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RA310: From Good to GREAT! Increasing Your Rally Scores

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RA310: From Good to GREAT! Increasing Your Rally Scores

Course Details

You love playing rally with your dog, but sometimes you wish your scores were just a bit higher.  Imagine being able to increase your rally scores simply by incorporating some minor changes.  Did you know that the majority of points are lost due to handler errors?

This class is all about increasing your scores!  Whether you’re in Novice, Master, or somewhere in between, we’ll cover it all.

I’ve polled dozens of judges and experienced exhibitors and have complied a list of the most common reasons dogs lose points in rally. 

Some are simple to fix, like knowing how to do the signs!  I’m going to set up an optional short handling challenge each week so that you can practice really knowing the signs.  We’ll also discuss how to remember all of those pesky details of each sign, as well as remembering courses.

Some errors can be reduced by doing some dog training, so we’ll work on that aspect also!  Are your fronts a little crooked?  Perhaps your heeling isn’t quite up to par.  Are you really struggling with those master spins?  We’ll work on those, and many more.  In fact, Gold spots can get individualized help with any rally-related skill!

AND - the most exciting news of all!  The American Kennel Club (AKC) is offering a virtual titling program for Novice Rally.  During this course, we are going to take a look at the five available courses.  We'll discuss tricky areas and tips, and if you want to set them up, you can video for my feedback before you submit to the AKC.  If you follow the guidelines for videoing set forth by the AKC, you can even submit that video to the AKC for judging!

If you’re just starting out in Rally, get ahead of the game by learning all these tips before you even start competing!  Regardless of where you are in your rally journey, this class will help you increase your scores!

I'm excited to announce that this course WILL have a TA in the FB study group.  However, the TA will NOT be able to review the AKC Virtual titling courses for you.  If you'd like to share those courses on the page, that is fine, but the TA will not be expected to comment on them. 

View the trailer for this class!

Nicole Wiebusch Instructor: Nicole Wiebusch

 Nicole Wiebusch (she/her) started competing in dog sports as a teenager in the 90’s and quickly became addicted to the sport of obedience.  In 2001, she acquired a golden retriever named Tucker who taught her that traditional methods weren’t the best way to a happy confident dog. (Click here for full bio and to view Nicole's upcoming courses)

Syllabus

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This syllabus may be modified and is subject to change.

1.1 Knowing the Signs
1.2 Ring Entrance/Setup Routine
1.3 Tight Leashes
1.4 Improving Heeling

2.1 Staying Connected to Your Dog
2.2 Getting Dizzy with Spirals
2.3 Figure 8, Cloverleaf, and Serps
2.4 Crooked Sits

3.1 Tips for Remembering Courses
3.2 1-2-3 Step Signs
3.3 Stop and Down
3.4 Keep Those Feet Still!

4.1 Pivots Versus Turns
4.2 Call to Heel Signs
4.3 Pace Changes
4.4 Walk Around PAUSE

5.1 Jumps
5.2 Backing Up and Side Steps
5.3 Moving Positions
5.4 How to Handle Mistakes

6.1 Crazy Spins
6.2 Sit or Not?
6.3 Common Deductions

Prerequisites and Equipment

There are no formal prerequisites for this class, although dogs and handlers should be familiar with novice rally behaviors at a minimum. 

Part of the class will focus on increasing the accuracy and precision of different behaviors.  You will need several objects like cones or buckets.  The optional weekly courses will only consist of a few signs, and can be broken up, so a large training space is not required.

Sample Lecture

More

From Good to GREAT! Increasing Your Rally Scores

 

Keep Those Feet Still!

 

Finish/Sit in Heel/Positions Signs

 

There are many signs that this tip applies to, including any sign that involves a finish with a sit.  Anytime you call your dog front, once you’ve stopped moving (if that sign allows backward movement), you cannot move your feet again as your dog finishes and sits.  Many people get happy feet and shuffle a little bit as the dog is finishing.

 

Here is an example of one such sign: Call Front Finish Right Sit.  Note that once my feet stop moving on the front, they stay stationary until the dog sits.

 

Here is another example on a more advanced sign, the halt, circle right, halt.  Note that once I halt, my feet don’t move.

 

 

One more place where you’ll see this is on the advanced signs like Halt Call Front Finish Right.  In this case, your feet can’t move from the time you halt and the dog sits.  The dog will front and sit, then finish and sit, all while your feet remain still.

 

 

You will also need to keep your feet still on any sort of position changes, such as Halt Down Sit.

 

 

There are a couple Excellent signs in which keeping your feet still is important, such as the Stand Leave Down Call Front Finish Sit.  In this case, once you’ve left the dog and turned to face him/her, your feet need to stay still.  Here’s what that sign should look like.

 

 

There are a couple Master signs which involve your feet staying still until the dog sits in heel.  One example would be Halt Leave Recall Finish Right Sit.  Here’s the AKC version of what that sign should look like:

 

 

Finish and Forward Signs

 

Some signs specify that the handler should heel forward “once the dog clears the handler’s path.”  In that case, keep your feet still until the dog clears your path then heel forward.

 

Here are some examples.

 

Call Front Finish Forwards from Novice

 

 

Step in Front Finish Forward from Advanced - in this case your feet should be still once you’ve moved to front position until the dog clears your path.

 

 

There are some master signs which require you to remain stationary until the dog clears your path.  The Recall Over Jumps are good examples.  With these signs, you leave your dog and turn to face him/her.  You then call the dog front, tell the dog to finish, then turn in the correct direction after your dog clears your path.  Here’s a video of the AKC version of one of these signs:

 

 

Another example of being still until the dog crosses your path is the Master signs that have you call the dog front, take two side steps, then finish.  Once the dog has completed the final sit in front after the side steps, the handler needs to keep his or her feet still until the dog clears his/her path on the finish.  Here’s an example of one of those signs:

 

 

The last Master sign we see that fits in this category is Backup 3 Steps Stand and Leave Call to Finish Forward.  During this sign the handler should not move his or her feet until the dog moves to finish.  As soon as the dog clears the handler’s path, the handler may step forward.  Here’s a video of that:

 

Testimonials & Reviews

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A sampling of what prior students have said about this course...

New class for the June 2020 session.

Registration

Next session starts: April 1, 2021
Registration starts: March 22, 2021
Registration ends: April 15, 2021

Registration opens at 11:30am Pacific Time.

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Tuition $ 260.00 $ 130.00 $ 65.00
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