# Kodi's First Rally Trial



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kodi and I did our first Rally trial last weekend (APDT) I would have posted about it earlier, but I've been trying to figure out how to put his run on YouTube. I have (so far) been unsuccessful with that, but I thought I'd tell you all about it and post a couple of photos.

Since it was our very first trial, my goals were only for him to have fun, and for me to get around without getting lost.<g> To my surprise, not only did we Q (with a score of 198 out of 210... you need a 170 to Q) but he won the class!


----------



## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Woo-hoo! Go Karen and Kodi! 

I hope we can see the video, but the photos are wonderful for now. Just look at the total concentration on Kodi's face watching you! What a testament to your relationship!

(Sitting here smiling from just those 2 photos!)


----------



## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Congratulations, Karen and Kodi! Rally looks like it would be a lot of fun. We are starting in with basic obedience again. Augie had puppy classes and some obedience last year. Our trainer is really involved in rally and agility and has gone far with her dog(s) in agility - border collies. I am hoping, if we work hard, we will be able to do Rally as well. I look forward to your sharing of your and Kodi's experiences!


----------



## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Congratulations, Karen & Kodi! I, too, love the look of total concentration on Kodi's face! What a great job you're doing with him, Karen!


----------



## Kathy Berrena (Feb 24, 2008)

CONGRATS ! to Kodi & Karen :whoo:


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks, everyone!

I was FINALLY able to get the video up on You Tube (took me a week and $100's worth of new software, so I hope you all appreciate it!:biggrin1


----------



## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Very nice job, Congratulations. Good video.


----------



## Kathy Berrena (Feb 24, 2008)

Awsome job! Kodi looks like he is ready to leap out of his hair with excitment but contains himself. Thanks for the video!


----------



## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Aw, he was wonderful. You must be so proud of him. :first::clap2:


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

SMARTY said:


> Very nice job, Congratulations. Good video.


Thanks, Sandi!


----------



## Kati (Feb 20, 2010)

Congratulations! As you know Kodi and Javi are related so it gives me hope that we can have fun, too. We start STAR puppy classes this month. Kodi looks wonderful!


----------



## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

What a great video - Kodi is so impressive the way he stays focused. You have done a wonderful job with him, Karen!


----------



## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

AH,Karen Kodi has eyes only for you,he is so focused,what a little love.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks, everyone!


----------



## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I was going to say the same thing as Clare!!!! Strong bond shows, I am so happy for you, from your posts I know you have trained very hard and been very careful with Kodi's training. I loved the pic's and video. Congrats!!!! I look forward too seeing more.


----------



## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

Karen,
Congratulations to you and Kodi.
Thanks for posting the video. It was fun to watch.
Makes me want to try it!


----------



## KSC (Aug 6, 2009)

Oh wow..I'm just reading this thread. Way to go Karen and Kodi! So nice to see how he looks at you. What a doll! It's obvious you have a wonderful relationship.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks! I love my boy! He's everything I hoped for in a dog. I know that buying from a good breeder stacks the cards in your favor, but I still don't think you can know for sure how interested a a dog will be in training when they are a tiny puppy. It's like looking at an infant human. Hmmm... both his parents are neurosurgeons. He'll probably be smart. Maybe he'll be a neurosurgeon too. Maybe, but probably not. He'll most likely have his own agenda! (like building custom motorcycles or something!):biggrin1:


----------



## LuvCicero (Mar 31, 2008)

I love the way he watches you. I know you are proud of Kodi and I hope you are proud of yourself also!!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Awww, gee...:redface: I'm just tickled pink that I was lucky enough to be mommy to such a special boy!

Again, a lot of credit goes to to the breeder. When I told the Kings how he did, Pam told me that 3 of "their" puppies had competed that weekend... Kodi in Rally, one in agility and one in conformation. All of them did well!


----------



## Cailleach (Jan 30, 2010)

Your videos have inspired me and I've begun training for Rally.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

You'll enjoy it, Deb! 

We enjoy training for formal Obedience too, but I'm still not comfortable with the idea of him doing the long sits and downs, unattended, in a line of dogs. There is no saying he wouldn't be placed between a Rottie and a Husky, since the dogs go in in numerical order. It only takes one mistake on the part of one of those novice dogs for a little dog like him to be toast, even if it's him who breaks. ...I've seen how his little rabbit hops and flowing hair attract the attention of many dogs with high prey drive.

I'm glad they've started the new beginner novice classes, where stays are done individually. This makes me feel a lot more comfortable, and will give us practice in the ring AND a margin of safety. NOW, if I can only get him to stay sitting when I get to the point on the perimeter of the ring where his head can't turn any further without his body following!:biggrin1:

In Rally, he'll be competing in Novice (or RL1 in APDT) for a while longer when we start up again in January, but I think we're ALMOST ready to start doing run-throughs without the leash. He can do most of the higher level signs but I haven't done it off-leash away from home.


