Rally, Oh!

Rally Obedience, Rally-O for short or simply Rally, is very fun, but it's harder than I first thought it would be (with a Shiba anyways). Beebe and I just finished our second class, and we already have pages and pages of homework. What is Rally? Here are some quick descriptions:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/rallyo.html
http://www.akc.org/events/rally/index.cfm

Rally-O is a relatively new competition sport sweeping the country. For pets, show and working dogs alike, it is a fun but technicial event that tests the skills of both handler and dog as a team. An enjoyable learning experience for juniors to retirees, Rally is a combination of aspects of formal Obedience and Agility but in a more relaxed scenario. The handler and dog duo is called a team, and as this implies, the two are a pair judged in unison and most teams by in large seek to improve their teamwork skills, focus and accuracy vs seeking out prizes.

Unlike some of the other dog events I have done, I feel no pressure to out perform any other person, as this is all about improving my working relationship with my dog and going for our collaborative personal best. All breeds and mixes have the potential to benefit from participating in a Rally class.

Got a dog with poor focus? Have a dog that is getting bored with Obedience? Really want to try a less traditional method of obedience training that is more than just marching in a heeling pattern? Want to bond a little more with your dog but don't know where to begin? Give Rally-O a try and the sky is your limit.