Here is a great video of teaching dogs to do fronts on a platform. You can see how they become magnetized to the platform, giving you a dog that sits straight in front, without any problems. Fronts using Platform. If your dog is not magnetized to a Platform, here is how to shape them.
There are 8 AKC Rally signs that start off with a Call Front. 6 of them are in the Novice class, and 2 of them are in the Master class. I'll be discussing the Novice Call Front exercises in this blog.
You may take several steps back on all of these call front signs. This gives your dog the opportunity to give you a straight front.
Always remember that in the Novice class, ALL of these "Call Front" exercises begin with your dog immediately coming to Front and sitting in Front facing you.
Here is a video showing all 6 AKC Rally Novice Call Front signs. The demo dog is my 11 3/4 yr. old Casey. Pay attention to how I am not rushing the signs or the dog. Take your time on these signs. Speed can kill you in Rally.
The Principal Parts of the Rally sign descriptions are highlighted and underlined. If these are not done, there will be a 10-point deduction. You can choose to retry for only a 3-point deduction.
SIGN #13. CALL FRONT–FINISH RIGHT–FORWARD
Description: While heeling, the handler stops forward motion and calls the dog to front. The handler may take several steps backward. The dog must come and sit in front. Without the handler moving their feet, the dog must finish to the right. As the dog clears the handler’s path, the handler will heel forward before the dog returns to heel position. (Stationary)
My Notes: When handler calls dog to the front, the dog sits in front and faces the handler. The handler may take several steps backward as the dog turns and moves to sit in the front position. The second part of the exercise directs the handler to command and/or signal the dog to move from the front position to the handler’s right by going clockwise around and behind the handler towards heel position. As the dog clears the handler’s path, the handler moves forward before the dog has completely returned to the heel position. The dog does not sit before moving forward in the heel position with the handler. Handler must not step forward or backward to aid the dog as the dog moves from the front to heel position.
SIGN #14. CALL FRONT – FINISH LEFT – FORWARD
Description: While heeling, the handler stops forward motion and calls the dog to front. The handler may take several steps backward. The dog must come and sit in front. Without the handler moving their feet, the dog must finish to the left. As the dog clears the handler’s path, the handler will heel forward before the dog returns to heel position. (Stationary)
My Notes: When handler calls dog to the front, the dog sits in front and faces the handler. The handler may take several steps backward as the dog turns and moves to sit in the front position. The second part of the exercise directs the handler to command and/or signal the dog to move from the front position by moving directly to the handler’s left side towards heel position. Make sure to not move your feet on the finish until your dog clears your path. THEN heel forward before dog returns to heel position.
SIGN #15. CALL FRONT – FINISH RIGHT – SIT
Description: While heeling, the handler stops forward motion and calls the dog to front. The handler may take several steps backward. The dog must come and sit in front. Without the handler moving their feet, the dog must finish to the right and sit in heel position. (Stationary)
My Notes: After handler calls dog to the front, the dog sits in front and faces the handler. The handler may take several steps backward as the dog turns and moves to sit in the front position. The second part is the finish to the right where the dog must return to heel position by moving around the right side of the handler. The dog must sit in heel position before moving forward with the handler. Handler must not step forward or backward to aid the dog as the dog finishes. Dog does not sit on the finish. Do not halt when you approach this sign. That small stop sign is for the finish.
SIGN #16. CALL FRONT – FINISH LEFT – SIT
Description: While heeling, the handler stops forward motion and calls the dog to front. The handler may take several steps backward. The dog must come and sit in front. Without the handler moving their feet, the dog must finish to the left and sit in heel position. (Stationary)
My Notes: After handler calls dog to the front, the dog sits in front and faces the handler. The handler may take several steps backward as the dog turns and moves to sit in the front position. The second part is the finish to the left where the dog must return to heel position by moving directly to the left side of the handler and sit in heel position. The dog must sit in heel position before moving forward from heel position with the handler. Handler must not step forward or backward to aid the dog as the dog finishes.
