Training Journal (cont’d)

June 29, 2005 Training plan: 1) Rally course – work on straight sits and heeling

2) Targeting 3) Fronts

What we did:

1) Most of the sits were straight, not all were within one second, maybe 60% or so. Heeling was better, he did everything I asked, he’s just not crisp yet.

2) Still a lot of sitting in between touches. Was doing better at the beginning and end of the session. Was working about three steps away from the target. Will stay there until he will respond to the cue immediately. Did well considering we were outside. 3) Better fronts! Several were obviously closer! Using the cheese definitely seemed to help – he seemed more eager today.

Notes: Good day. He seemed to be enjoying himself more this time. Don’t know if it was just food or also a combination of him being less confused and/or me throwing in some easier exercises.

July 3, 2005

Training plan: 1) Heeling and sits 2) Targetting 3) Go-behind

What we did: 1) Heeling was his weakest point today, but I think it’s because I tried him on the Rally course I

set up for Cody and it was a little too much for him. After I made it simpler he did better. His sits were somewhat slow, only about half of them were within one second. He seems to do better with very short stretches between cues – the more time between cues the more I lose his focus.

2) Very good! No sitting! Started three steps away from the target. He responded in less than

five seconds about 85% of the time. Really good! Started adding the cue but ran out of food.

3) He had a breakthrough today! Was able to cut out the second lure. Still have to lure all the way behind me with the right hand though, but he’ll continue around behind me and sit at my side without a lure in the left one. Still choppy and needs work, but very good progress.



July 8, 2005 Training plan: 1) Playtrain

2) Fronts/finishes – front within easy reach, take away 2nd lure on go-behind 3) Targetting – Get three steps away and work on faster responses

What we did:

1) Did a bit of this, he was very intent

2) Go-behinds still better, even beginning to be able to take away the second lure. Fronts still iffy but I think they are closer. It seems to help if I take smaller steps.

3) Went to target in less that six seconds every time, frequently less than that but I ran out of

treats again. Need to do this first next time! July 15, 2005 Training plan: 1) Sits

2) Fronts/finishes 3) Targetting

What we did: 1) Did most within one second, cut the time down to ¾ seconds, he did about half within that

time

2) Fronts are closer, I think biggest difference is that I was taking smaller steps, but he also seems to be learning. Next step is to being to take larger steps. Go-behind continues to improve. Used lure in the right hand but not the left, the fourth time I didn’t use a lure at all. He did it but he needs the verbal cue in additional to the visual. Also lured one swing finish – he did it readily.

3) Decided not to do this

July 18, 2005 Training plan: 1) Fronts – try clicking forward movement

2) Heeling – frequent treats, keep it upbeat 3) Targetting – Do first, three steps from target



What we did: 1) Better than they were a week ago, but I think it’s because I started taking smaller steps for the

most part. The cheese helped a little too. I think I will start spitting the treat at him – that should get him closer.

2) Pretty good attention. Only really lost it once. He did heel from one side of the driveway to

the other

3) Got up to four steps away from the target but then he got very confused again and did a lot of sitting in between touches.

Progress assessment

Heeling: Met goal. Better focus, need to keep practicing to get it slicker. Needs work on heel position as well.

Finishes: Met goal. Go-behind much better. Continue to fade lure from right hand and he’ll have it! Should also start teaching swing finishes soon.

Targetting: Did not meet goal. Much faster sending to the target, little or no

sitting between touches until I added a step. Slow but steady progress. Sits: Met goal. Need to keep working on speed, then work on straight sits.

Fronts: Met goal. Closer but still not what I’d like to see. I think the improvement is partly because I’m taking smaller steps.

Goals for next week: Heeling - Maintain heel position and attention for six steps before release Finishes - Eliminate lure for the go-behind Start luring swing finish Targetting - Will send to target within 5 seconds of the cue, from 5 steps away Sits - Sitting 90% of the time within half second of the halt.

Fronts - Very close fronts 50% of the time with a small step (spit cheese from my mouth as reward).



CODY Long-term goals: 1) Polish Level 1/Novice Rally skills ` 2) Prepare for CDSP Obedience Novice 3) Fluencies Goals for this week: 1) Forging and turns – Remember to pay attention to footwork. Cody should

adjust himself to stay in position for 270 and 360 left

2) Hold (fluency) – Good solid hold for 3 ½ seconds

3) Targetting (fluency) – Inside: Start teaching go-out Outside: Send to target within 1 second or less, from 10 steps away

4) Rally course – Set up and practice 2-3 rally courses in the backyard, practice

one rally course away from home

5) Fronts/finishes – Get perfect front at least 25% of the time. Perfect go-behind finish at least 50% of the time Swing with ½ point deduction or less 50% of the time

6) Stand – Practice moving stand (from CDSP Novice)

7) Playtrain – Once or twice a week, practice things he’s good at and/or tricks to

give him a fun/easy day. June 29, 2005 Training plan: 1) Rally course including tight turns and stands

2) Targetting – start at 5 steps away 3) Fronts and finishes

What we did: 1) Tight turns were better than yesterday. May be able to start working on pivots soon. First

several stands were very nice, but then he started moving around a lot. 2) Got up to six steps away from the target, would send in less than five seconds every time

3) Fronts not much better, I think this will take time. Finishes still need work too. Probably got

perfect front 10% of the time or less.



July 3, 2005 Training plan: 1) Hold – maintain hold for 2 ½ seconds, or, if doing well, try for

3 seconds 2) Targetting? 3) Rally course – with fronts, finishes and turns What we did:

1) Would hold dumbell for 2 ¼ seconds. Realized I’m not following my own rule – make sure he’ll do it 80% - 90% of the time before moving on to the next step. I will progress more slowly. Should be less frustrating for both of us and faster in the long run.

2) Didn’t do targetting

3) Did good course! Lost him on a couple right/about turns. Guess I need to start working more

often on those. Inside turns were good. I paid attention to my footwork and was able to make tight turns without bumping into him. I’d still like to see him adjust a bit more though – I’ll practice this separately next time.

Fronts were good! I’d say I got a perfect or near perfect front 50% of the time. I will practice a couple more times to make sure it sticks, then tighten my criteria. Still lagging on go-behind. I need to practice this more. With swings, I needed to pretend to lure (held my hand as if there was a treat in it) for the first three, then I started to open up my hand a bit more as I made the motion. He got sloppier, but was still doing it. Probably about a ½ point off every time.

