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Obedience
STANDARD
OBEDIENCE: AKC, UKC or CKC (under construction)
RALLY OBEDIENCE
Also known as Rally or Rally-O this is a
dog sport based on
obedience. Unlike standard
obedience, instead of waiting for the judge's orders, the
competitors proceed around a course of designated stations with the
dog in heel position. The course consists of 10 to 20 signs that
instruct the team what to do. Unlike traditional obedience, handlers
are allowed to encourage their dogs during the course with verbal
praise and repetition of orders.
There are currently two organizations that offer Rally in the United
States: the
American Kennel Club (AKC)
and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).
AKC Rally:
Open to AKC registry breeds only. To qualify, each team
must attempt each station and obtain a minimum score of 70
points. Each team starts with 100 points as as the team
proceeds through the stations, the judge deducts points for
mistakes. In order to earn a rally title, the team must
qualify three times at each level (minimum of two different
judges per level).
There are three levels in AKC Rally:
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Novice,
the easiest class. The dog is on leash and there are 10
to 15 stations, the title is RN.
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Advanced,
for dogs that have completed their novice title. Dogs
are judged off leash, and the title is RA. The stations
are more advanced than the novice stations.
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Excellent,
the highest class, for dogs who have earned their
advanced title. 15 to 20 stations, including 2 jumps,
are used in this class and the title is RE.
Additionally, there is the Rally Advanced Excellent (RAE)
title, in which the team has to qualify in both Advanced and
Excellent in 10 trials.
APBT Rally-O:
Open to any dog (purebred or mixed breed) and handler, the
team starts with 200 points, and the judge deducts points
for mistakes and adds bonus points that can be earned for
optional exercises. There are three levels and there are
additional titles for multiple qualifications at various
levels. APDT Rally varies in some respects in the
performance of some of the exercises and has some exercises,
such as a retrieve, not seen in AKC rally. The most obvious
difference between APDT and AKC rally is the ability to
reward the dog with food in the ring under specific
conditions in APDT rally.
TRAINING FOR OBEDIENCE:
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