Rally Obedience - an Overview

#1 · January 27, 2024, 10:02 pm

Quote from admin on January 27, 2024, 10:02 pm
Rally Obedience is a well recognized dog sport that are obedience exercises performed in a sequence format. Unlike traditional formal obedience, during the course the judge does not instruct the team on each exercise. Instead, the team follows a course made up of numbered signs to showcase their teams relationship and ability to execute many traditional obedience exercises – such as heeling, different positions and stays. Throughout Rally Obedience the dog and handler team get to showcase their connection and ability to work as a team through varying level of distractions and alternations to different trained skills.

There are multiple Rally Obedience Organizations with similar but different spins on Rally Obedience as a whole. Personally, I have competed in World Cynosport Rally Obedience (WCRL), Canadian Association of Rally Obedience (CARO) and United Kennel Club Rally Obedience (UKC). A few other well known Rally Obedience associations are Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), American Kennel Club (AKC) and Canine-Work and Games Obedience (CWAGS). With so many different organizations, it can get pretty overwhelming when it comes to knowing where to start. The good news is that having a dog & handler team with a solid understanding of the basic skills needed for Rally Obedience can easily adapt these skills. Each organization has its own plus and minus’s for trialing and I urge you to print the rules for the organization (s) that you choose and read over them carefully a few times prior to entering the ring for the first time. Some organizations dictate if you may use food in the ring (and the rules around using said food), some are stricter on what equipment your dog may be wearing, and some have other specific pieces that you will need to be aware prior to entering the ring. I have linked each organization above in their acronyms for you to get started. With all the different pieces, it is easy to get overwhelmed, but note though the signs may not look the same most exercises are all very similar and are easy for our dogs to figure out once they have a solid understanding of the basis. For your peace of mind as a handler, I suggest starting with one organization and then slowly adding them on as you get more comfortable with how things are run.

Throughout, this course we will not be focusing on signs specific to one specific organization, our last week will have 2 mini courses from UKC, WCRL, and CARO level 1 / novice classes. These mini courses will give you a chance to add your foundation skills together in a organized manner and allow you a chance to ask some questions in regards to courses.

Rally Obedience is a well recognized dog sport that are obedience exercises performed in a sequence format. Unlike traditional formal obedience, during the course the judge does not instruct the team on each exercise. Instead, the team follows a course made up of numbered signs to showcase their teams relationship and ability to execute many traditional obedience exercises – such as heeling, different positions and stays. Throughout Rally Obedience the dog and handler team get to showcase their connection and ability to work as a team through varying level of distractions and alternations to different trained skills.

There are multiple Rally Obedience Organizations with similar but different spins on Rally Obedience as a whole. Personally, I have competed in World Cynosport Rally Obedience (WCRL), Canadian Association of Rally Obedience (CARO) and United Kennel Club Rally Obedience (UKC). A few other well known Rally Obedience associations are Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), American Kennel Club (AKC) and Canine-Work and Games Obedience (CWAGS). With so many different organizations, it can get pretty overwhelming when it comes to knowing where to start. The good news is that having a dog & handler team with a solid understanding of the basic skills needed for Rally Obedience can easily adapt these skills. Each organization has its own plus and minus’s for trialing and I urge you to print the rules for the organization (s) that you choose and read over them carefully a few times prior to entering the ring for the first time. Some organizations dictate if you may use food in the ring (and the rules around using said food), some are stricter on what equipment your dog may be wearing, and some have other specific pieces that you will need to be aware prior to entering the ring. I have linked each organization above in their acronyms for you to get started. With all the different pieces, it is easy to get overwhelmed, but note though the signs may not look the same most exercises are all very similar and are easy for our dogs to figure out once they have a solid understanding of the basis. For your peace of mind as a handler, I suggest starting with one organization and then slowly adding them on as you get more comfortable with how things are run.

Throughout, this course we will not be focusing on signs specific to one specific organization, our last week will have 2 mini courses from UKC, WCRL, and CARO level 1 / novice classes. These mini courses will give you a chance to add your foundation skills together in a organized manner and allow you a chance to ask some questions in regards to courses.