Notes: Did some play training too. We had fun today! July 9, 2005 Training plan: 1) Hold

2) Targetting 3) Stand

What we did: 1) Did a few 2 1/2 , and a few 3 seconds holds, but most of the time he was dropping it before I

clicked. Have to remember my 9 out of 10 rule – I forgot again!

2) Started teaching the go-out. He did well and was even running for the target which was nice to see. Twice I tried picking up the target and sending him without it visible. First time he didn’t do it. I put the target back down and sent him several more times using the “go away” cue and clicking before he actually reached the target. At the end of the session I picked it up again and said “go away”. He ran away from me and I clicked and jackpotted. I was very excited but maybe it was a fluke – I would be surprised if he really learned it that fast!



3) A little trouble with this at first. I had to figure out what would work best. Seemed to do best

when I gave him the visual and verbal cue for stand. July 15, 2005 Training plan: 1) Hold

2) Front/finish 3) Stand

What we did: 1) This time I waited until he did it right four times in a row before moving on. We started at

two seconds. It took several trials before we got four in a row but then he did 2-1/2 seconds easily. I was running low on treats so I stopped early (and on a successful note!).

2) Four perfect fronts! Got confused on go-behind. I realized that’s because I was saying “go

around” for the go-behind and “go away” for the go-out. I changed the cue for the finish to “around”. He did alright with swing.

3) Experimented around a bit more. Hand signal for stand along with the verbal stay command

was more effective than just saying and signaling the stand. July 18, 2005 Training plan: 1) Forging/turns

2) Targetting 3) Finishes

What we did: 1) Right turns still needs work. Tends to lag coming out of the turn. Inside (left) turns look good

though.

2) Will send from six steps away within 5 seconds. Didn’t finish because he seemed to be very hot. Went inside to finish the rest of the training session.

3) Swings are much better. I’m guessing he would have gotten only a ½ deduction for most of

the swings he did. Still not perfect, but getting better. Go-behinds were faultless about 50% of the time, the rest of them would have probably resulted in a ½ point deduction.

4) Also worked on hold. Got him up to 2 ¾ second hold but was mouthing a lot. Should start at

2 ¼ or 2 ½ next time.



Progress assessment: Forging and turns - Met goal. Adjusting well on inside turns. Ready to start

pivots now. Also need to work on getting him to drive around the outside turns. Targetting - Met one of two goals. Didn’t practice much outside so didn’t make

much progress. But inside he’s doing great – starting to send away on cue. Hold - Did not meet goal but I realized I was trying to push him too hard. Once I

slowed way down he started progressing more quickly and is no longer backsliding. Reliable hold up to about 2 ¼ seconds. Before he would sometimes hold it for that long or longer, but was more frequently dropping it before then. Rally course - Met one of two goals. Didn’t make many notes on his overall performance on this, but from what I remember he did well. Definitely need to take him away from home somewhere to practice – I know he will be very distracted in a new place. Fronts and finishes - Met two of three goals. Front is looking really good. Practice another week to make sure things are really solid. Swings a bit better. Next is to start fading hand signal a bit, it still looks like I’m luring. Go-behinds need more practice, still sitting a bit far back (at least 50% of the time). Stand – Met goal. Pretty much spent this week figuring out what would work best. This seemed to be visual signal with a verbal stay signal. Now I need to make sure he is consistent with this. Playtraining – This was good to do. We both enjoyed training more this week. I mostly incorporated this into training, throwing in a bit a of fun stuff in between everything else. He enjoys it all, but learning new things can be stressful.

Next week’s goals: Forging/turns Inside turns – pivot in place Outside turns – keep focus around turn Targetting Inside – Will move away from me when I say “go-way” Outside – Will send to target from 10 steps away within 5 seconds of the

cue Hold – Will hold dumbell for 3 ½ seconds

Rally course – Practice one away from home and do run-throughs at home (run course as if we were in a show)



Fronts and finishes Fronts – Practice another week to confirm that 90% are faultless Go-behind – Faultless finish 50% of the time Swing – ½ point deduction or less, 50% of the time Stand – Get consistent moving stand stay. Playtraining – As always, keep it fun!


Kudos

Kudos is a collection of brags, title announcements, training achievements and notices Compiled by Ruthann McCaulley - [email protected]. If you'd like a picture included with your brag, and you "own" the picture (you took it yourself, or a friend used your camera to take it), e-mail the picture to Ruthann along with a statement to the effect that, "I give Go Rally! magazine permission to publish the attached photo. Name: ___"

Absolute Perfection

Three Perfect Scores for RN/A Title

Mary Jo Sminkey - Taz (Sheltie). Title Earned - 7/3/05. Perfect Scores earned at the Southern MD KC shows (7/1 and 7/2) and Rock Creek KC (7/3), VA. Taz started and finished his RN title with real style, earning 3 perfect scores with 2 firsts and 1 second place!

Three Perfect Scores

Three Perfect Scores

Cindy Pischke, U-ACHX, U-CDX Argo's Witchy Woman

UD, VCD2, MX, MXJ, OAP, AJP, RE, Can CDX, OAC, NGC, NJC, RS-N “Sabrina”, Golden Retriever, 7-3-05, Sioux Valley KC.

This is Sabrina's third 100. 1st one in Novice at Rapid City KC 1/1/05, second in Excellent 5/7/05 at Janesville Beloit KC and now her third in Advanced at Souix Valley KC on her 1st RAE leg.

Two Perfect Scores in one day working for RAE – and

first Great Dane RAE!

Barb Bristol, It Takes a Little Patience, UD, RAE Great Dane (10 years old!), TX. RAE title finished at Texarkana KC show on June 12. I'd be thrilled to have two perfect scores in one day with any dog, but with a 10 year old Dane it was a particular thrill! Patience and I have both enjoyed her coming out of retirement to do Rally.

The 2 perfect scores were on May 28 and the judge was "Bud" Skarbek. I think his real first

name is William but I'm not sure - everyone calls him Bud! :-) He's a nice guy but not known for leniency so it was a really great feeling!

