Friday, August 17, 2012

Introduction to Rally-O

Rally-O is a fun, positive dog sport for dogs and their owners. It is based on obedience and focuses on basic to advanced exercises. Dogs and their handlers enter and go through a course where signs indicate the exercises that they need to perform. These exercises include : Sit, Down, Come-Sit-Front, Figure 8, Send Over Jump and many more. Unlike traditional AKC obedience handlers are encouraged to talk to their dogs and give praise while going through the courses. Also, the instruction does not come from the judge but rather the signs. Dogs of all ages and breeds can be registered and compete in Rally-O, yes that means mixed breeds too!

The first time I was introduced to Rally I was completely in love! It is a fantastic way to get involved in something fun with your dog. It is also great for young children learning how to handle and older dogs who need something fun and easy to do. In order to compete in Rally-O your dog should have an understanding of basic obedience commands. They will also need to know the other exercises that are used in the 3 levels of  Rally. Exercises for levels 1 - 3 can be found HERE on the right side of the page.  There are bonus exercises for each level, and they also offer Puppy and Veteran classes as well.  As an owner you will need to register your dog for Rally.  Right now Rally is in the process of being transitioned from ADPT to USDAA so click HERE to stay updated on how and where you should register your dog for Rally.

For each course completed successfully with a passing score you will receive a "leg" or point towards your title.  You will need 3 legs to earn your title.  I have posted a chart of titles and requirements at the bottom of this blog.  Titles range from levels to championships.

AKC also offers Rally-O however in order to participate in AKC Rally, your dog must be AKC registered or have an ILP number which you can learn about HERE.  ILP allows you to register a purebred dog that cannot otherwise be registered with AKC in order to compete in certain AKC dog sports.  There are certain limitations so please follow the link above if you're interested in getting an ILP for your dog.

Rally-O is a great sport for dogs and people of all ages.  It is fun, positive way to build a stronger bond with your dog and just have a great time!  So get out there, get training and have a blast!!

If you ave any questions about Rally please direct them to the comments section and I will answer them for you!

RALLY ON!

Rally titles and requirements:
Title Title Name Titling Requirements
RL1 Rally Level 1 A dog must earn three qualifying scores in Rally Level 1 A under at least two judges.
RL1X Rally Level 1 Champion Requires an RL1 and 10 additional qualifying scores in Rally Level 1 B. For each set of 10 qualifying scores, the RL1X will be designated as RL1X2, RL1X3, etc.
RL2 Rally Level 2 Requires an RL1 and three qualifying scores in Rally Level 2 A under at least two judges.
RL2X Rally Level 2 Champion Requires an RL2 and three qualifying scores in Rally Level 2 B under at least two judges. For each set of 10 qualifying scores, the RL2X will be designated as RL2X2, RL2X3, etc.
RL3 Rally Level 3 Requires an RL2 and three qualifying scores in Rally Level 3 A under at least two judges.
RL3X Rally Level 3 Champion Requires an RL3 and 10 additional qualifying scores in Rally Level 3 B. For each set of 10 qualifying scores, the RL3X will be designated as RL3X2, RL3X3, etc.
RLP Rally Puppy Level A puppy must earn three qualifying scores in Rally Puppy Level A under at least two judges. Puppy Level is open to all puppies between 6 and 12 months old. After reaching their first birthday, puppies who have previously earned one or two qualifying scores in this class may continue to be shown for a maximum of 6 months in order to complete the Rally Puppy Level title. The RLP is not a prerequisite for the RL1.
RLP1X Rally Puppy Level Champion Requires an RLP and 10 additional qualifying scores in Rally Puppy Level B. For each set of 10 qualifying scores, the RLP1X will be designated as RLP1X2, RLP1X3, etc.
RLV Rally Veteran Level A dog must earn three qualifying scores in Rally Veteran Level A under at least two judges. Veteran Level is open to all dogs over the age of 8. Dogs entered in the Veteran class may also be entered in the RL1, RL2, and/or RL3 levels (A/B classes).
RLV1X Rally Veteran Level Champion Requires an RLV and 10 additional qualifying scores in Rally Veteran Level B. For each set of 10 qualifying scores, the RLV1X will be designated as RLV1X2, RLV1X3, etc.
Title Title Name Titling Requirements
ARCH APDT Rally Champion Any dog who has earned an R1 title may begin qualifying for the Rally Champion title. Using a point schedule based on score, a dog must earn 100 points in the Level 1 B and Level 2 B classes. The higher the score, the greater the number of points earned. At least 30 points must be earned in both Level 1 B and Level 2 B, while the remaining 40 points may be earned in either class. In addition, at five APDT trials, a dog must earn scores of 190 or higher in both Level 1 B and Level 2 B (double Qs).
ARCHX APDT Rally Champion Excellent Requires an ARCH and an additional five double Qs in Level 1 B and Level 2 B with scores of 195 or higher. Each set of double Qs must be earned at the same trial.
ARCHEX APDT Rally Champion Extraordinaire Requires an ARCHX and an additional 10 double Qs in Level 2 B and Level 3 B with scores of 195 or higher. Each set of double Qs must be earned at the same trial.
ARCHMX APDT Rally Master Champion Requires an ARCHEX and an additional 10 triple Qs in Level 1 B, Level 2 B, and Level 3 B with scores of 195 or higher. Each set of triple Qs must be earned at the same trial. For each set of 10 triple Qs, the ARCHMX will be designated as ARCHMX2, ARCHMX3, etc.

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