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Ready to step up your dog handling skills and enter the competitive world of dog obedience? We can help you.
Rally Obedience Rally is the new dog
sport that is taking the nation by storm, a successful stepping stone from the Canine Good Citizen program to the world of
obedience or agility. Rally offers both the dogs and handlers an experience that is fun and energizing. The canine team moves
at their own pace, very similar to rally-style auto racing. Rally was designed with the traditional pet owner in mind, but
it can still be very challenging for those who enjoy higher levels of competition.
A rally course includes 10 to 20 stations,
depending on the level. Scoring is not as rigorous as traditional obedience. Communication between handler and dog is encouraged
and perfect heel position is not required, but there should be a sense of teamwork between the dog and handler. The main objective
of rally is to produce dogs that have been trained to behave in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs,
in a manner that will reflect positively on the sport of rally at all times and under all conditions. Levels of Competition
The three levels of competition in Rally: Novice - this is the first level for those just getting started in competition.
- All
exercises are performed with the dog on leash.
- There is a requirement of 10-15 stations to complete with no more than five stationary exercises.
- The exercises performed vary from turning 360 degrees to changing paces
during the course.
- Exhibitors at this
level may clap their hands and pat their legs through the course.
Advanced - this is the second level, which includes more difficult exercises throughout the course.
- All exercises are performed
off-leash.
- There is a requirement of 12-17 stations with no more than seven
stationary exercises.
- Exercises include a jump as well as calling your dog to the front
of you instead of to a heel position.
Excellent - this third
and highest level of Rally is the most challenging.
- Exercises are performed off-leash except for the honor exercise.
- There is a requirement of 15-20 stations, with no more than 7 stationary exercises.
- Handlers are only allowed to encourage their dogs verbally. Physical encouragement is not allowed at this level.
- The Excellent-level exercises include backing up three steps, while the dog stays in the heel position
and a moving stand, while the handler walks around the dog.
Competitive Obedience Consider taking obedience training with your dog to a whole new level. Enter the world
of obedience and help your dog realize its full potential by competing in obedience trials and earning obedience competition
titles. Obedience trials demonstrate the usefulness of the dog as a companion to man. Obedience trials showcase dogs that
have been trained and conditioned to behave well in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs. Trials
and tests allow exhibitors and their dogs to enjoy companionship and competition as they proudly earn titles.
Levels of
Competition
The three levels of competition in obedience: Novice - For the dog just getting started in obedience. Exercises
include:
- Heel on Leash and Figure Eight – show whether the dog has learned to watch its handler and adjust its pace to stay
with the handler.
- Heel Free – The dog and handler perform a heeling pattern for the judge with the dog off-leash.
- Stand for Examination
– The dog must stay in a standing position as its handler walks a short distance away. The judge will then lightly touch
the dog on the head, the body and the hindquarters. The handler then returns to the dog.
- Recall – Demonstrates that the dog
will come to the handler on command.
- Long Sit (1 minute) – The dog must remain sitting in the presence of other
- dogs while the handler
stands across the ring.
- Long Down (3 minutes) – dog must remain in a down position.
Open - The second level includes
more complicated exercises, which teach the dog to do a variety of tasks and to follow commands either by voice or signal.
Exercises include:
- Heel Free and Figure Eight – Same as Novice, but off leash.
- Drop on Recall – The dog must
come to the handler when called from across the ring and on the handler’s command or signal drop into a down position
and then on command or signal from the handler resume coming to the handler.
- Retrieve on Flat – Demonstrates a dog’s ability
to retrieve an object on command.
- Retrieve Over High Jump – The dog must jump over an obstacle in order to retrieve an object
and then jump the obstacle again to return it to the handler.
- Broad Jump – This exercise shows that the dog is able to jump
a width that is twice as long as the dog is tall.
- Long Sit (3 minutes) – similar to the long sit in Novice, but the position must
be held for a longer period of time with the handler out of the dog’s sight.
- Long Down (5 minutes) – dog must remain in
a down position with the handler out of sight.
Utility - The third and highest level of obedience competition.
Exercises include: - Signal Exercise – shows the dog’s ability to under-stand and correctly respond to the handler’s signal
to stand, stay, down, sit and come. No voice commands are given; only hand signals are allowed.
- Scent Discrimination – shows
the dog’s ability to find the handler’s scent among a pile of articles.
- Directed Retrieve – proves the dog’s
ability to follow a directional signal to retrieve a glove and promptly return it to the handler.
- Moving Stand and Examination –
the dog must heel, stand and stay as the handler moves away. The dog must stay and accept an examination by the judge and
return to the handler on command.
- Directed Jumping – the dog must go away from the handler, turn and sit. Then, the dog must
clear whichever jump its handler indicates and promptly return to the handler.
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