Pat Gannon was our judge in Texarkana the weekend Patience finished her RAE. Pat was also the judge back in January at the Nolan River KC trial on Jan. 8 who gave us our first qualifying score in Novice!

Patience finished her RAE with NO NQs... came close one time due to handler errors but that means 29 consecutive qualifying scores! :-)

Two Perfect Scores

Gina Grissom, Ch.Top Hat’s West Side Story JH, CDX, RN (Weimaraner) 5/20/05 – Hidden Valley Obedience Club Trial – Advanced B – 100 pts & 1st place 5/21/05 – Cabrillo Kennel Club – Advanced B – 100 pts & 1st place. These were our first & second RA legs – the next day we had a small attention error and ended up with a 97 and 2nd place for our RA title. Altogether a great weekend!


Kudos (Cont’d)

Two perfect scores and a finished title

Leap, a sheltie owned by Nancy Davis, of Waynesville, NC. Leap finished his RA title on Sunday May 29 at the Oak Ridge Kennel Club trials in Harriman, TN. He completed his three RA legs with two perfect scores of 100 and one score of 99, with two firsts and one second place.

Two perfect scores in APDT in one weekend, plus RL2

title

My sheltie Danny (UAGI UCD Lynnlea's Match on Fire CD RN RL2 CL2, CL3-RF TDI) completed his RL1 title on 7/2/05 with a 199 and went on to earn a 201 that same day under Lisa Potts and a 201 on 7/3 in Level 1 under Kay Weber. Then also on 7/3 earned his RL2 title under Kathleen Cook.

One Perfect Score

Donna Hughes , CH. Dr K's Cool Hand Luke, RN, CGC, HIC Australian Cattle Dog May 7, 2005 Anderson, SC Show.

Adrienne Perry, Ditto (Wyndhurst Repeat Performance Nighthawk, CD, RN, SchH1), Rottweiler. Ditto had another 100 in Rally Novice B, the first day in Albquerque (Sandia

DOC). It was good enough for second place (out of 84 entries), which finished her RN.

Angela Silvestri Carousel's Silver Streak; Belgian Malinois, CA; Countywide Dog Training Club, CA; March 27, 2005

Carol E. Lawrence, Kimark's Licorice Twist, CGC, Shetland Sheepdog, Massachusett May 22, 2005 at Albany Obedience Club Obedience & Rally Trial, Glenmont, NY. We earned a perfect score at a trial this past weekend although it was our second leg not our title.

Pat Knepley, UCD Marchwind Royl Executive Sweet, CDX, RA, OA, OAJ, AD, NAC, NJC, NJC-V, ASCA-CD; Sheltie; Washington; May 21, 2005 - Spokane Dog Training Club

Lori Moffa , Can Ch Kalorin's Jump for Joy West Highland White Terrier Lori Moffa New York May 21 Albany Obedience

Kathy Hackmann , Brady, Golden Retriever, MO; May 15, 2005, German Shepherd Dog Club of St Louis, Inc Rally Trial Rally Novice B.

Sally Hildt , Strathspey All A Quiver CD HSCs MX MXJ (Call Name "Arrow") ;Shetland Sheepdog. My dog had a perfect score in her first time in the Rally ring: Seattle, Washington, Peninsula Dog Fanciers Club, Bremerton, WA March 25, 2005


Kudos (Cont’d)

Colleen Fleury (breeder/owner), Sherwood's Meghan In Motion, RN, OA, NAJ, Boxer, LA. I can report that Meghan earned another perfect score and first place at the Louisiana Capitol City Obedience Club trial on May 28th in Gonzales, LA under judge J. Skarbek. This was in Rally Novice B. She already has her RN, (finished in Pensacola in Jan.)so no new title, just an extra leg.

Kelly Warner , Del Rae's Limited Edition; Australian Shepherd; Ohio, June 4, 2005 at Toledo Kennel Club show.

Douglas and Karen Coulter, U-CDX, Asterling's Paper Trail, CD CGC TDI Golden Retriever, NY. Jun 10, 2005 Taconic Hills Kennel Club, Inc. Yorktown Heights, NY

Perfect Scores for two dogs, same trial, same class, and two RN titles

Helen Dohrmann , Heads N' Tails Prince of Hearts, CD; Papillon , June 11, 2005 - Puyallup Valley Dog Fanciers, Puyallup, WA and Firerose Andvari, Papillon June 11, 2005 - Puyallup Valley Dog Fanciers, Puyallup, WA. This show also gave them their RN title from the "B" class.

APDT Perfect Score

Jan Sund, Twist and Shout Colby RA, OA, OAJ, R1X, RL-2, Dachshund, Illinois, 7/2/05.

Kudos – by Ruthann McCaulley

Novice A Julie Holmes, Merlin, Doberman, 5-7-05, CO

Donna Hughes, Luke, Australian Cattle Dog, 5-8-05, SC Brian & Janet Lenobel, Tenor, Afghan Hound, 4-16-05, GA Kimberly Ward, Cinco, Yellow Lab, 5-21-05, NJ Dorothy Kurz, Lacy, Golden Retriever, 5-22-05, OH Maureen Clark, Louie, Old English Sheepdog, May 05, MN

Kelly Warner, Jazz, Australian Shepherd, 6-5-05, OH Carla Bunkelman, Farley, Field Spaniel, 6/11/05, WA

Novice B Kathy Fish, Treasure, Papillon, May 14, WA Laura Stout, Jedi, Belgian Malinois, 5-15-05, CA Joanne Dohr, Toby, Brittany,5/7/05,NY Joanne Dohr, Thunder, Siberian Husky,5/7/05, NY Angela Silvestri, Streaker, Belgian Malinois, 5-1-05, CA Linda Benton "Coco" Toy Poodle, UT Irmalou & Jeffrey Knoles, Keegan, Irish Terrier, 5-7-05, IL Karen Mulkearn, Toir, Irish Water Spaniel,5- 21-05, PA Lyn Kalinoski, Tessa, Belgian Tervuren, 5- 22-05, OH Lori Moffa,Joy,West Highland White Terrier,5-21-05, NY Kathy Hackmann, Brady, Golden Retriever, May 7, 2005, MO Lisa Nonog, Flea, Manchester Terrier (Standard), 4-30-05, WA Lisa Nonog, Twister, Doberman, 4-30-05, WA

