Tuesday Training Byte: Level up the fun with Rally training

I have competed in AKC obedience trials since the 1980s. Obedience trials have a set order of exercises to complete that include off-leash even at the novice level. Rally (or sometimes it is called rally obedience) has a large variety of stations and exercises that follow the judge's course map. Rally became an event in 2005 and has amassed a large number of participants. The novice and intermediate levels are all on leash. Handlers may clap their hands, praise and encourage their dogs as they proceed through the course, unlike in obedience. So it is more relaxed and fun. If your dog gets bored quickly during training, rally is an ideal "boredom breaker"! Your dog will not anticipate what exercise is next because each course map varies. So even the handler will not know until trial day when the course map is posted. Rally is a fun way to bond with your dog . Even if you don't want to earn a rally title, you would have fun taking a rally class with your dog. Mixed breeds are welcome and earning a title can even be done virtually. The judge will be looking more for team work than military precision. To do rally, your dog will need to know the following commands: heel, stand, sit, down, front, finish, and stay. Rally has a course similar to agility and is timed like agility. Should two dog and handler teams earn the same score and tie for placement, the fastest team decides the tie-breaker. You are literally in the ring for just a couple of minutes! It is so much easier to keep your dog's attention and engagement as you move from one station to the next, especially since there are lots of loops and turns. Additionally, if you realize you did not complete a station/exercise correctly, you can immediately redo that sign for a 3-point deduction. The foundation for rally is a good loose leash heel. Here is a video about it showing the signs while the dog and handler team works through the course. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GGLMU6-dneU

Rally On and Happy training!