[ SHOWGSD-L ] A little information and a little brag
- From: Erynbrook@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2005 20:50:03 EDT
Hi all -
DeeDee (Erynbrook Achtung Black Diamond, CGC, HIC) and I haven't seen much
about obedience on the list lately, so we would like to tell you all just a
little bit about Rally, the AKCs latest addition to the Obedience activities.
The first Rally Trials were held on January 1st of this year. (Prior to that
it was a non-regular event.) The AKC created Rally to provide a link from the
Canine Good Citizen 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. When I read that I thought it would be more challenging
than a CGC but not as difficult as getting a CD. Yeah, right.
The things that make Rally a stepping stone to CD or other titles are 1)
there is no off-lead work required at the novice level, and 2) the handler can
talk to or pat his leg, clap hands, etc. to otherwise encourage the dog
through
the course. Heeling wide is not penalized as long as the dog is within two
feet of the handler's side. Sounds like a snap, right?
In many ways it is. Every one of us who have competed in the obedience ring
can remember how nice it would have been to tell the dog "hurry hurry" or
"watch me" during the various heeling exercises. But the challenge to Rally is
to
see how well you and your dog can work as a team. Working your way from station
to station and performing the various skills is not limited to getting the
dog to perform correctly. The handler has to perform correctly as well.
The handler must move quickly through 15 or so stations, maing sure to
perform them in the correct sequence and being sure to perform the skill as
stated
on the sign. Those who can't tell their right from their left may have a
problem. I thought I could but at a recent trial Iread the sign that said"Halt,
front, finish left" and promptly sent my dog to the right. I didn't even
realize I
had messed up until I got to the station that dictated that the dog finish
right. Handlers have to remember to bring their feet together after walking
around the dog before heading off to the next station. An oh hes, where IS that
staion anyway? They are all numbered but they do not have to be straight ahead
of you. They might be off to the right or left and you might have to llok for
them. Pause too long to look and your dog is likely to sit -- oops!
Anyway this little lesson is just to give those who don't already know that
Rally really is a challenge and can be a lot of fun. Each judge sets up his or
her own course, so there is a fresh challenege for the dog & handler team each
day. The dog needs three qualifying scores (70 or better out of 100) under at
least two different judges. And after completing the novice, title, the teams
can compete at the advanced and excellent levels, where there are more
stations added and work is performed off-lead.
DeeDee, who completed her RN yesterday in Longmont with a respectable 94,
says she's happy to stop here and let her daughter take her place at my side
for
future performance events, but she hopes to see more GSDs and their owners out
there strutting their stuff for the rest of the dog world to see.
Susan Casey
Erynbrook German Shepherds and
Front Range German Shepherd Rescue
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