Root Beer Posted March 17, 2005 Report Share Posted March 17, 2005 Speedy and I did go to Pawsabilities on Saturday and Sunday and we did complete in the Level 1 Rally-O (APDT). What a learning experience!! Wow!! It was a tough venue to compete in, especially never having done so before. There were a lot more distractions and noise than there would normally be (I hear) at such a competition. We failed to qualify for either course that we did on Saturday. Once because of serious distraction (I had to lure him with the food - you can use food to reward at certain places on the course, but you can't lure) and the second time because of inexperience on my part!! I re-did too much. And, it turned out, I didn't need to re-do anything at all!! Oppps!! LOL!! On Sundy we did much better!! We qualified for both courses that we did with really good scores!! The second course of that day was amid serious distraction again, but Speedy and I held it together and ended up doing better than I would have hoped!! We ended up with second place for that course!! I am definitely hooked now! It is way harder than it looks out there, but it is a very, very worthy challenge!! Best of all, I'm really proud of Speedy. It was a loud, stressful environment and he handled it like a pro!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbear Posted March 17, 2005 Report Share Posted March 17, 2005 Congratulations! That sounds like so much fun. I'm trying to find some Rally-O around here, because everyone that I've spoken to about it starts by saying something like "OhmygoshyouvegottotrythisBearwouldloveit...it's so much fun". Yay for you and Speedy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanna in OR Posted March 17, 2005 Report Share Posted March 17, 2005 Rally is great fun--I just wish APDT Rally was available in more places. Around the Pacific NW, there have been a few APDT Rally trials but none in the last year or more and none on the horizon. so the only Rally game around right now, anyplace near, is the "dreaded" AKC. We've been training in Rally for about a year and a half, and Tenaya is doing really well. Deanna in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted March 18, 2005 Report Share Posted March 18, 2005 Hey you PNW folks, You can start planning now to come to the ADPT Rally-O trial in Juneau in August! Better yet, it's going to be held in conjunction with a NADAC agility trial, one of the most laid back NADAC venues you will ever find. And for a really good vacation, you can continue on to the Whitehorse Woofers NADAC trial two weeks later. Details on the Juneau event will be available here as they emerge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted March 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 I just wish APDT Rally was available in more placesThat's the one thing. When I've gone on line looking for the next place we will compete, I noticed that they all seem to be centered around New Jersey, Pa, and Maryland. That's good for us - we are very close to several of the venues. But not so good for most of the country! I hope they are looking to expand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted March 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 "OhmygoshyouvegottotrythisBearwouldloveit...it's so much fun".I looked around at your pictures of Bear on the site you have in your signature and I agree - I think Bear would love it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbear Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Originally posted by Root Beer:I looked around at your pictures of Bear on the site you have in your signature and I agree - I think Bear would love it!! I think so too! He really enjoys obedience, way more than agility (weird dog). He's trained to an Open level in regular obedience but there aren't a lot of opportunities to trial a mixed breed around here. So definitely time to find rally-o classes. To go along with flyball, agility, herding and therapy dog. Hmm, may have to quit job in order to fulfill dog's performance sport destiny! Alaska, thank you for your very informative post on flying with a dog. I wish I weren't so scared of putting my dog on a plane, or I'd seriously think about coming up for the Rally-O/NADAC event. Alas, I am a big chicken with my dogs and won't fly 'em. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Hello. My name is Roz and I don't know what Rally-O is... :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted March 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Well, Roz, I'm happy to elaborate!! I enjoy it so much that I could go on and on about it! I'll explain in pieces: 1) There are different signs that designate a "move". Some of them are directional: right turn, left turn, u-turn, turnabout, 270 degrree turn (in either direction), 350 degree turn (also in either direction). Some of them designate an obedience exercise like sit, sit-stay (you walk around the dog), down, down-stay (you walk around), sit-down-sit, sit front and then finish (there is one to the right and one to the left. Some have you heel around cones - in a weaving motion or around and around like a paper clip. That's just some of them, but you get the idea. As you go from level 1 to 2 to 3, the excercises get more challenging. (And more fun, in a way!) 2) The signs are placed on the floor in a course. The beginning level (Level 1) has about 16 or so signs in a course. 