Tracie Karsjens, Mira, German Shepherd, 5/29/05, MN Christy Swanson, Patton, Golden Retriever, 5-27-05, WA Nancy Grimm, Duncan, Weinaraner, 5-8-05, AZ

Helen Dohrmann, Oscar, Papillon, 6-11-05, WA


Kudos (Cont’d)

Helen Dohrmann, Andy, Papillon, 6-11-05, WA Pam Groves, Maggie, West Highland White Terrier, 6-11-05, IL Karen Mulkearn, Tara, Irish Water Spaniel, 06.12.05, PA Patricia K. Sontag and William J. Sontag, JR., Duffy, Kerry Blue Terrier, 6-9-05, MA Cathy Sullivan, Ruffy, Yorkshire Terrier, 7/18/2005, FL Karen Squier, Stormy, Keeshond, 6-9-05, MA Marny & Dave Temple, Logan, Golden Retriever, 6-4-05, NC Marny & Dave Temple, Boo, Golden Retriever, 6-4-05, NC Linda J. & Delaine O. Wagoner, Thunder, Siberian Husky, 6-25-05, MO Eric and Rebecca Gilchrist, Brutus, Boxer, 6-24-05, Iowa Judi Questel, Moya, Golden Retriever, 7-2-05, NY Judi Questel, Diva, Golden Retriever, 7-2-05, NY Joe & Marleen Burford, Jac, West Highland White Terrier, 4-15-05, GA Jan Sund, Angel, Dachshund, 7/10/05, Illinois

Rally titles since May 15 for dogs in the Mt. Vernon Dog Training Club Jorie Hanson Queen July 3, 2005 Richard Moody Charlie July 3, 2005 Chris Hume Elizabeth May, 2005

Dian Thomas Trevor May 2005 Dian Thomas Rory May 2005 Cheryl Pratt Stella May 2005 Dian Thomas Holly July 3, 2005

APDT Level 1 (RL1) Paulette, Scarlett, Golden Retriever, 7-3-05, MI Ellen Bloomfield, Danny, Sheltie, 7/2/05 Ellen Bloomfield, Roo, Australian Shepherd, 7/2/05 (Rescue with significant loss of sight) Jan Sund, Colby, Dachshund, 7/3/05, Illinois Jan Sund, Angel, Dachshund, 7/3/05, Illinois

Advanced A Karin Andreen, Grace, Belgian Sheepdog 4-16-05, MN David D. Kling, Molly, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, 5/22/05, NC Lisa Leipold, Whiz, Australian Shepherd, 07/03/05, PA Roberta Horner, Isa, Siberian Husky, June 18, 2005, PA Jan Sund, Colby, Dachshund, 7/11/05, Illinois

Advanced B Karin Andreen Cassie, Belgian Sheepdog, 4-9-05, MN Debbie Moody, Sage,Weimaraner,5-14-05, NC Pat Knepley, Kandee, Sheltie, 5-22-05, WA Margo Hamilton, Darby, Shetland Sheepdog, 5-28-05, SD

Kathy Jackson, Jack, Collie (rough), 5-28-05, NB Nancy Davis, Leap, Sheltie, 5-29-05, NC Sandy Walroth, Geordie, Aussie, 6-11-05, PA Joan Greenwald, Echo, Newfoundland, 5-7-05, NY Joan Greenwald, Pavi, Newfoundland, 5-7-05, NY Barbara McClatchey, Oliver, Pomeranian, 7/2/05, TX Kathy Howse, Gabriel, Rottweiler, 6-11-05, CO Diane Richardson & Gretchen Caldwell, Bea, Rottweiler, 6-19-05 Deb Stevenson, Lulu, French Bulldog, 7- 8-05, NJ

Advanced Rally titles since May 15 for dogs in the Mt. Vernon Dog Training Club Cheryl Pratt, Stella, July 2, 2005 Dian Thomas, Rory, July 2, 2005 Dian Thomas, Trevor, July 3, 2005 Chris Hume, Elizabeth, July 3, 2005

APDT Level 2 (RL2) Heather Lampman, Parker, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, 7/3/05, OH Ellen Bloomfield, Danny, Sheltie, 7/3/05


Kudos (Cont’d)

APDT Excellent A Shirley Ottmer, BJ, German Wirehaired Pointer, 6/5/05, MI Shirley Ottmer, Tess, Sheltie, 6/5/05, MI Paulette Lerman, Scarlett, Golden Retriever, 6/5/05, MI

APDT Excellent B Kevin & Liz Piquet, Cody L'Amant, Basset Hound, 5-8-05, FL Karin Andreen, Cassie, Belgian Sheepdog, 5/10/05 (Cassie is 13 and has now been retired) Donna Schier, Casey, Border Terrier, 5- 22-05, WA Barb Benner, Twistee, Belgian Malinois, 5-22-05, WA Lori Moffa,Keeper, West Highland White Terrier 5-22-05, NY Dawn Martin, Sam, Westie, 5-24-05, PA Deborah Stevenson, Muzzy, Doberman (rescue), 5/27/05, NJ. Bonnie Lee, Dolly, Papillion, 4/8/05, NV Bonnie Lee, Rosie, Papillion, 4/8/05, NV (out of retirement) Harriet "Penny" Haynes, Garnet, Keeshond, 6/12/05, NY Joan Greenwald, Echo, Newfoundland, 6-5-05, NY Joan Greenwald, Pavi, Newfoundland, 6-5-05, NY

Sandy Walroth, Cara, Sheltie, July 2 2005, PA Cindy Pischke, Sabrina, Golden Retriever, 7-2-05, WI

Kay & Bill Bedeau, Julia, Irish Setter, 7-3-05, SD Kay & Bill Bedeau, Ice, Irish Setter, 7-3-05, SD (age 13!)

RAE Deb Stevenson, Muzzy, Doberman (rescue), RAE 7-7-05, NJ Barb Bristol, Patience, Great Dane (10 years old!), 6-12-05, TX First RAE Great Dane

Special Kudos to a “Hometown Hero” – by Ruthann McCaulley

Many of you read on the rally list in July the subject line “A RALLY good Friday”. Under that line Doug Coulter wrote the following, and I copy from the list”

“OMG Our TIFFANY@ 11 1/2 finished her rally Novice title today--this is the dog that survived a massive stroke after her work at the WTC disaster was done.

