starting rally

S

SheltieChe

Forums Sage
well, first class was a fiasco... for one, classes that Che has been doing before were done in different format, where all dogs were doing something with their owners, this one is run similar to the trial, where you wait your turn for show ring and then go on the field... pretty crowded space as there is another class going next to it so no space really to run the dog or let him vent his energy... Che ended up being last in line to try and by the time we went out he was soooo overstimulated that no amount of treats could direct him back to me and he was like a madman who never heard sit command before... I am pretty disappointed more at myself for not researching it better... we came in early because we had to sign in, and then class started late, and then we were last in line, and all this time pup had to be restrained except small butt sniff here and there... also this class is mixed so most people already shown their dogs before and I believe only Che and I who have no experience...
any advice? I was afraid to give Che lots of running before the class but now am thinking I should get him to the pooch park and let him run for couple of hours and bring him to the rally class at the point where all he wants to lay down and sleep.... LOL
 
I think tiring Che out before class is a good idea. Bailey is also taking beginner rally classes. The one time I didn't tire her out, she was hyped up and trying to play with all the dogs. She was so excited and kept offering me all the wrong behaviors. All the other classes, I took her for a nice walk or to the dog park before class and she didn't have any issues.

Everyone in our class is also experienced in a dog event. I think they all do agility and obedience. I'm the only one who has never done anything. So, Bailey doesn't always do as great as their dogs, but they don't make me feel bad or anything. Our class is very small. There's about 5 or 6 of us. The trainer already has a course set up when we get there. She shows us the new signs for the week. Then she shows us how to do the sign. We all practice the new signs with our dogs. Then we either crate the dogs or put them in a down/stay, while we walk the course. then we individually do the course and the trainer explains to use what we did good or bad. Then, lastly we learn new techniques and the new signs to practice for next week.
 
I'm thinking about rally, but I'm going to wait until the end of June to make my decision. At the local dog show they have matches, but they also have a fun match (which means you don't win any titles or anything from it). So I'm going to look at rally and see if I think it might be something I think Smudge would like. :yes:


Smudge is always the least experienced, too. At the moment we are only doing obedience, and most (not all but most) of the people in obedience are either there for/because:

1. They are teaching their dogs basics like sit, heal, come forward, ect. so they can move on to rally and/or agility.

2. They own a kennel, and they are trying to title their dogs in obedience.

3. Then you have the one or two who are maybe only there to teach their dogs manners. The problem with trying that in novice obedience is that they take for granted that you have already been to a manners class. Most people just trying to get a well behaved dog have not taken their dogs to a manners class before joining the novice obedience class.


That's the way it is in our class, anyway. I've had to put off going to classes again until August. I really, really need to go to the doctor. My twin sister found out through a blood test that she has anemia, and so I want to get some of the same tests run as she did to make sure I don't have it.
 
Most of the rally and obedience classes I have been to have a bit of standing around time. I either crate my dogs while waiting for my turn, put them on a down stay or work on other behaviors ie attention, fronts,finshes, sit, downs whatever. I always want my dog focusing on me. I always try to exercise Diva before class atleast 30 mins. This morning I took her to a new class for Open and it was her first morning class. I didn't exercise her because it was raining and she was wired the first 20 minutes. She ran to the instructor, broke the recall early, jumped on me for every front and finish, and bounce up and down on her heeling. Luckily she calmed down before the retrieves and broadjump but that needs a certain amount of energy so I might not have noticed it. I remember Diva's first precompetition puppy class. She had no attetion for my at all. Just keep working it will get better.:smile2:
 
I'd agree with excersize before class. Our furkids have more energy than we can imagine. Let him burn off the extra and he'll be ready to learn rally with you.

II've seen this format of class in flyball where each dog gets a turn and there's lots of down time. I had my doubts but it worked amazingly well. Keep in mind, the class is to show the trainer what to do more than to actually train the dog.