SIGN #26. CALL FRONT – 1, 2 AND 3 STEPS BACKWARD - FORWARD
Description: While heeling, the handler stops forward motion and calls the dog to front. The handler may take several steps backward. The dog must come and sit in front. The handler takes one step backward and halts. The dog must move with the handler and sit in front as the handler halts. The handler takes two steps backward and halts. The dog must move with the handler and sit in front as the handler halts. The handler takes three steps backward and halts. The dog must move with the handler and sit in front as the handler halts. The handler may command/signal the dog to finish. As the dog clears the handler’s path, the handler will heel forward before the dog returns to heel position. (Stationary)
My Notes: Dog MUST move with Handler on each step backward. Your dog must sit 4 times in this exercise. Your dog may finish in either direction. Make sure all of your steps are counted for – no ½ steps! The biggest mistake handlers make is to not do the 3 steps back portion properly. Most people will take the third step back as a 1/2 step - and this is Improperly Performed! At a Trial, you are nervous and your steps will get smaller. Make your steps clear and precise. Try to make each step at least the length of your foot... (this is what I tell my students). Try to really reach back for that 3rd step.
SIGN #35. CALL FRONT – RETURN TO HEEL
Description: While heeling, the handler stops forward motion and may command/signal the dog to front. The handler may take several steps backward. The dog must come and sit in front. The dog must stay while the handler walks around behind the dog to return to heel position. The handler must pause before heeling forward. (Stationary)
My Notes: This is one of many Call Front signs. You may take several steps back on the call front. This gives your dog the opportunity to give you a straight front. Dog then stays while you walk around behind your dog to heel position. The handler MUST PAUSE in heel position!!! If handler does not pause, it is an IP. (-10 pts)
This is the 9 th edition of the Introduction to Novice Rally We’ll be discussing more Novice turns (Change of Direction – COD) that have not been covered. We’ll also talk about Warming up your Dog before training. Here are 5 new Novice Rally signs we’ll work with this time. 29 37 38 39 40 The first turn is a turn we have been doing in obedience for years. Some of us have called it “turn in to your dog” over the years. AKC names it “Left About Turn” for the Rally sign. If you look at the diagram, the large arrow is the dog’s path and the small arrow is the handler’s path. This gives you a good idea of where the movement is when executing this sign. If your dog knows how to go around you clockwise, give him that command/signal before you commit to turning yourself to the left. The next four signs, #s 37, 38, 39, & 40 were designed by AKC in 2017 to give judges more angles/
If you’re interested in learning about AKC Rally, you may already have a dog that can do the required skills, as long as you, too, can perform the required skills. 😊 The hardest thing about Rally is for you, the handler, to perform the skill and know how to get your dog to do their part. If you make a mistake, so does your dog. Most of the deductions in Rally are caused by the Handler!!! 😮 Are you ready to try some Rally Signs? When you do a course with signs, the signs will be on your right. Signs will generally be on the right until you get to a turn sign. Then that sign will be on the course path (in front of you). So when you practice them, get used to these signs being placed about a foot in front of you on your right. This is Sign #3. When you arrive at this sign, you will stop and your dog will Sit. Pretty easy, right? You need to know what you need to do to get your dog to sit when you stop. If you haven’t done any “heeling” with your dog, he may not know
AN INTRODUCTION TO RALLY - 2 This is the 2 nd lesson of the Introduction to Rally Last time I mentioned to you that the Rally signs will be on your right, except for a sign where you will turn to the right or left or you’ll do a 180. In this case, these signs will be placed DIRECTLY in front you on the path you are walking. Below is a very accurate diagram of the placement of signs for a course. You will see that the COD (Change of Direction) signs are directly in your walking path (arrows). You will also see that signs #2 & 4, from lesson 1, are continuous signs in this course. (You will continue to walk in the same direction after performing these signs) These signs are placed on your right in this course. There is a text box with the 6 sign numbers used in this course. This is the order of the signs for this course. This list not only helps you to easily pull these signs to lay out a course, but it also lets the handler know the order of signs.
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