Is anyone training for or taking part in Rally (Rally-O in USA I think)? I enjoy doing this with my dog and take part in online competitions organised by http://www.rallyonline.org/ This summer I have been to my first real-life Kennel Club Rally shows which I thought were good fun - and we've even won a couple of rosettes! There is no rally training club near where I live so I just train alone or with a friend. I'd love to chat with anyone else who takes part in this sport.
I think judging by the lack of response nobody really knows what it is. I had never heard of it. The website isn’t that easy to follow. (Or I’m being a bit dense) What does it involve? I am looking for something to do with Toby but this looks like it involves videoing yourself rather than going to a class. We did agility for a while which he loved but was quite clumsy and there were a lot of reactive dogs on the side lines that I didn’t care for. Also did a scent training work shop which I use at home quite a bit. Flyball looks a bit manic and he already barks too much!
@J.D Rally is a bit like competition obedience but slightly easier and (in my opinion) more interesting in the early stages. Your dog walks beside you from sign to sign and at each sign you do something - so it might be a sit, a down, a turn etc. In levels 1 and 2 your dog is on lead, then levels 3 - 6 off-lead. You don't have to win to move up a class, just achieve three scores of 190 or more or six scores of 175 or more. The rallyonline website is for video competitions but there are also real-life ones, run under Kennel Club rules. Some places have rally clubs, but there are none near me so I just train with my dog individually. I see you are in Hampshire and I believe there is a rally club in Winchester. You can download all the rally signs from the KC website: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/rally/ And you can see me with Molly taking part in the recent online competition here:
Ah thank you for that. I will take a look. Looks like you enjoy it too. Have you got food in your hand or is it just the expectation of a reward at the end? Ah thank you for that. I will take a look. Looks like you enjoy it too. Have you got food in your hand or is it just the expectation of a reward at the end? I would need to join a club as we don’t have a barn!
I find it good fun and Molly actually nudges me to do it sometimes. No, I don't have food in my hand, or in my pockets a (against competition rules). I train each individual movement with food, but then I trained Molly to understand that she would get food at the end. To do this I put food in a box on the ground, did one sign and then ran with her to the box shouting, 'Treats!' and fed her. Gradually I increased the amount we did before going to the box, but I still keep it random, so occasionally (when training) I still run to the box after only one movement. I don't own the barn (I wish!) but hire it for an hour to video. My garden is also too small so I train wherever I walk - South Downs, recreation grounds etc. I don't bother to set out a whole course each time - in fact most days I don't put out signs at all. Sometimes I just practise individual movements (270 degree turns right still need some practise) - sometimes I link some movements such as heel 2 metres, sit, heel 3 metres, turn etc. If you fancy seeing Rally in real-life there is a show on 17th November at Shedfield SO32 2HN http://www.rallynews.co.uk/index_htm_files/171119 Winchester schedule only.pdf
Thank you I will try to get down there. I guess it becomes a lot harder with lots of dogs/people and distractions around. Toby is very keen to learn and I know he is capable of a lot more than he is doing. Everything went on hold for a while but I am hoping for good news after his scans on 24/9 then all systems go. In the meantime off to Cornwall tomorrow for lots of walks and swimming!
The title of the thread was amended by admin / mods for some reason. I'd like to chat with anyone doing rally with any dog - it doesn't have to be a Lab (especially as my own dog isn't!)
I'm not actually participating in any competitions or specific training yet, but i do intend to get there with Captain. I'm undecided, but rally and competition obedience are the two sides of the coin. We are currently working through regular obedience classes to earn the Canine Good Citizen recognition, but after that i intend to begin fully focusing on rally or obedience.
@J.D I'm going to be competing at Shedfield this Sunday in levels 2 and 3 (we now have our Rally L1Ex title). My dog is listed as Molly Monkey Paws if you are able to make it - it's an indoor venue (equestrian centre).
Thanks Joy unfortunately we are up in London visiting my son. Please keep me posted if there is anything else in Hants. Good luck.
I do. I have joined NDTC Club and Keera has her CGC and we have trained in beginner, intermediate and working on advanced Rally. Have yet to compete. We are in January. Also took beginner Competition Obedience. Will definitely repeat and doing advanced heeling. We are on a break due to season.
@Krisle Nice to hear from someone else doing Rally. Are you in the USA? (I ask as the terms are slightly different in the UK - Good Citizen is bronze, silver & gold and Rally is levels 1 to 6.) You can compete in rallyonline.org from anywhere in the world - designs for courses are published and you video yourself and submit electronically. Doing this gave me the confidence to start competing in real life. We've been to four real-life shows this year and gained two first places, two thirds, a fourth and a fifth (you can enter two levels at the same show in the UK). Real-life shows pause now until next spring.
We have just come 5th in Level 3 in the recent rallyonline.org competition. I'd encourage everyone to have a go at some Rally exercises. Our round is below:
Just reviving this thread to encourage everyone to think about having a go at Rally with their dog. It builds your relationship and really tires your dog out mentally. The next competition run by rallyonline.org is at the end of November so plenty of time to register your dog and get training. This year has been a wash-out in the UK with almost every live show cancelled due to Covid 19 so it's been especially good to have online events. Molly and I have just competed in L4. We weren't placed but scored 199 which counts as an 'excellent' and I was pleased with her engagement. I am a force-free trainer.
Do have a go at Rally - you can start with puppies (competing allowed from 6 months of age) - you can do it with older, less-agile dogs (no jumping until level 4) - you don't need any equipment to start with - I've recently started training a friend's dog and we are just doing the early stuff on the pavement. - you can just do 5 minutes training here and there - it fits well with other sports Rally is essentially walking with the dog at heel and then doing simple moves such as turns, sit, down, stay, recall etc. Molly and I achieved a score of 199 in this recent competition and came third in Level 2. (As it was online the rules allowed you to compete off-lead - in real-life events Levels 1 and 2 are on-lead.)
Well done, that's amazing! I can definitely see how rally helps to reinforce the kind of responsiveness we all dream of from our dogs, and makes it fun for them too!
Another Rally video (filmed before the current lockdown) in the hope of prompting other people to have a go. Delayed reinforcement I have a pot of treats off camera (or in real-life in my bag left outside the ring). I show Molly they are there, saying 'Treats in the pot', then at the end I say, 'Treats!' and we run to get them. I trained this by putting some treats in a pot, showing them to Molly, calling her to my side and then running to get the treats together. I gradually built up the number of exercise before the treats, but when not competing I still now and then just do two or three exercises and run for the treats. You can see all the Rally signs and explanations of how to do the exercises here: https://www.rallynews.co.uk/resources.htm
