# AKC Rally Trial



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Day one down... Kodi won his class with a 97! And that was WITH the offset figure 8, AND a "Kodi trap". Right out of the start there was the call front, 1-2-3 steps back, followed IMMEDIATELY by a jump. I was really worried that he's just see the jump and take off flying right from the start line. But I really hard to get him really focusing on me just before we went in, and he never even took his eyes off my face until I turned him back toward the jump. He had a crooked sit on the first part of a pivot which I'm sure was one point, and a crooked front at the sign where you can't step back. He also did his usual forge slightly and curl around me thing on the slow, so maybe that was where I lost the other point. Anyway, I was pretty happy with my boy!  

If we Q again today, we will have our RA title, so wish me luck! (I'll try to remember to have someone tape today... I forgot yesterday!)


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Good luck today Karen and Kodi !


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## unjugetito (Jan 2, 2011)

That's awesome!!!! YAY Kodi!! Hope u get some footage today my kids love to see Kodi in action


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Wow, that does sound like a challenging start to the course. Good job, you two! Good luck today! H pe you can get someone to tape!!


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## Lsprick (Jul 8, 2010)

That's awesome, Karen, congratulations to you and Kodi! Good luck today!


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

Lots of hard work pays off, huh? Congratulations to you and Kodi and keep it up for the RA title today.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks, folks! Today was even better. He won again, this time with a 99, and we got our RA title!!! Photo and video will follow.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Congrats!!!! Wait for the video and photo.


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## unjugetito (Jan 2, 2011)

WAY TO GO KODI!!!!!! (ok ok and you too Karen!! LOL) :cheer2:

Waiting for action shots op2: op2:


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

Congratulations! Way to go!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

unjugetito said:


> WAY TO GO KODI!!!!!! (ok ok and you too Karen!! LOL) :cheer2:
> 
> Waiting for action shots op2: op2:


Hey, if he weren't so brilliant, I'd be out of luck! :biggrin1:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

OK, here's the video:






and here's his title photo... Note, I'm wearing my "lucky" Havanese pin made by Julie!


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

CONGRATULATIONS! That looked perfect! Kodi may be brilliant, but even a brilliant dog is not going to perform like that without an exceptional handler! What a super weekend you and Kodi have had!


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Love the first pic, don't know who is smiling bigger....Kodi or you.
I love Kodi's pops, he only has eyes for you great concentration. You both look like your having a good time (that counts most)!!! Thanks for sharing.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I always LOVE to see you and Kodi 'work'!! His concentration on you is incredible!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks, Linda and Robbie. He was a really good boy. 

It wasn't perfect, though... I lost his attention for a moment when he went to sniff a piece of blue tape on the floor. I'm sure that's where I lost the point. That nose gets him in trouble!:biggrin1: also, while it wasn't crooked enough to lose points in Rally, his first sit on the sit-sidestep-sit was too crooked for ME. But that was totally my fault. The turn before it was in a funny place. i was aware of that, thinking about making sure I lined up right for the next sign and didn't prepare him well. 

That would DEFINITELY be points off in formal obedience, and I always like to get as close to the formal obedience standard as I can. Other than the one sniff at the tape, though, I was really happy with his heeling overall!


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I think you both did great! It takes lots of work to get where you are as time goes on you will get tighter and more precise. Yogi use to have nice sits now he's almost always crooked during heeling I'm told it's a phase. I think you and Kodi are doing great and can't wait to hear of your adventures in Agility! Congrats on a big win!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> I think you both did great! It takes lots of work to get where you are as time goes on you will get tighter and more precise. Yogi use to have nice sits now he's almost always crooked during heeling I'm told it's a phase. I think you and Kodi are doing great and can't wait to hear of your adventures in Agility! Congrats on a big win!


Thanks, Robbie! Another thing he did today that I was REALLY proud of had nothing, directly, to do with the trial. The facility where the trial was held has some nice walking trails right behind it. Both days I took Kodi for a wlak out there before his class. Today, as I was heading into the woods, another gal came along with her two curly coated retrievers. She asked if I minded if she let her dogs off lead. i said I didn't mind as long as she didn't mind if Kodi joined them. So we went off with the 3 dogs having a great time with each other. It got to be time that I thought I needed to get back for my class, and the other gal wanted to keep walking. All I had to say was "come on, Kodi!" and he immediately broke away from his new doggy friends, and trotted after me back in the other direction. THAT is a solid recall, and in the end, more important to me than all the rest!