Karen handled her and as she went across the finish line, Karen began to cry.”

I was one of the many that wrote to congratulate Doug and Karen, but I wanted to know more about this special dog. I wrote asking Doug if he would provide further information for Go Rally and he has done so, so now, you can read “The rest of the story” as told by Doug Coulter.

The Rest of the Story Tiffany was honored by the Cub Scouts -the title of the night “Hometown Hero.” Here she is with Karen at that event.

“When 9/11/01 happened here it really was traumatic for us. We are not to far from ground zero. It also hit home because two of the people I worked with lost family there, one lost her son.

When the call for therapy dogs went out my wife Karen was on the phone right away.

They went to NYC on Friday nights and worked at the crisis center. Karen said it was very hard and emotional work, but she couldn't let it get to her because she had a job to do. I think Tiffy realized right away that her work was very needed and answered the call so well.


Kudos (Cont’d)

She met so many family members that lost loved ones and all they did was sit on the floor and hug Tiffany and cry. So many police officers, firemen and service men did the same. Tiffy was known to all on a first name basis.

Finally her work was done there and life went back to normal.

The local cub scouts got wind of her work down there and had an award ceremony for her and they called it the 'home town hero' night in the winter of 2001. The picture included is Tiffany and Karen at that event.

Winter came and went and in May 2002 Karen and Tiffy were

again competing in UKC Utility. Then in June disaster struck when Tiffy collapsed in the backyard. She was rushed to a vet and the prognosis was very grim, she had had a massive stroke. We were told 'IF' she makes the night that would be a miracle. Well she pulled that off and home she came.

She could not walk or stand, nor could she eat. Karen taught her how to eat and I worked on the walking. Every month got better. I spin ahead now to 2004, late Fall. We started Tiffy training in rally. She was 10+. We hoped and hoped she would see 2005 and she did. We hustled to get in

entries for rally trials and she went 3 for 3 in Novice. On her last RN leg as Karen went across the finish line, Karen began to cry.The next day Tiffy was moved up to advanced B and got one leg; She was 11 1/2 when she qualified for the advanced leg.

We now look forward to finishing that title and moving on to excellent.

Well that's the story of one special dog.

– Doug Coulter

JFF Agility Notebook on CD This CD contains the Just For Fun Agility Notebook, Volume I—#1 through #18—1743 pages of training materials for 18 months, including the game of the week (without equipment movement).

Also included on the CD is the Junior Handler Training Manual coauthored by Ruth Van Keuren and Bud Houston. This book contains, among other things, basic training methods for introducing obstacles to a dog and introducing the sport to a new handler enthusiast.

To order, visit our web-store on the internet:

www.dogwoodagility.com/store

Just $28.00!


The Bond

Laurie, her husband Ken, and her daughters Megan and Kendra , live in Fremont, OH, with “Lord,” hubby’s GSD police K-9 partner, “Daisy, CD” the Beagle and “Husker” the Golden, as well as a menagerie of small pets. Laurie’s had dogs all her married life, and began dog training classes in 2003. In addition to raising her daughters, Laurie is the program coordinator for her community’s crisis pregnancy center, and is the volunteer coordinator for her school’s reading program. She’s piloted a reading-to-pets program, P.A.L., Pets Assisting Learning. Though her rural setting doesn’t afford many opportunities to attend classes, Laurie has recently put a CD title on her Beagle and says, “My goal is to keep learning, keep training, and have as much fun as possible with my dog. I’m working hard and I really want to judge rally someday!”

By Laurie Buchele [email protected]

Our rally dogs really are awesome and inspiring dogs! Several of you responded to my request for your stories about the bond you share with your rally dogs. It has been exciting to read them and to communicate via email with some of you. Please keep sending me your stories! This issue features Buchanan, who is loved by Gayle Silberhorn. I know their story will touch your heart as it did mine.

Buchanan by Gayle Silberhorn

I wanted to tell you about the special bond that I have with one of my Rally dogs, Buchanan. Buchanan is a 9 year old Aussie who is retired from agility due to a back and neck problem. We have new life and fun together as a Rally team.

Long before we started Rally, Buchanan became certified as a therapy dog. For an Aussie, he is very calm and collected. When we go visit, he loves everyone and has listened to many resident's problems and heartaches over the past 8 years. Buchanan is very sensitive to.

how people feel not only physically, but emotionally

My boy not only has a very strong bond with me, but also had one with my father. We visited my dad regularly while he was a resident in the Alzheimer's wing at Deerbrooke Care Centre in Joliet, IL.

My dad's condition continued to deteriorate over time and he was placed in hospice care. Buchanan and his sister, Katie, were my constant companions as I visited with my dad almost everyday.

One day we walked in and were informed by the staff that my dad had no vitals and was not going to make it. Buchanan ran to his bedside as he always did and began to lick my dad's fingers and nudge his hand.

To make a long story short, my dad responded and woke up. My dad did pass away a week later, but this gave our family time to say good-bye to him. Buchanan gave us a very special gift that day.

This was four years ago and Buchanan continues to be my companion as we visit at Deerbrooke each week. He still gives joy to residents and staff

with his happy, smiling Aussie face. We are looking forward to giving a Rally demonstration for the residents and staff sometime this summer.

Buchanan's story appeared on Animal Planet's Animal Miracles under the title "Shepherd's Watch."

If you have a Bond story you would like to share with Go Rally! please contact Laurie at [email protected] and put “Bond Story” in the subject line.


Rally Classes Listing

Compiled by Ruthann McCaulley

Rally Classes – by Compiled by Ruthann McCaulley

AZ, Tucson, Reid Park. OPDTC (Old Pueblo Dog Training Club) No classes in summer. Will start on Friday evenings at 7:00 in September, go to Sunday afternoons starting in November. 8 week classes, $50.00. Instructor: Intro to Rally - Donna Allen, Advanced Rally - Anne Addington. [email protected] 520-798-3647.

