My Intro to Rally - 9

 This is the 9th 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/flexibility to use in designing their courses.  Judges needed some 45 degree and 135-degree angles to help with designing some of their courses.  Thankfully, AKC made it easier for designing courses by adding these 4 signs.

Is Your Dog Ready To Work With You…?

Have you noticed that sometimes your dog isn’t choosing to work with you?  If so, your dog may need to be warmed up before he is ready.  Here is a good Warm Up Protocol you can use to see if you have a dog wanting to work with you.  If this doesn’t work, then give him a break for about a minute or two. He may even need a longer break sometimes. 

Warming Up Your Dog: (If you prefer not to use a clicker, you can say “yes”, or another word you would only use to give your dog a treat.)

1.  Away from crate, place a few pieces of food on ground without dropping food.  If dog gets it and looks at you- Click & Treat (C/T).  If not, don’t do step two.  Take a break.  Your dog isn’t ready to work with you.
2.  Offer food in hand – if dog gets it and looks at you- C/T. If not, start with step 1 again.  Or take a break.
3.  (Do immediately after dog does 1 & 2) Ask for a simple behavior (sit, down, etc.) – if dog looks at you C/T (dog ready for ring)
4. (optional) Ask for a more difficult behavior – when dog looks at you, C/T (dog ready for ring or to continue to work.)
Note: Taking a break means to disengage from your dog - usually send to a mat or put in a crate.  (Sending to a mat is another good tool to have taught your dog.  It’s done using shaping).

Here’s a course using these signs in it.   I’ve also used two signs from the previous blog. 
Set it up and give it a try. 






New Signs in numerical order

Principal Parts are Underlined.

SIGN #29. Left About Turn
AKC Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgjsubQbW6M
Description: While heeling, the handler will make an about turn to the left, while at the same time the dog must move around the handler to the right and into heel position.

Notes: The dog does not sit before moving forward in heel position with the handler.  Give your dog the command to go ‘around’ just before you commit to your left turn.

SIGN #37. Loop Right
AKC Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXTPq1_HAho
Description: While heeling, the dog and handler loop right crossing over the original path.
Notes: This is similar to a 270 right, but is only 225 degrees.  It’s a diagonal that was designed to help judges design courses more accurately.  Make sure you remember the course path on your walkthrough.

SIGN #38. Loop Left
AKC Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRR1YWsWxXQ
Description: While heeling, the dog and handler loop left crossing over the original path.
Notes: This is similar to a 270 left, but is only 225 degrees.  It’s a diagonal that was designed to help judges design courses more accurately.  Make sure you remember the course path on your walkthrough. If your dog interferes with your freedom of motion, you will be penalized.

SIGN #39. Diagonal Right
AKC Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2ZWmKpIyWU
Description: While heeling, the dog and handler make an open angle turn to the right. The dog must move with the handler. This sign will be placed directly in line of the team’s path.
Notes: This is a 45-degree diagonal turn to the right that has been designed to help judges design courses more accurately.  Again, make sure you know where the course goes during the walkthrough.

SIGN #40. Diagonal Left
AKC Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJK6k3XsQos
Description: While heeling, the dog and handler make an open angle turn to the left. The dog must move with the handler. This sign will be placed directly in line of the team’s path.
Notes: This is a 45-degree diagonal turn to the left that has been designed to help judges design courses more accurately.  Again, make sure you know where the course goes during the walkthrough.


Here is the link for printing out signs. 
https://k9rally.com/Documents/2020SeptRallySignsSingles.pdf

Current AKC Rally Regulations:  
http://images.akc.org/pdf/AKC1193_ROR001_1217_WEB.pdf


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Introducton to Rally - 1

Image
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
Read more

My Introduction to Rally - 2

Image
  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.
Read more