3) You take your dog from sign to sign in heel position and carry out the directions given on each sign. ~~~~~~~~~~ In competition you are judged on: keeping your dog with you and carrying out the directive on each sign. There is also a time limit, but you aren't judged on time like in agility. There are also rules regarding the leash. In level 1 you must have your dog on leash, but the leash has to be held loose. Choking up on the leash results in loss of points and jerking your dog around can result in a disqualification. The dog has to stay with you, but the heel position doesn't have to be perfect. After a while you kind of get your pace with your dog as you move from sign to sign. In APDT you can get extra points for demonstrating a good rapport with your dog and you can feed as a reward on designated exercises. Every dog/handler team that enters the ring starts with 200 points and you get deductions. The only points you can earn are the extra points (for good rapport), so the maximum score is either 204 or 205 (I can't recall if you can earn up to 4 or 5 extra points, but it's something like that). If you fail to carry out an exercise, or if you lose more than 30 points, or if you re-try an exercise too many times, you don't qualify. If I confused you, let me know!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bounce Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 I saw an ad for Rallo 0 in the local paper. I have a few questions. How "beginner" is beginner? I mean, how much basic obedience is required? Is Rally O a step up and beyond basic OB? I'm going to concentrate on sheep work with Bounce because thats what he's meant to do. I was hoping to get into something with Tex. Is Rally O too visual for a blind dog? The principal of one of the schools I drive for has a therapy dog (black Lab)who comes to school every day. The school board was very skeptical but this dog has proven his worth over and over calming down anxious children. Cuddly, wigglebutt Tex seems like a therapy dog personality, has anyone here certified their dog as a therapy dog? I'd love to hear their experiences and thoughts on either RallyO for Tex or therapy work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Hi Bounce, Rally O requires basic obedience, heel, sit, down, etc. Rally O has a website www.canadianrallyo.ca It explains everything. Jazz loved the first few times we tried it..and he was not all that keen on regular obedience! Jazz is a certified Therapy dog..he went through obedience, basic and some advanced. He was required to do 'community work' which for him was coming to work with me daily however the other dogs went to a mall where they were exposed to various and sundry people, sites, sounds, etc. Jazz then completed our local Canine Good Citizen test. He has since completed the CKC Canine Good Neighbour program which is avialable to all dogs (purebred or mixed) Basically for a Therapy dog, they are looking for a dog that adapts easily to new situations, isn't skittish, fearful or aggressive. Do a search on Therapeutic Paws which I think is one of the national organizations in Canada. Tex may be a great candidate for both...Do you know who's teaching the Rally-O? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanna in OR Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 A blind dog that can learn your commands by voice should have no problem at all in Rally-O. YOU are the one who has to read the signs, not the dog! (Although I'm waiting for Tenaya to start reading them and barking at me if I get the exercise wrong!). Basic obedience is required, since Rally-O is about doing various fun exercises based on heeling. Your dog needs to know how to stay more or less in a heel position no matter which direction you go, to sit, down, front and return to heel position (although the front and return to heel might be something that would be taight in the Rally-O class, and perfect heeling is DEFINITELY not required!). I would expect a Rally-O class would want basic obedience as a prerequisite, because you will get frustrated trying to learn things that build on the basics if you and your dog don't have at least some understanding of those. You can talk to your dog as much as you want, clap and pat your leg, and give lots of positive feedback to encourage your dog. There is no particular, formal body positions that need to be maintained by the human. In APDT Rally-O, you can also give treat rewards at certain exercises. "Harsh corrections" aren't allowed. You can get more information about Rally-O from the man who invented it, Bud Kramer, by getting his book: Bud Kramer--Rally Obedience You can also get a lot of information on Rally-O from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers site: APDT Rally-O. APDT sponsors all-breed (including mixed breed) Rally trials in the US and perhaps beyond. there is a Yahoo list ("Group") for Rally-O at: Rally-O-All_dogs that is specifically for non-AKC Rally-O discussion. It's a great place to go and ask questions and get started. there is also a Rally list on Yahoo that focuses primarily on AKC Rally. The different sponsoring organizations have slightly different rules and exercises but they are very very similar. Rally-O is a lot of fun to work on with your dog, and it seems like Tex and you would have a great time at it! Deanna in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted March 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Is Rally O too visual for a blind dog?I don't think so, athough you will have to do some adaptation, but (in APDT anyway), they allow for that. The best thing to do would be to get in touch with the folks offering the class, explain that your dog is blind and ask if they are willing to work with you. I know that in my class here they would - gladly. But it will probably depend on the trainer. If you decide to do Rally with Tex, I'm very interested to hear how it goes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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