rally 101

Homework: 

1) Practice getting into heel position on the left, adding a verbal cue if ready 2) Loose Leash Walking (on the left) 

3) Sit in heel position 

4) Laying down in heel position 

5) Introduce a cue to tell your dog when it’s time to continue walking 

6) Right turns 

Heel Position - Starting with your dog in front of you, place a few treats on your dog’s nose. Bring your hand around in a counterclockwise motion toward your left side, making a circle so that your dog can turn around and get into position next to you. You may need to mark and reward as your dog begins to follow the treat to encourage them to continue. Mark and reward when your dog is in position. Release your dog from heel position and repeat. When your dog can consistently follow a lure to get into heel, you may begin to add a verbal cue. Say your cue first, then lure your dog into position, then mark and reward. Common cues include heel, finish, close, get in, but you can use any cue that feels best to you. 

Loose Leash Walking - Once your dog is in position on your left, hold a few treats in your hand at your dog’s nose. Lure your dog forward as you begin to walk, and mark and reward frequently to keep your dog in position. Over time you may begin to reduce how frequently you reward, and hold your hand further from your dog’s nose. Dogs are required to work on the left for Rally. 

Sit in Heel Position - Begin walking with your dog in heel position on your left. As you come to a stop, cue sit and lure your dog into position with a treat on their nose, bringing it up over their head. Mark and reward when your dog’s bottom hits the floor. Your dog may need a lure even if 

they already know sit, especially if they want to come sit in front of you. You may want to practice near a wall or other physical barrier to help your dog line up straight and stay close to you. 

Down in Heel Position - Practice luring your dog from a sit into a down next to you in heel position with a treat on their nose. It may help to warm up with some regular repetitions of down in front of you first. Practicing alongside a wall can help keep your dog lined up properly while practicing this. Mark and reward as your dog gets into the down position. 

Continue Walking Cue - Begin introducing a word to let your dog know when you’re about to keep moving after a sit, down, or other stationary behavior. Start by getting your dog into a sit or down next to you, you may reward your sit or down, then say your cue and encourage your dog to continue walking with some excitement, movement, or a treat lure. Mark and reward as your

dog begins to walk with you again. Common cues include let’s go, with me, forward, but you can choose whichever cue you like, just stay consistent. 

Right Turns - Keep your turns sharp and as close to 90 degrees as possible. It may help to look at a right angle on the floor as you practice - you might draw on the ground with chalk, watch the guideline of a seam between tiles or flooring, or place an object with a right angle on the floor to 

walk around (such as a sheet of paper or a box). Use a treat lure on your dog’s nose to keep your dog turning closely with you. Mark as your dog’s head changes directions with you, then treat. You can give your dog a cue to let them know you are about to turn. Some handlers choose to introduce a separate cue for each directional cue, for example you might say ‘right’ before making a right turn. Other handlers may choose to teach a more generic cue for all turns, and then engage the dog to help show them which way they are turning - for example, you might say ‘this way’, and then make sure to connect with your dog as you encourage them to turn in the direction you need to go next. 

Signs & Descriptions: [VIEW IMAGE BANK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE]

Below is a link to a document with printable Rally signs if you would like to print your own copies to practice with at home: 

https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn-origin-etr.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/28125055/Rally Sign-Set-02272020.pdf

Homework: 

1) Left Turns 

2) About Turn (U Turn to the right with dog on the outside of the turn) 

3) 360 degree Right Turn (Turning clockwise to your right with dog on outside of the turn) 4) 270 degree Right Turn 

5) Front position with Sit 

6) Practice alternating between front & heel position on your left 

Left Turn - Keep your turns sharp and as close to 90 degrees as possible. It may help to look at a right angle on the floor as you practice - you might draw on the ground with chalk, watch the guideline of a seam between tiles or flooring, or place an object with a right angle on the floor to walk around (such as a sheet of paper or a box). Use a treat lure on your dog’s nose to keep your dog turning closely with you; it can help to drop the lure back a few inches to keep your dog from getting in front of you on these left turns. Larger dogs may need to bend their body like an ‘L’ while making this turn. Mark as your dog’s head changes directions with you, then treat. You can give your dog a cue to let them know you are about to turn. Some handlers choose to introduce a separate cue for each directional cue, for example you might say ‘left’ before making a left turn. Other handlers may choose to teach a more generic cue for all turns, and then engage the dog to help show them which way they are turning - for example, you might say ‘this way’, and then make sure to connect with your dog as you encourage them to turn in the direction you need to go next. 