AZ, Sierra Vista, Tuesday AM (time varies by season of the year) RN, RA, and RE Introduction and full course practice available Veterans’ Memorial Park, Ruthann McCaulley [email protected] (520) 378-2816

CA, Downey Downey Obedience Club Inc.-Rally– all levels Thurs evening Apollo Park, Instructor: Gina Grissom weimtrain@ webtv.net (562) 869-5213

CA, Escondito , California Tuesday and Wednesday nights Alternate Beginner and Advanced levels each new session Contact: Hidden Valley Obedience Club of North San Diego County, Inc. hvoc.org or 760-599-5353

CO, Englewood (SW Denver metro) Monday 8:45 pm - Novice course + drop-ins; inst: Carol Pernicka Thursday 7:30 pm - Advanced/Excellent drop-ins; inst: Stephanie Price Blue Springs n' Katydid Dog Training Center ph: 303-781-9027 www.bskddogtraining.com

FL, St. Petersburg...Thursday night 7 PM Nira Wissler and Diane Conroy We combine Novice and Advanced Rally in a 6-week session Dog training Club of St. Petersburg, http://www.dtcsp.org/ 727-527-5568 , [email protected]

GA, Martinez (Augusta), Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 PM, until it gets too hot. Jae-Mar-S Academy of Dog Obedience, Instructor: Jo Wolf; Phone: (706) 863-3737 (talk to Marlene) or (706) 863-0951 (Jo); EMail: [email protected] or [email protected]

IL, Roselle Owner-Instructor - JAN HICKS, 847-888-4725 Friday classes - Beginners and Advanced http://www.pawlaw.com email - [email protected]

IL, Schiller Park, Mondays, Rally - Arlene King "For Your Canine Facility" [email protected] 847-671-6844 http://www.foryourcanine.com

IL, Wheaton Glenbard All Breed Obedience Club,Tuesday Nights, AKC Rally, All Levels, Introduction to Rally at 6:30pm, Drop In at 7:30pm; Dupage County Fairgrounds, - 630-293-3872, e-mail - [email protected]

Iowa, Boone/Ames (central part of state) Monday or Tuesday All levels & CGC skills; Pawsitively Canine Sports & Training Center 515-233-2222; Deb Owens ([email protected]), Deb Coates & JoAnna Rizzo

MA, Cheshire (north of Pittsfield, MA) Thursday class mainly runs courses (Novice & Advanced). Canine Connection, Instructor Carol Lawrence- [email protected] (413) 442-7553 website - www.canine-connection.us

MD, Calvert County, Thursday nights @ 7:00 pm, All levels run thrus with instruction, Jennifer Smith, Chesapeake Kennel Club 410-257-0300

MD, Calvert County, Saturdays starting June 1st, Two classes, Intro and All level run thru, Rivendell Farm LLC, Jennifer Smith, FMI [email protected]

MD, Forest Hill, Friends Park, Northeastern Maryland Kennel Club. Second Tuesday of the month May through September. 7pm - Dark. $5 for a run through. More info on www.NEMKC.org.

MI, Okemos, night varies, Canine Coaches, LLC. Shirley Ottmer, Instructor; [email protected] 517/764-3198

MI, Westland, Beginning, Int & Adv Rally, Betsy Bernock, inside Superpetz on Ford Road Betsy, 810 955 4148 or [email protected], www.trainingplace.net

MN, Minneapolis, Monday 8:15 p.m., 9 week session; Twin Cities Obedience Training Club, Cassia Drake, CPDT; www.tcotc.com, 612-379-1332

NC - Chapel Hill - Fri evenings, Instructor: Michelle Lennon; Pet Behavior Help, Inc, [email protected], 919-309-7704 www.PetBehaviorHelp.com


Rally Classes Listing (Cont’d)

NC, Sanford, Tuesdays @ 7:00 PM; Bon-Clyde Learning Center, Diane Lavigne; http://www.bon-clyde.com; 919-774-6794 [email protected]

NC, Winston-Salem, Instructor subject to change each session Class are 9 weeks starting in January, April, July, October, Winston-Salem Dog Training Club, (336) 924-4211; http://www.piedmontcommunities.us/go/wsdog

NC, Waynesville, Tuesday, Beginner @ 6:30pm, Advanced @ 7:45pm; subject to change depending on interest / need; please call to place name on mailing list for next classes beginning July 11, 2005, Creature Comforts of Western Carolina, Inc. Instructor: Nancy Davis [email protected] telephone: 828-452-0160

NH All Dogs Gym and INN their website is www.alldogsgym.com The class is on Tuesday nights from 7:15-8:15 for 6 weeks

NH American K-9Country their website is www.americank9 country.com

NY, White Plains; Thursday drop-in 9-11pm, Friday mornings 9:00 Beginner, 10:00 Advanced AKC and APDT rally. Port Chester Obedience Training Club, Joanne Sheffler (Fridays), Peg Munves (Thursdays) For more information please see our website, www.pcotc.org

OH, Concord, Mon PM 6:30 when we have the demand , 8 weeks, $75; Rockwood Dog Training Center, Bridget Telencio & Greta Marchus; 440-352-7513 http://rockwooddogtraining.tripod.com

OH, Ostrander, Tuesdays, 6-7 p.m., full course work, rally sequencing, Tuesdays, 7:15-8:15 p.m., novice competition prep, rally handling skills and dog training Dogwood Training Center, LLC, Marsha Houston <[email protected]> 740-666-2018 publishers of Go Rally magazine and home of Camp Dogwood www.dogwoodagility.com

OH, Toledo, Monday, Adv 6-7:30 PM. Training Center- The Toledo Kennel Club, Instructor's Name-Lyn Kalinoski/Shelley Hennessy. www.toledokennelclub.org for registration forms and info.

