# Rally obedience.



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

For anyone who participates in this sport with their dogs, could you tell me a little about it? I keep thinking I would love to get Flora involved in this since she is SO eager to learn new things, and there is a wonderful facility about half an hour south of me that teaches rally courses, so I keep thinking once she's old enough I might enroll her in a class. The AKC says a dog needs to be at least 6 months to participate... is that still too young for a growing pup? Also, does she need to be like... super obedient in order to take a class like this? I've already got her enrolled in another obedience course so she should be pretty good with some basic commands but then, but she's not going to be super dog.

Thanks!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

It's 6 months old to compete. You can start training at any time!


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Rally O is lots of fun. AKC and APDT have different rules, with APDT being very loosey goosey and permissive with a focus on having a bond with your dog. For example, no professional handlers are allowed for APDT though yes for AKC. Mixed breed dogs are welcomed, treats during stationary exercises are allowed, and a few other laxer rules make them very different. We do both, and have a grand time. The hardest part is getting the knack of reading the signs quickly! Tally has Rally Advanced class tonight, that is so much fun and APDT; he has class Friday mornings that are AKC and much more serious. For example, in AKC we are working on Go Outs and use no reward markers; in APDT, we are working on "heeling into the party" and running fronts. . . I don't know about UKC, but others here do. 

Check out Quiz's video links!


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

Rally is fun. If you've been through a basic obedience class and passed you should be able to take a beginning rally class.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Ljilly28 said:


> Rally O is lots of fun. AKC and APDT have different rules, with APDT being very loosey goosey and permissive with a focus on having a bond with your dog. For example, no professional handlers are allowed for APDT though yes for AKC. Mixed breed dogs are welcomed, treats during stationary exercises are allowed, and a few other laxer rules make them very different. We do both, and have a grand time. The hardest part is getting the knack of reading the signs quickly! Tally has Rally Advanced class tonight, that is so much fun and APDT; he has class Friday mornings that are AKC and much more serious. For example, in AKC we are working on Go Outs and use no reward markers; in APDT, we are working on "heeling into the party" and running fronts. . . I don't know about UKC, but others here do.
> 
> Check out Quiz's video links!


This place I've been eyeing that teaches Rally teaches "UKC, AKC and APDT" rally rules, so I guess it's a mix. 

Gosh it sounds like fun, although Flora's not very good on her leash. I might wait until she heels better on a leash before I get her into a rally course. Or would a rally course help improve her heel?

Btw, Quiz is VERY impressive!


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

kdmarsh said:


> This place I've been eyeing that teaches Rally teaches "UKC, AKC and APDT" rally rules, so I guess it's a mix.


Think of rally as the "doodles" that people teach their dogs for formal obedience. Now put those "doodles" in words, then in a sign and then have the judge "design" a course of those. There are 30 or so possible signs in Novice - then an additional 15 for advanced and another 5 for excellent. Signs are things like left and right turns, about turns, sits, downs, spirals, serpentines and in advanced and excellent things like jumps and pivots.

Rally is nice because it is what you make it. If you want to go out there and get a perfect score you can do that - if you're aiming to Q - you can do that too... In rally you can talk to your dog the whole time. It certainly has a reputation for being a bit roudy - in the sense that regular obedience is a bit like a refined tea party and rally is a pub 

Here's a video of Teller last Friday on a novice rally course:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt9LTx-PCVo


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I just got home from Rally class that started at 6 and I am soooooo tired and happy(Tally too). We did running downs, running fronts, send outs over jumps, sidesteps- all kinds of "doodles",fun fast-paced stuff and you feel so welcome and successful. At the obedience club, it is much more poker face and very serious. I love Erica's comparison of tea party/pub. It's perfect.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

MurphyTeller said:


> Rally is nice because it is what you make it. If you want to go out there and get a perfect score you can do that - if you're aiming to Q - you can do that too... In rally you can talk to your dog the whole time. It certainly has a reputation for being a bit roudy - *in the sense that regular obedience is a bit like a refined tea party and rally is a pub*


Great description!


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Awesome, because I'm definitely more of a pub gal. It sounds like such fun! Thank you for all of the responses.

And wow - Teller is awesome! He was so completely focused on his handler. What a gorgeous dog, too!


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## WLR (May 11, 2008)

I'm a bit confused on the video of Amber & Jane.
The person with Amber is (I hope I'm putting foot in my mouth) a guy, but I keep hearing a female voice calling out the commands along with the guy.....
What's going on here?


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I loved the Teller video. What an attentive, gorgeous boy he is


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## Bogart'sMom (Sep 16, 2005)

Bogart and I also do RallyO for a while now. We go once a week to a training class. Our trainer is also a Judge so we get lots of good info about Rules and Regulations. Then we also do warm up attention heeling, downs, stands, sits, recalls, and then we play on the course. It's awesome for attention exercises. I can keep Bogart's attention now with me instead of on other dogs walking by. It's great.
Enjoy training it's great fun and a bonding experience.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Bogart'sMom said:


> Bogart and I also do RallyO for a while now. We go once a week to a training class. Our trainer is also a Judge so we get lots of good info about Rules and Regulations. Then we also do warm up attention heeling, downs, stands, sits, recalls, and then we play on the course. It's awesome for attention exercises. I can keep Bogart's attention now with me instead of on other dogs walking by. It's great.
> Enjoy training it's great fun and a bonding experience.


Yes, I'm definitely interested in it for my own benefit. Whenever Flora sees a person, dog, bird, whatever, she freezes and stares at them and pays me absolutely no mind. She's bad. 

Sounds like rally might be right up my alley! Har har.


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

WLR said:


> I'm a bit confused on the video of Amber & Jane.
> The person with Amber is (I hope I'm putting foot in my mouth) a guy, but I keep hearing a female voice calling out the commands along with the guy.....
> What's going on here?


That is a woman with a short hair style : and I think that she must be the "Jane" from the title of the video.


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## Gldntrsur (Jan 16, 2009)

I'm starting a Rally class with Cramer this week and looking forward to it. Could someone recommend a good Rally book I can get? The video of Teller is great and such a handsome boy. Was that taken at American K-9 Country? Thanks for sharing. Jo & Cramer


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