About Turn - Turn 180 degrees with the dog on the outside of the turn. You will be turning to your right and head back in the direction you came from. As you approach the turn, make sure you have your dog’s attention. Some people may choose to add a verbal cue like “this way” right before you turn. You can encourage your dog with kissy noises or by talking to them, and/or use a treat lure on your dog’s nose to help them through the turn. If your dog tries to switch to your right side as you turn, use a treat to help show them how to turn with you on your left. Mark and reward when your dog’s head turns with you. For dogs who try to dart behind you and switch sides, you may want to reward multiple times throughout the turn until they get the hang of it. 

Clockwise Turns - Turn in place to your right as your dog walks around you in a circle. Use a treat lure on your dog’s nose and reward occasionally throughout the turn to start. You can slowly decrease your reward frequency until your dog can do the full turn for one treat. Don’t be afraid to use silly noises or talk to encourage your dog as well. 

Front Position - Start with your dog in heel position at your left. Use a treat on your dog’s nose to lure your dog in front of you and into a sit. You may take one step back to help your dog get lined up straight in front of you during this transition. The handler must stay in place when the dog returns to heel position at your side. In Rally, front position will always include a sit.

Signs & Descriptions: [VIEW IMAGE BANK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE]

Homework: 

1) About U Turn 

2) 360 Degree Left 

3) 270 Degree Left Turn 

4) Call Front Finish Left Forward 

5) Call Front Finish Left Sit 

6) Go Around 

About U Turn - Turn 180 degrees with the dog on the inside of the turn. You will be turning to your left and head back in the direction you came from. As you approach the turn, make sure you have your dog’s attention. You may want to use a treat lure and drop it back a little bit to keep your dog from getting in front of you as you begin the turn. Mark and reward when your dog’s head turns with you. Larger dogs will need to bend their body a little as they turn. 

Counterclockwise Turns - Turn in place to your left as you walk around your dog in a circle. Use a treat lure on your dog’s nose and reward occasionally throughout the turn to start. You can slowly decrease your reward frequency until your dog can do the full turn for one treat. Don’t be afraid to use silly noises or talk to encourage your dog as well. Larger dogs may need you to allow a little more space to turn. If needed, you can start with walking in a big circle and slowly make it smaller. This can be helpful if your dog is trying to sit, or you can also use a treat lower and keep it lower/level with your dog’s head instead of lifted over their head to reduce temptation to sit for the dog. 

Go Around - Begin with your dog in front position in a sit. Using a treat in your right hand, lure the dog toward your right. Reach behind you with a treat in your left hand. As your dog moves around you, you can reward with the treat in your right hand, then encourage your dog to follow the treat in your left hand and lure them around into heel position. Sometimes you will want your dog to sit when they return to heel position, and other times you will just continue forward, so practice both. 

Signs & Descriptions: [VIEW IMAGE BANK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE]

Homework: 

1) Call Front Finish Right Forward 

2) Call Front Finish Right Sit 

3) Pace Changes - Slow to Normal Speed 

4) Pace Changes - Fast to Normal Speed 

5) Moving Side Step Right 

6) Stand to Down 

7) Sit with Handler Movement Around Dog 

Pace Changes - Make sure your dog is engaged with you before accelerating or decelerating. You may choose to give your dog specific cues to let them know you’re about to speed up or slow down, or simply say your dog’s name to make sure you have their attention as you adjust your pace. When performing pace change signs, you’ll walk at your normal pace as you approach the first sign. Your pace should shift noticeably to either slow or fast as you pass the sign, and then return to your normal pace as you pass the Normal Pace sign. 

Moving Side Step Right - Start by walking straight forward with your dog, then with your right foot, step forward and to the right in one smooth motion. Your left foot should follow and continue on a forward trajectory from there. The dog should remain engaged and move with you. This can be a trick sign so I’ve included a video clip: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huuBUrd6bfo 

Stand to Down - You may need to practice with your dog in front of you if this is brand new, before practicing with your dog in heel position. Start with your dog in the standing position and a treat on their nose. Slowly push the treat in toward your dog’s chest and between their paws. Mark and reward as your dog lowers their head and bends their elbows, slowly lowering their front half. Your dog may lay down in one smooth motion, or their front end may go down first followed by their rear. For dogs who are struggling to get all the way down, try holding a handful of treats and marking and rewarding for staying in the bow position until their rear finally goes down. Don’t be afraid to generously reward attempts and steps toward the end goal. If your dog is backing up, try to move your treat more slowly and you may want to readjust your positioning relative to your dog so that you aren’t directly facing them. Sometimes when the handler leans directly into the dog’s space, it can cause the dog to want to back up. When you’re ready to practice in heel position, working alongside a wall or object can help your dog to get lined up straight. 

