Rally is a canine sport in which the dog and handler complete a course that has been designed by the rally judge. The judge tells the handler to begin, and the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10 - 20, depending on the level). Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. An example of a sign in the novice level is “Sit/Down Walk Around Dog”. Throughout the course the handler heels with their dog. Scoring is not as rigorous as traditional obedience and the handler may talk to their dog throughout the course and give multiple hand and verbal cues.     

    Rally is a good stepping stone into continued obedience training, and a great opportunity to have fun with your dog while building a great relationship.     

    GPCDFA offers classes in Rally to teach you the skills needed to earn Rally titles and to practice running rally courses. There are three main titles that can be achieved; Novice, Advanced and Excellent. Each is more difficult than the previous, similar to achieving a higher education. 

    Please see: http://www.akc.org/events/rally/  for a description of AKC rally