Members of Gem City Dog Obedience Club have earned titles in both AKC and APDT Rally. Rally is being introduced in GCDOC’s Competition class and taught as a separate Rally class.

Rally Defined:

R elationship – improving your training relationship with your dog;

A ttitude – building confidence and enthusiasm as a team;

L earn – learning new skills and fine-tuning skills the team already possesses;

L augh – having fun in training and showing in obedience; and

Y ou and your dog – working together as a team and enjoying it. 

Ready to Rally

The American Kennel Club began titling dogs in Rally in January 2005. It is an excellent companion dog event for the beginning obedience dog-human team. AKC described Rally as follows:

Rally is a sport in which the dog and handler complete a course that has been designed by the rally judge. The judge tells the handler to begin, and the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10 - 20, depending on the level). Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. Scoring is not as rigorous as traditional obedience. 

The team of dog and handler moves continuously at a brisk, but normal, pace with the dog under control within a 2-foot area at the handler's left side. There should be a sense of teamwork between the dog and handler both during the numbered exercises and between the exercise signs; however, perfect "heel position" is not required. After the judge's "Forward" order, the team is on its own to complete the entire sequence of numbered signs correctly.

Unlimited communication from the handler to the dog is to be encouraged and not penalized. Unless otherwise specified in these Regulations, handlers are permitted to talk, praise, encourage, clap their hands, pat their legs, or use any verbal means of encouragement. Multiple commands and/or signals using one or both arms and hands are allowed; the handler's arms need not be maintained in any particular position at any time. The handler may not touch the dog or make physical corrections. At any time during the performance, loud or harsh commands or intimidating signals will be penalized.

Rally provides a link from the Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) program to obedience or agility competition, both for dogs and handlers. In addition, rally promotes fun and enjoyment for dogs at all levels of competition

You can talk to your dog throughout the course. You can pat your leg, clap your hands, give multiple commands or signals, give verbal encouragement, and/or promise your dog a trip to Dairy Queen.

The exercises are described on an instructional sign (8 ½ x 11 inches) via words, directional arrows, colors, and geometric shapes. There are 10-20 signs, depending on the level. The levels are Novice (the course is done entirely on leash), Advanced, and Excellent.

While you are talking and heeling with your dog after the judge’s “Forward” instruction, you will approach an exercise sign either on your right or directly in front of you (changes of direction). Your first sign may be a “Halt – Sit” which would have the word “halt” written inside a red octagon and “sit” written in a yellow, rectangular shaped box with a directional arrow on top. This sign is on your right and you would stop “at or near” it and give your dog a command to sit; you can give both a verbal command and a hand signal; you can give a couple commands. The dog sits (because you are talking to him/her in a really pleasant voice much unlike the usual stern, mute robot impression you do in traditional obedience). You praise your dog for the sit – mostly because it is the most beautiful sit you have ever seen your dog do and you tell him/her so. Then you happily move forward to the next exercise sign. The next exercise sign must be a “Halt – Down – Walk Around Dog” which would require you to stop, command you dog first to sit, then to lie down; after the dog lies down, you give a stay command and walk around the dog as he/she continues his/her very relaxed down. You return to heel position, pause, praise the dog for a great down stay, and then heel forward. A sign might have you reverse direction or turn right via a regular right turn or a 270° left turn (the 270° left turn starts to the left and continues until you are now going to the right – you have to do it to really enjoy it). There is this really cool “Left About Turn” which is a Schutzhund turn where the dog goes around you to his/her right as you turn 180° to your left. These signs are numbered and you follow the numerical order of the signs from “Start” to “Finish”. Like agility, you are given time to walk the course before the class starts and you run your dog. Your turn on the course with your dog is timed but times are used for placements.

You can also compete in RallyO – Rally Obedience for All Dogs – through the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) “where an enthusiastic attitude and wagging tail are more important than precision [and] handlers are allowed to encourage their teammate in the ring using verbal praise, petting, and even food rewards.” There are differences between AKC Rally exercises and APDT exercises.