Sit with Handler Movement Around Dog - Start by asking your dog to sit, then mark and reward. If your dog knows Stay already, you can start by getting warmed up with some easy repetitions of Stay. If your dog doesn’t know Stay yet, avoid saying the word ‘stay’ in the beginning as we just focus on teaching the dog the concept of sitting still. For dogs who do know the word ‘stay’, it’s still recommended to practice without the word once we add movement and make this more challenging. When your dog is warmed up, start to add movement around

your dog. Take one step toward their side, mark and reward, then release. Slowly increase your movements around your dog. The goal is to eventually be able to walk a full circle around your dog while they stay seated. For some dogs it’s easier to start with a larger circle and slowly make it smaller, especially dogs who are sensitive about people stepping around their rear or over their tail. You may try holding a treat on your dog’s nose as you move around them as well. Remember to use your dog’s release word to tell them when they can get up in between repetitions. 

Signs & Descriptions: [VIEW IMAGE BANK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE]

Homework: 

1) Stop and Down 

2) Halt Right & Left Turns 

3) Halt Fast Forward from Sit 

4) Halt Walk Around Dog 

5) Halt Slow Forward from Sit 

6) Down with Handler Movement 

Down with Handler Movement - Similar to the sit with handler movement we practiced last week, we want our dogs to be able to hold a down position as we walk in a circle around them. Start by asking your dog to lay down, then mark and reward for holding their down position as you take a step around them. Slowly increase your movements and reward generously, releasing your dog occasionally to reset. Some dogs may do better if you start with a wide circle and slowly tighten it up. Go slowly as you approach your dog’s rear, this can be a sensitive area for some dogs. 

Halt Turns - These turns are similar to the right angle turns we’ve already practiced, but you’ll stop and your dog will sit next to you before making the turn. Continue straight forward, then stop and ask your dog to sit right before turning. Reward your dog for their sit, then immediately step into your turn, leading with your right foot and making a sharp 90 degree turn. You may give your dog a cue to continue with you (forward, let’s go, etc). Practice both left and right turns. You can lead with your right on both turns; for your left turns, you will end up pivoting on your left foot as you step forward on your right into the turn. 

Halt Pace Changes - Begin by walking straight forward with your dog in heel position, then stop and ask your dog to sit. You may choose to indicate the speed you’ll proceed with by giving your dog a specific cue (slow, fast, etc) or simply give a cue to let your dog know it’s time to move again. Practice continuing forward at both slow and fast speeds. You will resume normal speed when pacing the normal pace sign again. 

Halt Walk Around Dog - Come to a stop and ask your dog to sit in heel position. Walk counterclockwise around your dog and return to your dog’s side so that your dog is in heel position on your left once more. Pause for a brief moment in position with your dog and reward, then cue your dog to continue forward with you. Feel free to reward multiple times during this sign if it is still challenging for your dog, this can be a hard one. 

Signs & Descriptions: [VIEW IMAGE BANK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE]

Homework: 

1) Halt Down Walk Around Dog 

2) Halt 1 2 3 Steps 

3) Call Front 1 2 3 Steps Back 

Signs & Descriptions: [VIEW IMAGE BANK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE]

Next Steps 

The next class in our series for your dog would be - Rally 102. We’ve learned most of the Novice level AKC Rally signs, but there are a few remaining that we cover in the continuation of Rally 102. In Rally 102 we’ll also work on fine tuning some of our skills, and practicing more courses with different sequences of signs. Visit our Group Classes page to sign up. If no sessions are being offered, please contact us to let us know you are interested in taking that class!
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Fun Classes- In addition to our basic obedience training classes, we also offer a variety of fun and sport classes including Agility, Dog Parkour, Tricks, and Freestyle (dancing with your dog!). We also have an Intro to Sports class which is a great sampler if you just want to try out a few different things and see what your dog enjoys. Pups of any age can participate in all of these classes, and your instructor may make adjustments for younger pups to keep their joints safe. 
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Private Lessons - We also offer lessons if you would like a training plan tailored to your dog or just more practice with some one on one feedback!
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