They will show you the next training phase and see if you need any altered instruction. You'll do the real training at home :)
 
Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I see that my problem to try to keep Che attention on me and not other dogs and make him work outside the ring might be better deal, he is 7 months old and unaltered yet so right now he is like hound discovering all the smells, easily distracted.
We went yesterday to big trials just to mingle with the crowd and while my hands were hurting from him pulling in every direction he was following commands most of the time, just could not settle down...
I also got a book Control Unleashed, some of you recommended it highly on this forum.
I wonder if his vast pooch park experience is detrimental now- lots of dogs probably means lots of playtime to him...
 
so the second class was better, same format though...
Have been working half a day on making Che tired, he had lots of time to play with Sammy and then they went to pooch park, Che was hungry too...
the moment we arrived to the class he started going overboard again, pulling the leash right out of the car and attempting to sniff everything. So we implemented "awareness walk" from Control Unleashed program and have started working on "go away" program, then we went in and managed to be first in line. Trainer insisted on dog being placed on the mat and getting massage but Che is not very amenable to it, so I explained that he HAS to sniff everything in the room first to relieve his anxiety, then he can go to the mat. Che was better at ignoring other dogs too. I am not as concerned about doing actual floor exercises as it is good opportunity for us to learn work out in public...
overall I am starting to question usefulness of rally for younger pups like Che- is it too static? seems like running agility is more to his liking, him being 7 and 1/2 months old...
 
I just wanted to add that in the long run, agility may be better for him, but even in agility it's important to have control of him. For the first few classes he isn't going to be able to run around. It's going to be a series of drills that can get repetitive. So I'm not sure if he would like rally or agility better, but I think it's important to keep going with at least regular obedience classes (not necessarily rally) for future event trialing.
 
Aaahh. A subject that I have something worthwhile to contribute to. We are sort of "Class crazy" (and consequently Class-poor).

We started our first dog in traditional Obedience. It delivered the results but we didn't think that it was much fun. At 2 year's of age, we started Brighid in Agility (just for fun). We all love it (and it is beyond the fun stage now)! This winter, I enrolled Brighid in Rally Obedience because we needed to work on the controlling and attention aspects. Rally-O was great for that. Although it was indoors (because of the weather), our class was much as described. Waiting, turns, and as much for the human as for the dog. We took 4 weeks of classes and frankly, there wasn't much to learn in a class environment after that. It is then for practice at home. So stick with the classes until you figure out how to do a Figure 8 and how fast a fast walk is then go have fun with your dog. If you are not already in Agility, I think that the skills (for both the handler and the dog) that you learn in Rally O (or just obedience) are important foundations for Agility. And I highly recommend Agility.

Our newer pup (Faegan) is also in Agility having completed his Foundations Courses. Now, for him, the companion skills were quite something different than for Brighid. We had him enrolled in a Reliable Recall class. 'Nuff said.

As for formal Classes generally. We love them and were actually in 4 per week for a lot of the winter (2 each for 2 dogs). We love the fun and how much the dogs enjoy them. However, some of it boils down to the committment that the classes are. It's a lot like why people pay for a gym membership. Yes, you could jog around your neighborhood and get fit. But you won't. So you pay a gym membership to run on a treadmill because you will do that (but mostly cause you paid for it). Life is complicated and busy and there is a lot of stuff that delivers skills and bonding that can be done in the backyard and in the Park, but when you pay for a scheduled class - you and your dog are there - come "life or high-water". And when you tell your dog that it is time for "school" and there is that look on their face and a dash for the car - it's worth every single penny. I would also add, in the category of value add, that these classes facilitate that one-on-one time that is at a premium in a multi-dog household. So take a class - any class.

But beware of Agility - that one is for keeps cause THIS handler is never going to get good enough to reach the talent of my dog so I'm destined to never stop taking classes. It's nice that she is so patient with me and that she tries to make up for my failings by doing the right thing even when I'm doing the approach wrong.
 
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