----------



## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Karen, I really enjoy hearing about Kodi and seeing the video. Its really fun to watch his process. Yogi is doing obedience we are starting some off leash stuff. He is training with a huge Rottie and a Great Dane. The trainer really matters to me. I have said before that Yogi has issues so a room with lots of dogs is a very scary thought. I find I like someone soft spoken, the loud yelling excited trainers make me freeze. I really understand what your saying, I try not to think that far ahead. I have noticed the dogs in obedience are so in control and nowhere the level of excitement as Rally and Agility.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> I have noticed the dogs in obedience are so in control and nowhere the level of excitement as Rally and Agility.


I dunno. I've seen a LOT of dogs in Novice Obedience who shouldn't be there. (yet) I know people have to start somewhere, but those big, reactive dogs scare me to pieces.

The main trainer (and owner) at our training center has a very loud voice... She doesn't "yell" at people, but she has learned to be loud to be heard over all the puppy classes, etc.<g> I know she intimidates some people, but she's got a heart of gold. Better yet, Kodi ADORES her.


----------



## Cailleach (Jan 30, 2010)

The problem with the large dogs has also been my experience, well the large dog owners are most of the problem of course. A few too many times my dog has been run over by bigger dogs, punted off the teeter when a Golden Retriever owner let him jump up on the high end when Julio was near the bottom. I shouldn't say let him but more wasn't paying attention to what his dog was doing. The other problem is most of the dogs are conformation dogs so are unaltered so that adds to the scariness of being around them. 

So new to this I had no idea they had group sessions in the ring and I hope it's individual here or I'm not going to do it. Was the individual part that appealed to me because I, like yourself don't want any harm coming to my dogs. I have applied to get into a class but in the meanwhile I have been watching your videos and copying what you have been doing with Kodi. I'm planning on taking one of the bitches to the class and using what I learn on the others at home. There's only one of me so one dog goes and the rest are home schooled...lol. Would be my dream if one of them could get slightly more advanced than the other and be in separate classes, would make it more worthwhile to travel to shows that way. My dogs have a pretty wicked sit, stay and we've been practicing the (hows this for technical terminology)...the "you sit and I walk around you" and the "I stand and you circle me" and sit plus the "sit and walk, sit and walk". Sure hope I get accepted into the class for obvious reasons. 

I'm not even sure if the courses are the same in Canada as in the US. What would google to find the Canadian novice course? Is there a difference between competitive obedience and Rally? I don't know anybody doing this to ask them so hope you don't mind all the questions. 

I love agility but I'm in my mid fifties and not as agile as I would like to be, this slower pace might be better for me.


----------



## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Karen, We have one trainer who is loud and she is really nice, but its me....I can't deal with it...I can't think. She distracts me and I am the one with the reactive dog! The soft spoken one just effortlessly guides me through problems. Where I go you had to take the Beginner at least before they will accept you and then they will pair you with dogs they feel will be a good fit. They do not accept aggressive dogs for formal obedience. There are only three dogs in my class and these dogs just spend their whole time looking at their masters and waiting for work.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Cailleach said:


> The problem with the large dogs has also been my experience, well the large dog owners are most of the problem of course. A few too many times my dog has been run over by bigger dogs, punted off the teeter when a Golden Retriever owner let him jump up on the high end when Julio was near the bottom. I shouldn't say let him but more wasn't paying attention to what his dog was doing. The other problem is most of the dogs are conformation dogs so are unaltered so that adds to the scariness of being around them.


Wow! Even in group classes at our training center, there is only one dog in the ring at a time. I agree, I just wouldn't let Kodi on course at the same time as a big dog.



Cailleach said:


> So new to this I had no idea they had group sessions in the ring and I hope it's individual here or I'm not going to do it. Was the individual part that appealed to me because I, like yourself don't want any harm coming to my dogs. I have applied to get into a class but in the meanwhile I have been watching your videos and copying what you have been doing with Kodi. I'm planning on taking one of the bitches to the class and using what I learn on the others at home. There's only one of me so one dog goes and the rest are home schooled...lol. Would be my dream if one of them could get slightly more advanced than the other and be in separate classes, would make it more worthwhile to travel to shows that way. My dogs have a pretty wicked sit, stay and we've been practicing the (hows this for technical terminology)...the "you sit and I walk around you" and the "I stand and you circle me" and sit plus the "sit and walk, sit and walk". Sure hope I get accepted into the class for obvious reasons.
> 
> I'm not even sure if the courses are the same in Canada as in the US. What would google to find the Canadian novice course? Is there a difference between competitive obedience and Rally? I don't know anybody doing this to ask them so hope you don't mind all the questions.
> 
> I love agility but I'm in my mid fifties and not as agile as I would like to be, this slower pace might be better for me.