OK, Tulsa, Tuesday, 7:00 PM; Companion Dog School of Tulsa, Wanda Cottam; Companion Dog School , [email protected], 918-834-3566

PA, Delmont (east of Pittsburgh) Time: Varies by session. Spring 05 M PM and Th AM Westmoreland County Obedience Training Club, Sandy Walroth and Karen Schroeder. Contact: Karen Schroeder - [email protected]

PA, Levittown, Tues PM 6:30, RA & RE; 8:00 RN, Wed PM – Rally drop in Trainers - Adv & Exc - Susan Trotto; Nov - Carol Cunliffe; Drop-in - Diane Stout, email [email protected] OR [email protected] Lower Bucks Dog Training Club, 215-493-1201

PA, Levittown, Tuesday - Advanced 6:30 to 8 P.M. Beginners 8 to 9:30 P.M. Lower Bucks Dog Training Club, Advanced-Susan Trotto-Beginners Carol Cunliff, 215-493-1201

PA, Wellsville Bella Vista Trailing Center All levels of AKC and ADPT Wednesdays 7:30 to 8:30 Instructors Cindy Erb-Starkey and Rockelle Black Six week session for $75.00 Phone 717-432-0750 Steph Capkovic [email protected]

SC, Columbia, Greater Columbia Obedience Club, Monday evenings-7 p.m. Fall (beginning September) and Spring (beginning March) 8 weeks Rally Novice or Advanced, depending on interest Instructor - Phyllis Beasley Contact: www.gcoc.net or Phyllis Beasley, 803-926-8806

TN, Nashville - Nashville Dog Training Club. Rally Class meets at 7:00 p.m. on Friday nights. Instructor: Nola Simmons. For more information call (615) 331-1101 or go to www.nashvilledog.org/.


Rally Classes Listing (Cont’d)

TX, Dallas Monday nights, Dallas Obedience Training Club, Inc. Time: 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.. $75.00/6 weeks www.dotc.freeservers.com email: [email protected] (972) 279-8677

TX, Lake Jackson, Thursday, all levels, Brazoria Kennel Club, Barbara McClatchey, [email protected] 979-297-7383

TX, SANGER Rose O’Hara, Bark’N Purr Inn, Monday Classes indoors in climate controlled room; 6 wk. sessions. <[email protected]> H) 940-482-3025 C)940-300-6749

VA, Stafford, Tuesdays, 8-9pm Laurie's Positively Smart Dogs, Laurie Williams; [email protected], www.lauriesmartdogs.com 540-288-0316

WA, Olympia, True reward based (clicker training, A to Z Training, Carla Baker, [email protected], 360-534-9614

WA, Seattle WSOTC - Rally class, mixed levels, Fall, Winter, Spring Qtrs (no summer classes), 8 weeks long, $85.00, Lake City Community Center, Seattle,WA, Instructors: email: [email protected]

WA, Spokane - Tuesday (Rally Basics); Thursday (Advanced Rally) Spokane Dog Training Club - Instructors vary - 509-722-2645 - www.spokanedtc.org

WA, Spokane - Nights change depending on space available in the schedule; sessions alternate between Beginning and Advanced; Lilac City Dog Training Club; Instructors vary - 509-487-9542 - www.lilaccity dogtrainingclub.com

WA, Spokane Spokane Dog Training Club Thursday night: All Levels (beginning (Novice level) class early; advanced (Advanced and Excellent levels) class later). Instructors varyClub Phone No: 509-922-2645. Additional contact: Pat Knepley - 509-466-1154 - [email protected]

WA, Spokane Lilac City Dog Training Club Tuesday night: Classes are split between sessions - beginning (Novice level only) one session; advanced (Advanced and Excellent levels) the following sessionInstructor: Pat Knepley - 509-466-1154 - [email protected]

WA, Tucwila Tuesday 6-7 pm Beginning Rally class Pawsabilities Training Center, Helen Dohrmann 6 week class/$90, starts 7-12-05. signup: www.everydoghas.com/ _vti_bin/shtml.exe/enrollment_form.htm. email: [email protected] phone: 206 427 6218

WA, Tukwila, Alternate Thursdays 5:30-7:30 Novice & Adv/Exc Rally practice

throughout the year Pawsabilities Training Center. Coordinator/Instructor: Helen Dohrmann, $5.00/dog; runs in order of signup limited only by number of attendees [email protected] 206 427 6218

WA, Spokane, Tuesday PM Rally Fundamental Class Spokane Dog Training Club, Instructor: Debbie Jensen; Assistant: Doris Ramsden, Thursday PM Advance Rally Class, Instructors: Craig & Debbie Jensen; Assistant: Pam Furness, [email protected]

WI, Cudahy - Monday 8 PM Tuesday Rally,Mindy Mymudes([email protected])7:45; Wed. Rally - Sue Darsch; Thursday Pre-Novice/Rally - Sue Knox & Donna Schmitt, Dog Training Club, ([email protected])

WI, Racine 2nd Friday of every month; sign up at 6pm that night, Excel/Adv 6:30pm, Pre-Novice/Novice 7:30pm, Drop in style Rally class, Greater Racine Kennel Club. Various instructors and assistants For more info: www.grkc.org.

To have your rally class listed please send the information to Ruthann McCaulley [email protected] List the state, city, facility where class is held, instructors, class day and time, and website or other contact information. Be sure to put Rally Class Listing in the subject line. If you need to change the information, please resend everything..


Venue Updates

AKC Updates At the July AKC Board meeting, several adjustments were made to the Rally Regulations. They will be effective October 1, 2005

AKC Rally Introduction

Paragraph 3 The team of dog and handler moves continuously at a brisk, but normal, pace with the dog under control at the handler's left side. There should be a sense of teamwork between the dog and handler both during the numbered exercises and between the exercise signs; however, perfect “heel position” is not required. Any faults in traditional obedience that would be evaluated and scored as a one-point deduction or more should be scored the same in Rally, unless otherwise mentioned in the “Rally Regulations.” After the judge’s “Forward” order, the team is on its own to complete the entire sequence of numbered signs correctly.

This describes heel position as you and the dog are moving. Removed was the allowance for the 2-foot radius. This space has been reduced to what would be proper heel position in traditional obedience. A dog who is more than about a foot or so from “proper heel position” as described in the obedience regulations will result in a 1-point Out of Position deduction. Heel position in traditional obedience is defined as:

Chapter 2: Regulations for Performance and Judging Section 18. Heel Position. The heel position as defined in these Regulations, applies whether the dog is sitting, standing, lying down, or moving at heel. The dog should be at the handler's left side straight in line with the direction the handler is facing. The area from the dog's head to shoulder is to be in line with the handler's left hip. The dog should be close to, but not crowding, its handler so that the handler has freedom of motion at all times.

Chapter 2 Section 2 – Entry Limits.

Entry limits may be based on ring availability, or as specified by the club offering the event. The judging program will schedule no more than 22 dogs per hour. No judge will be allowed to exceed this number, nor will any judge be assigned for more than eight hours in one day. Judges may take breaks for rest or meals at their discretion. Note: After each two hour period of class judging, judges should allow a 10-minute walk-through for the next two hour block of dogs to be judged in the class.

