Rally
is a brand-new canine sport which consists of a sequence of stations, run
as a heel-work course by a handler and dog, where a sign at each station
indicates an obedience exercise which the team must perform.The
emphasis of Rally is more relaxed than precision competitive Obedience,
focusing instead on attitude and enthusiasm, while the variety of exercises
and courses allows you to show off your versatility and teamwork.
Rally
is currently being developed as a titling sport by both the American Kennel
Club and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.In
early 2002, AKC will be offering titling for purebred dogs to complement
it's traditional Obedience titles.APDT
will provide titling for all dogs, pure and mixed breed, in late 2001.
Rally
courses, depending on the titling organization and competition level, consist
of 12 to 22 stations, laid out in a numbered pattern (like an agility course),
performed on-lead or off.Also like
agility, handlers get to walk the course and familiarize themselves with
the pattern without their dog before running the course.During
their run, the dog and handler move through the course in heel position,
performing each exercise in turn.The
highest scores will be earned by teams who move smoothly through the course,
completing each exercise accurately with a minimum of commands, and with
high enthusiasm and good attitude.Praise
and/or verbal encouragement upon completion of exercises is allowed, and
extra commands during exercises are minimally penalized.Rally
is fun and interesting to watch as the individual style of each team can
really show through.
There
are as many as 47 difference stations which might be seen in a Rally course,
primarily variations on basic heel exercises and other Novice Obedience
skills.Many of the stations involve
activities you are probably familiar with; such as Slow/Normal/Fast
Pace Heel, Halt, Left/Right/About Turn, and Finish
Right/Left.Others are simple
extensions, such as 270° and 360° Right/Left Turns, Straight
Figure Eight, and Send over Jumps.A
few of the other interesting stations include:
·Call
Front - Forward Left :
the handler stops his forward motion and calls the dog to the front position,
then moves forward while commanding the dog to move left into heel position
falling into step with the handler.
·Halt
- 1, 2, 3 Steps Forward
: After a halt, the handler takes one step forward, halts, 2 steps, halts,
3 steps and halts.The dog heels
with the handler and sits each time the handler halts.
·Spiral
Right
: The handler, with dog in heel, makes a sequence of right turns around
a line of 3-4 pylons, with the first two turns around the end pylons and
each successive turn on one end getting tighter and tighter.
Waggin'
Tails currently offers Rally classes covering heelwork and the specific
Rally exercises.Sandra Hudson, the
primary Rally instructor, has been involved in competitive Obedience for
over 20 years, and has been involved in Rally activities since their introduction
in Texas.For more information about
Rally or our classes, contact us at 990-2016, or kim at waggin-tails dot com.
Please
check our fees and schedule page form
more information.
For
more information, try: AKC
Obedience Information (then click on Rally link) or APDT
Rally Information.