They do have Rally-O in canada... here's an article I found about it:

http://www.dogsincanada.com/rally-o-another-option-for-busy-trainers

There is DEFINITELY a difference between Rally-O and formal obedience. There is a much great emphasis on precision in formal obedience. Not to say you can be sloppy in Rally either, but if your dog isn't EXACTLY straight in a sit, you probably won't lose points for it, where you would in formal obedience. In formal Obedience, you can give just one, single command, either voice or hand signal, and that's it. You can't say anything else to your dog. If you have to give a second command, you lose points. In Rally, you can encourage your dog as much as you want. In AKC Rally, you can give commands over again, in APDT Rally, you can't. (there are some other differenes between AKC and APDT Rally too, so you need to learn the rules for each organization) Not sure what the rules are or the Novice course signs are for Rally in Canada... you'll have to look it up. There are differences even between AKC and APDT signs here in the U.S., though they are pretty minor at Novice level. (RL1 in APDT)


----------



## Cailleach (Jan 30, 2010)

krandall said:


> Wow! Even in group classes at our training center, there is only one dog in the ring at a time. I agree, I just wouldn't let Kodi on course at the same time as a big dog.
> 
> They do have Rally-O in canada... here's an article I found about it:
> 
> ...


Just to clairfy... the dog problems I noted happened in agiliity. Thanks so much for your help...last year I took a course with a Rally O trainer and it was a lot of fun. Class was discontinued because of a lack of participants for a second round. With my youngsters with little seasoning on their training the Rally O sounds like the best place to start...now to find a coach again. The class I have applied for is formal obedience and I still hope we get accepted. All training is good but I would prefer to start at a level we can accomplish something in. Not speaking of ribbons although that's always a nice bonus, but more the challenge of accomplishing something where the dogs do well and I don't make too many mistakes in directing them. Other challenge is finding shows that are close to home, our region for CKC shows is 3 provinces, that's a big area. Again thanks so much for your reply. I'm reved.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Cailleach said:


> Just to clairfy... the dog problems I noted happened in agiliity.


Yes, I know you were, and so was I. During our agility lessons, there is never more than one dog on course at a time. VERY occasionally, Mike will set it up with two different exercises on opposite sides of the ring, and one person will work independently on one, while he was helping people on the other, but that was more in the intro class. For instance, while introducing dogs to the weave poles, he was working with people (one at a time) on that, and another person was taking a turn working with their dog on the wobble board. Still, there was no way the dogs could interfere with each other.



Cailleach said:


> Thanks so much for your help...last year I took a course with a Rally O trainer and it was a lot of fun. Class was discontinued because of a lack of participants for a second round. With my youngsters with little seasoning on their training the Rally O sounds like the best place to start...now to find a coach again. The class I have applied for is formal obedience and I still hope we get accepted. All training is good but I would prefer to start at a level we can accomplish something in. Not speaking of ribbons although that's always a nice bonus, but more the challenge of accomplishing something where the dogs do well and I don't make too many mistakes in directing them. Other challenge is finding shows that are close to home, our region for CKC shows is 3 provinces, that's a big area. Again thanks so much for your reply. I'm reved.


You don't really need to take "Rally classes"... We don't even have those offered at our center. Basic obedience classes will cover all the same requirements. When your dogs are heeling reliably on lead, doing good turns, fronts and finishes, sits and downs and even SHORT stays (while you walk around them) you ahve the basics needed for Novice (or RL1) level Rally.

At that point, you should be ready for run-throughs. Most run-throughs are set up with signs from all the levels, but just because they have a higher level sign on the course doesn't mean you have to do it. ... or you can do it in a different way.

For instance, Kodi can't back straight yet unless he's against a wall. So when there is a sign for the back up on the course, I take him to the nearest wall, do it there, then return to my place on course. It's just for practice anyway. Another example is that when we started Agility, Kodi started wanting to charge forward over the Rally jumps. (not a Novice exercises anyway) So when we were preparing to compete, I just heeled around the jumps, and didn't even do them... I was working on keeping the pattern flowing. Now that it will be several months until he competes again, we've gone back to doing the jump. The good news is that he's figured out that even though it's a jump, there are different criteria in the Rally ring, and he waits to the base, pops over and comes right back to heel as he should.

You should be looking for places to do run-throughs WELL before you're ready to compete, so that you feel comfortable with the courses, and he feels comfortable performing in different places. Around here, a LOT more places have run-throughs than have sanctioned trials. The Trials are a LOT of work to put on, while the run-throughs not so much. We have run-throughs every Wed. morning, and every other Sun. evening. Most of the training centers around here have them once a week or so, and they are usually held on a drop-in basis. So you can go if you have time, skip it if you don't.


----------