This has been reduced from the original 30 dogs per hour. 22 per hour is a much more realistic schedule. This should allow the judge to remain on schedule, and allow the exhibitors to better calculate a start time for their class if it’s listed as “to follows.”

Chapter 2 Section 7 – Familiarization Time

A 10-minute walk-through for approximately each two hours of judging will be allowed for handlers without their dogs. After each two-hour period of judging, judges should allow an additional 10-minute walk-through for the next two-hour block of dogs to be judged in the class.

When the same course is used for A and B Classes, the judge may choose to combine the classes for the walk-through time. The judge must be available in the ring during this period to answer any questions the handlers might have. The judge may also choose to brief the handlers on the course during this period.

Instead of a single walk-through at the beginning of a very large class, judges now will have a shorter one approximately every 2 hours. This will help the exhibitors, as in a class of 70, they won’t have the walkthrough 3 or more hours before they go in the ring. In smaller classes, the judge still has the opportunity to combine the A and B classes for a single walkthrough, thus saving time.

Chapter 2 Section 9 – Qualifying Scores and General Scoring

Scores will be posted ringside after each dog and handler team


Venue Updates (Cont’d)

has completed the final exercise. Times will be recorded but not posted. Times will be used only to break ties for placements. To qualify, dog and handler must receive a minimum score of 70 points out of a possible perfect score of 100. A rally title may be added after the dog’s name when three qualifying scores have been earned under at least two different judges.

There has been no change in the above paragraph. The changes are in the deductions listed below:

Scoring for all levels is based on a maximum score of 100 points. The following deductions shall apply:

1-point deduction for each of the following:

- tight leash - dog interfering with handler - poor sits - slow, delay, or resistance to

respond - touching or ticking a jump,

pylon, post or person - out of position

One point deductions do not change.


- repeat of a station (a maximum of 2 re-tries allowed)

- pylon/post knocked over (on Figure Eight, Spiral and Serpentine)

- lack of control

- loud command or intimidating signal

- excessive barking

Here, the change is the limit to 2 retries. This would result in attempting a single exercise no more than 3 times – the original attempt plus 2 re-tries. This will help by limiting the excess time a team is in the ring.

Removed from this list is the 3-point Handler Error deduction.


• incorrectly performed station • hitting the jump

Removed from this list is the 10-point Handler Error deduction.

1 to 10-point deduction

• lack of teamwork • lack of briskness • handler error

Lack of Briskness has been added as a deduction. The rally regulations specifically state “The team of dog and handler moves continuously at a brisk, but normal, pace with the dog under control…” in the Rally Introduction. Briskness is required – this does not mean speed. The team must move at a pace that is not slow or lumbering. Teams who do not move out may now be given a deduction for it.

Handler Error has been removed from the 3 and 10 point deductions. A judge may now give a point value of from 1 to

10 points depending on the severity of the infraction. So, a mistake that previously would have to be assessed 3 points may now only receive 1 or 2, A mistake that would have received 10 points may not receive only 6 or 7.

Non-qualifying (NQ) scores shall be given for:

• minimum requirements not met • dog unmanageable, or uncontrolled barking • station not attempted • consistently tight lead • substantially out of position/not completing the honor exercise • eliminates in the ring during judging • bar knocked off the uprights • using a jump as an aid in going over • failure of dog to go over the jump in the proper direction • handler error

Uncontrolled barking has been added to “dog unmanageable.” A dog who barks at most of the stations, or most of the way through the course my be given a Non-qualifying score. This has always been possible – it’s just been specifically added to the regulations.

Another error that has been assessed, but not specifically listed is an NQ for the dog who does not ultimately take a jump in the right direction. One jump is required in Advanced, two in Excellent, and the dog must properly jump all required jumps to qualify.



Rally Judge Guidelines Chapter 2

Section 1 – The Judge’s Checklist

The judging schedule will be based on no more than 22 dogs per hour. Walk-throughs should be performed as outlined in the Rally Regulations, Chapter 2, Sections #2-Entry Limits and #7- Familiarization Time. Additionally judges may take rest or meal breaks at their discretion.

This is the change from 30 dogs per hour to 22 dogs per hour placed in the “Judge Guidelines”.

Canadian Association of Rally Obedience (CARO) Author Bev Hurst

Designing Courses Whether you are designing rally obedience courses for personal use or setting up a trial course, several considerations must be taken into account.

The difficulty of course design increases with each level of Rally Obedience. This article is based on course design requirements for Canadian Association of Rally Obedience. Except for the different levels and some differences in execution of the stations, there are similarities in course design for all the associations.

Course Design

- Designed on grids - Can be hand written (neatly) - Power Point - Word - Size of the Ring - Space Required Between

Stations - Space Required to Complete

Stations - Required Elements for each

Level - Flow & Imagination

Placement of Signs

Space Requirements

- Minimum 10 feet between stations

- Spiral exercises require minimum of 5 feet before and after the spiral and 5 feet between the cones.

- Straight 8 requires minimum of 5 feet before and after the cones and 5 feet between the cones taking up 25 feet. Halt 1-2-3 Steps Forward require approximately 15 feet (#27)

- Off set # 30 Requires approximately 20 feet in length to accommodate the outside cones, allowing 5 feet at either end to allow for the movement around the food bowls plus the 10 feet between the cones. Also 5 feet in width for the food bowl placement

- Call Front 1-2-3 Steps Backward require approximately 15 feet (#41)

- Send Over Jumps Handler Runs By (#42) Spread Jump #64 require approximately 25 feet from the start of the exercise to the completion and for the line of travel, placed 6 feet to the side of the jump and room for the handler approximately 10 feet in total. Tunnel #66 the length of the tunnel must also be taken into consideration when planning the course, as well as the start line and the line of travel of the handler. (diagram 4)



Station Signs

- Signs indicating turns/changes or direction are placed DIRECTLY in the path of the handler.

- All other station signs are placed to the right of the handler.

- Moving Side Step (#22) Halt Side Step Right Halt (46) are placed DIRECTLY in the path of the Handler

- Signs are sometimes close together. I.e. Turn Call Dog Front #34 (sign on the right) when the handler turns the next sign to return the dog to heel position then directly on his/her right (ie. #35)

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