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

That is so great!!!! I do understand one of the reason I started dog training was I felt I needed a solid recall for Yogi along the way I got hooked on the sport end. A solid recall is greater then any other achievement, as it could potentially save their life. Huge!!!!


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

Congratulations, Karen and Kodi! Awesome job. Lots of work and BIG victory.

Shirley H (Keeper's Mom)


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## ClaireVoyant (Jan 26, 2012)

I just love the way Kodi keeps his eyes constantly on you awaiting your next command. Very nicely done and congrats to you both


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## Lsprick (Jul 8, 2010)

Wow, he really did great! Congratulations, Karen! It's so much fun to watch the video. I was telling my DH how it is so much harder than it looks, although you two really do make it look easy.


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## unjugetito (Jan 2, 2011)

Wow very impressive!!!! Is is bad that I am most impressed with his flowing coat swaying on turns? He is one handsome little guy


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

Congratulations!!!! Like Leslie said, you and Kodi do make it look easy. He's a great littke guy and you're a great mom/handler.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

unjugetito said:


> Wow very impressive!!!! Is is bad that I am most impressed with his flowing coat swaying on turns? He is one handsome little guy


Ha! I think his breeders (the Kings) get credit for the coat... it's actually pretty easy to maintain.

His pop finishes (helped by all the flying hair) are what get the "cute" votes from the crowd, though. And this weekend, he started something else new and cute. When I asked him to come front, in both classes, he stood up on his hind legs and walked around to front. Everyone was asking me how I taught him to do it. ...I didn't, and he's never done it before. I don't know if it will become a regular part of his repertoire or not. He certainly got enough poitive feedback from the crowd that it might!:biggrin1:


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## unjugetito (Jan 2, 2011)

What a ham!! He definitely has the showmanship part down. 

I may have to finagle my way onto Tom's waiting list next time I get hit by IWAP syndrome :biggrin1:


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## ClaireVoyant (Jan 26, 2012)

krandall said:


> Everyone was asking me how I taught him to do it. ...I didn't, and he's never done it before. I don't know if it will become a regular part of his repertoire or not. He certainly got enough poitive feedback from the crowd that it might!:biggrin1:


He's a true STAR!


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## LunasMom (Sep 11, 2011)

Oh Karen, how fantastic! You look so happy in his title photo and Kodi looks like he's saying "Oh psah. It was nothing." I am going to look at the video tonight.


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## LunasMom (Sep 11, 2011)

Ok so I couldn't wait until later. I am awestruck. He has a permanent attention on you! But I can understand what you meant about how you felt in the recall from his new friends. His training shows in the video but the recall was not just training--it was pure love.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks, everyone! Carol, the recall is partly love, I'm sure, but it's also lots and LOTS of repetitive training... calling him back to me, giving him a cookie and releasing him THOUSANDS of times over the last 2 1/2 years.<g>

As far as Rally is concerned, he doesn't think it's a big deal, because to him, the whole thing is a big game!


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## Cindi (Sep 5, 2011)

Karen,
Congratulations! Really nice handling and performance.


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

Congratulations!! I am a bit behind in reading (watching) but loved the video. I've stwearded rally and considered it for Inky after she had her puppies. Now, I think spot would like it, but not until I show him to a CH. Oh, spot is Oliver's littermate (Inky/Hank litter) and we'll have to wait until the bad haircut grows out .


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks, Becky! Actually a lot of people do breed and Rally (or formal obedience) at the same time. The dogs figure out pretty quickly what the rules are in each ring. Most people have specific collars that they ONLY use for breed or ONLY use for Obedience to help the dogs differentiate.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

That a girl Karen. Gettin better with age. LOL


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

davetgabby said:


> That a girl Karen. Gettin better with age. LOL


Him anyway!ound:


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