Rally Novice titles

Cali Mae

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#1
This morning on a whim, I came up with a somewhat large goal for Cali and I. Since I'm no longer competing in my provincial equestrian circuit this summer, I figure that I'll have loads of spare time, so I want to work towards some sort of title for Cali although I'm sure it'll take a few months to work to that.

I'm just wondering how much your dog knew before you entered your first rally trial and if you had any pointers for someone looking to get started?
 

MicksMom

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#2
Basicly, your dog needs to know heel, sit, down and stay. You, on the other hand, need to know the rules and how to do the signs. :) Caleb & I had taken a puppy class and some beginner obedience. Then Rally classes were offered close to us. Do you need to take classes? No. But they sure help to learn the signs and regs.
 

Cali Mae

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#3
I'm hoping to take a class this spring/summer, since I know the trainer teaches a class because last year, she had shown me a video she took of a Papillon at a rally trial she went to with her JRTs.

I'm starting to do a little reading, and by the sounds of it, I need the most work between the two of us. I always get so nervous at horse shows during conformation/showmanship classes so that'll be my biggest downfall, I think.
 

MicksMom

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#4
...always get so nervous at horse shows during conformation/showmanship classes so that'll be my biggest downfall, I think.
I hear you on that one! Taking classes will definitely help- the better you know the signs, the less nervous you will be. I've discovered that as soon as the judge says "Forward", my nerves go away- until we get out of the ring. Then I'm shaking like a leaf. LOL Once we get going, I tend to block everything out but the course and the dog.
 

Beanie

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#5
Definitely take a class if you can because some of the new signs are confusing LOL. Auggie got his RN easily. Payton probably would have if he weren't busy losing his mind in the ring. A heel in rally isn't judged quite as harshly as in the ob ring (well, depending on the judge, but it's not SUPPOSED to be) so you really just need a decent heel and a dog who will respond to sit, down, and I think stand as well but that might be advanced, not novice. Also call to front, and a dog who will go back into heel either side.

I think rally is quite easy as long as you know the signs! There are YouTube videos going over them if you can't take a class, but I think if I had a class I could take, I would.
 

Cali Mae

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#6
It sounds/looks quite easy, at least at the start. I've been working on Cali's sit/down/stay daily for a couple weeks now inside so I've started asking for a sit randomly on our walks and last night, she sat each time I asked without hesitation.

I'll have to hope Cali will stay quiet in the ring since she's such a talkative little thing, and I'm sure she'll want to go say hi to the judge and everyone in a 100m radius. :rolleyes:

I think realistically if I keep up with her daily training, we could probably go to a trial after a few weeks of taking the rally class. The signs will make it easier for me, because I'm notorious for forgetting my showmanship patterns when I get nervous.
 

BlackPuppy

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#7
I didn't take a class, but I went to a Show and Go and the "judge" gave me some pointers. I also always bring the rules with me to shows, though people are really helpful if you ask how to do something. Even in Excellent level I still ask people sometimes if I'm doing the walk-through without my rules.

Print out the rules for your level and run through each sign with your dog. The rules are detailed enough that you shouldn't have any question.
 

Red.Apricot

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#8
You need heeling, sits, downs, stay, come front and left and right finishes for rally novice.

I had to ask what one of the signs meant in our first trial. We got a 90 anyway.
 

MicksMom

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#9
Definitely take a class if you can because some of the new signs are confusing LOL...
Honestly, the new signs won't be hard for someone new to rally since they're learning all the signs anyway. The sign I've seen people get confused over the most is the new "Call Front, Return To Heel". AKC messed up on that one big time- it should say "Call Front, Handler Return To Heel".


... Also call to front, and a dog who will go back into heel either side...
Oh yeah- I forgot about the Call Fronts.
 
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#10
I highly recommend practicing heeling and attention around distractions, like going to pet friendly businesses.

Otherwise, try to relax and have fun. For real, if I can do it you can do it. :D
 

Cali Mae

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#11
Heeling will definitely be our big thing to practice on. When we took an obedience class, she was pretty good about heeling past other dogs... but I'll be honest and say I haven't practiced heeling at all since the summer, so hopefully we'll be able to get her back to where she was.

I have no idea how I'd teach her the "call to front" but I guess that's what a trainer is for! :p
 
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#12
Blaze and I took classes. But he already pretty much knew every thing. I just had to learn all the stuff lol.

will you be doing CKC or CARO? CARO is apperantly more easy going and relaxed and you can talk to your dog.
 

MandyPug

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#13
will you be doing CKC or CARO? CARO is apperantly more easy going and relaxed and you can talk to your dog.
You can talk to your dog in CKC rally as well.

If you can take a class, do it. If nothing else it gets another set of eyes on your dog and your instructor can mimic a judge following you which is a big issue for a lot of dogs:
 

Cali Mae

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I'm assuming CKC since she is registered, so hopefully I'll be able to find CKC sanctioned events nearby.

I did a quick read through of the rules and I think it said that the handler is allowed to talk to and pet their dog in forms of encouragement, but no food is permitted. It's a pretty long document so I will have to go through it again in more detail.
 

MandyPug

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#15
I'm assuming CKC since she is registered, so hopefully I'll be able to find CKC sanctioned events nearby.

I did a quick read through of the rules and I think it said that the handler is allowed to talk to and pet their dog in forms of encouragement, but no food is permitted. It's a pretty long document so I will have to go through it again in more detail.
You can talk to and encourage your dog but you cannot touch your dog in the ring and you cannot have food even on you within I think 10 feet of the ring gate (there's often a line drawn with chalk on the floor).

Look here for rally:

http://www.canuckdogs.com/index.php...y=e4c2e472-0b66-11df-b8b7-8ac0277f09ae&Type=6

You will also need to get a CKC membership for yourself to compete and have things be recorded and count. It's I think $50 or something.

Here's the form:

http://www.ckc.ca/en/Portals/0/pdf/ckc forms/membership/02-103-01-05.pdf

Where it says referral you can put my name Amanda Shigehiro and my number 1331917 so I can get some sort of points toward next year's membership or something I guess lol.
 

BlackPuppy

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#16
The sign I've seen people get confused over the most is the new "Call Front, Return To Heel". AKC messed up on that one big time- it should say "Call Front, Handler Return To Heel".

I think I IP'd twice on that sign before I realized it was the news sign and not the about turn sign. It doesn't help that the trials start early in the morning. :)
 

BlackPuppy

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#17
I have no idea how I'd teach her the "call to front" but I guess that's what a trainer is for! :p
This is easy! In Novice you can take a couple of steps back on this sign.

Heel, then at the sign start backing up 2 or 3 steps and call your dog. (Take as many steps as you need while training it. It's very natural for the dog to come back towards you.)

I just say "Balto come". I use my hands in front of me to guide him in to a nice straight front. You can tell your dog to sit. Actually, you can tell your dog anything you want, you can wave your arms around too. That's the beauty of Rally. LOL! No rigid body positions or commands, it's all free form.

If you need help there are many Youtube videos. Here is a video that illustrates what I'm trying to type.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2hEuch6KJg
 

BlackPuppy

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#18
Here's an example of how you can motivate your dog at a trial. There are a lot of perfect rally runs on youtube, but this one shows what Novice rally is really like. :) You can see her patting her leg and using body postures and arm gestures to direct her dog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeNsKF6YtIs
 

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