FREE RALLY CLINIC!

Rally Obedience

This is the blog that coincides with the Rally Obedience Brochure for the free event on  July 10, 2010.  Please pre-register as there will be a limit of 5 to 15 dogs that will be able to try the course.  Should there be too many entries we may add an additional day.   There are generally 3 levels of Rally, Level 1 or Novice, Level 2 or Intermediate, and Level 3 is Advanced. Signs are usually to the handler's right or in front as they approach.  There can be 15- 20 signs in a course. 

Rally Level 1 or Novice 

When the handler and dog get to this sign they should sit, then down then walk around their dog until back in the heel position then move forward to the next sign. Here is an example of Cathi doing the exercise with Lefty.

Here is the sign which leads the team to a serpentine weave.

Here is Cathi with Jazzy demonstrating how to do the serpentine weave. They should enter with the first cone on their left and then weave through the cones and go to the next sign.

           

Now is a sample of Level 2 or Advanced exercises.The first is a send over jump as the handler runs by.  The handler must stay 6 feet to the side of the jump.

Here comes Sue sending Onslow over the jump. 

                    

The moves get a little more precise as we go on.  Here is the sign for a pivot 180° to the left. The object is for the handler to do the exercise as though they are standing on a pie plate.

Now we have Cathi demonstrating this very cool exercise with Lefty. It starts with a sit and ends with a  sit then off to the next sign in the new direction.                       

Now we have a couple of Level 3 or Excellent Rally Obedience moves. The first is the call to front over the jump then finish right or left by the handlers direction.

Now here comes Cathi with Jazzy doing a very nice exercise. Cathi will sit Jazzy then go to other side of the jump and then call her to the front then the finish is when the dog will either go to the right or the left and end up in the heel position next to the handler.

                    

Here comes a moving stand. The dog stands without first sitting. The handler leaves and stands across from the dog.  The dog is cued to down, then sit, then come and sit in front of the handler. Then the handler can choose to have the dog finish by going into the heel position to the left or the right as instructed.

Now watch Cathi do a very nice demo with her dog Lefty.              

                    

I'd like to give special thanks to Cathi and Sue who brought Jazzy, Lefty and Onslow to give me a hand with the Rally Obedience event and demonstration we'll be giving at 'Lambs Farm Woofstock' on June 19, 2010.  You can view the Rally Course.  We'll be on between 12 noon and 1 pm.  Come and visit or if you like register for the free Rally Obedience clinic we'll be having here at Best Friends on July 10, 2010 at 9a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

Rudy S. Practices a Rally Obedience Course..... Off Leash! for the first time

Great job to Mark and Rudy. I met Mark in the lobby of Best Friends Pet Motel before the beginning of the year.  He had done some work with Rudy, a French Bulldog, but still could not get him to walk on a loose leash.  After a little talking Mark caught on and was walking Rudy without him pulling. This encouraged Mark to give the intermediate obedience class a try.  He and Rudy did well and Linda his wife accompanied them to almost all the classes and eventually did a session with Rudy herself.  Even Mark's dad Lonnie watched Mark work Rudy then when Mark and Linda went out of town, Lonnie brought Rudy to class.  This is the whole family participating and enjoying the time they spend with their pet.  This is outstanding for me as a trainer to watch since usually it is hard to get more than one family member to learn how to enjoy the product of the effort that goes into the training the dog. 

In my intermediate obedience classes the teams are introduced to Rally Obedience exercises.  Not only do Mark and Linda come to class but Rudy usually performs better each time because their handling ability is improving and THEY PRACTICE.  There is an old training axiom, "every handler has the dog they deserve."  Often that is meant as a joke to poke fun at handlers but in this case it is really true. Well on my birthday in mid June, I set up a Rally practice course in the Tuesday night obedience class  and Mark decided to run Rudy through off leash.  Here is the result. 

                     

I've had the pleasure to work Rudy in a private when mom and dad were out of town and put a video on You Tube to encourage them and found that this family really ran with the ball.  In about 6 months they are ready to compete in their first Rally Trial.  I hope they video Rudy working and then let me post the score, video and his prize ribbons.  Not only is Rudy into obedience he loves to come here and play with other dogs in camp. Keep up the good work and I hope people try to duplicate what Mark and Linda have done with their own dog! 

Meet & Greet with Nicholas S.

I am familiar with the skills of the dogs and the handlers so when I have a visitor like Nicholas S. that comes with his parents to class I encourage meet and greet exercises.  There are 3 very important things occuring here.

1) The handler is learning to control their dog and the guest.
2) The dog is learning the way the leader desires them to act.
3) The child or guest will learn to approach and not stimulate the dog with their behavior.
The more everone practices the better they all get.

Maddie• A 9 month Cocker Spaniel

Maddie C. worked with me for 2 weeks in Board & Train. She is a 9 month Cocker Spaniel. I watched her learn obedience that started in the Canine College and progressed to working over the whole complex. I could see how excited as we were about to leave and go outside. We would practice long sits at doors that were closed at first then open. I would watch as she listens to birds and other sounds and scents as I maintain and praise her just being able to sit still with all this stimulus. This is using the obedience she has just learned to be able to then absorb while in a calm state of mind. Doors have been something to explode through so this is a great place to draw the line and practice Maddie following me. If I cannot control her here I won't have better results in the dog park. I want to practice in areas that get her more praise and fewer corrections to comply with my wishes. This is just the start and needs to be reinforced daily at home along with practicing in group which would be less stimulating each session.

One Half of the Oscar Mayer team

Here I am in the isle of the Best Friends Pet Motel in Prairie View. I have half of the Oscar Mayer duo with me.  I have had him for 2 weeks of board & train.  He started off shy and would not take food.  Well that's not a problem any more.  He loves spending time with me.  We began in the Canine College which is where the group classes are held.  It is a good place to bond and introduce the game of obedience.  Once this is accomplished we practice and perfect around the 6 plus acre facility.  We have made it to the lobby where we can practice with a higher level of distraction.  In this first video we are adjusting and working together in a narrow isle.  I do have dogs adjust to me all the time and everywhere especially if in a new area or room.  I never walk into a room following a dog. 
Now here we are in an even tighter area next to some racks for food.  Again watch Mayer adjust as I turn to the right or the left. 



The only thing that could be more fun would be to do this with 2 Dachshunds , my  buddy Oscar and his partner Mayer.  Maybe the next visit to the Best Friends Pet Motel I'll be able to work both.  Allan