Having A Go At Rally-O

Looking for something fun to do with your dog? Or are you already competing in dog sports and just thinking of trying something new? Caroline Strainig explains what Rally Obedience is all about.

Teamwork and happy smiles all round: Naomi Shaw from Rockhampton competing with her Collie Rough, Willow, at Durack.

Photo credit: Carolyn Ryan

Years ago, a new instructor joined my local dog training club. Suddenly, clusters of bright orange witches hats with signs on them started popping up. “What the heck is going on?” I thought, and walked over to investigate.

“It’s Rally Obedience, a new form of dog obedience developed in the USA,” the instructor told me. “Each sign tells you what exercise to do and you are marked on how well you do them. Unlike traditional obedience, you can praise your dog and offer them encouragement, so it’s a little more relaxed.”

That was in Port Macquarie, NSW in 2014. A year later I moved to Queensland, where the sport had already been warmly embraced by many clubs.

Today, Rally O is still very popular in Queensland. In fact, the organisers of a recent Sunshine Coast trial had to appoint an extra judge at the last minute to cater for the larger-than-expected entries, which included 20 competitors in novice alone.

Easy novice exercises

The rules describe Rally O as “a fast-moving and motivational sport which demonstrates competency in basic obedience exercises without the precision of the formal obedience classes”.

There are four levels: - novice, advanced, excellent and masters and once you have finished these you can goon to compete for a championship title.

Novice courses are designed to give you an easy introduction to the sport. They are short, on-lead and include many exercises you should already be able to do if your dog has had some basic obedience training,such as heeling on a loose lead and a sit, stand, drop and stay.

“It’s the suspense of not knowing if you will nail it that keeps me hooked. One moment you can do a perfect run and then the next make a silly mistake.”

The courses gradually become longer and more demanding as you progress through the levels, culminating at masters level with exercises such as change of position from a distance.

Doing exactly what each sign specifies is challenging,and tests your training, your relationship with your dog, and your ability to put it all together with a judge watching. It’s the suspense of not knowing if you will nail it that keeps me hooked.

One moment you can do a perfect run and then the next make a silly mistake and do an exercise wrong which costs you 10 points. Thankfully, your dog does not hold a grudge when you do!

Great introduction

One of the sport’s biggest pluses is that it’s a fantastic way to get some experience before you start formal obedience competition, where you cannot talk to the dog during exercises apart from giving commands.

In Rally O praise is encouraged and you can also retry up to two stations, with only a small penalty, which makes it much easier to come out of the ring with a big smile on your face.

Another advantage is that it is ideal for older dogs and handlers because there is minimal jumping involved, and no jumps at all at the highest level, so it is not physically taxing. My border collie Adam is one of many ex-agility dogs enjoying Rally O.

How to get started

Getting started is easy – just contact a club which offers training. You will find a list under the clubs link on the Dogs Queensland website, www.dogsqueensland.org. au. Visit their individual websites to find out which offer Rally O.

Many clubs will ask you to do some basic obedience classes with them first as a pre-requisite unless you already have some relevant training.

Another avenue is to go along to a competition and watch people in the ring. Everyone is always happy to share their knowledge.

You can find trials listed on the Dogs Queensland website under the show/trials link.

Signs on-line

You can also print out the signs so you can see what is required and train at home. Just Google “ANKC rules for the conduct of rally-o trials 2016” and look for the signs section.

Make sure you get the Australian ANKC site and not the American AKC because the signs are different.

Probably the best piece of advice that first instructor gave me was to “Learn the signs!” How right she was.So, take the time to print out those pesky signs and practise so they are second nature before you go into the ring. That way you can relax and concentrate on having fun working with your dog as a team – which is what Rally O is all about.

Caroline Strainig is a semi-retired journalist who still writes for magazines and websites. Her dog Adam is the current national masters Rally O champion and the Queensland 2018 Rally O Dog of the Year. She also does puppy home visits for CLEAR Dog Training in Brisbane.