My dog Max is a Jack Russell Terrier. He is energetic, curious and a Mr. Busy Body…. always alert and ready to go at a moment’s notice. His keen hearing and sense of smell keeps him on the look-out for any moving prey, even if the prey happens to appears on our television screen!
He barks ferociously and attacks the screen as though he is going to catch his next meal.
Max and I enjoy going to various dog obedience and sport activities every week. One sport which we have been doing this summer is Rally obedience. Rally is a sport in which the dog and the handler completes a course that has been designed by the rally judge. The dog and handler proceed through a course of designated stations. Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding what type of obedience behavior is required from the dog. The handler and the dog moves continuously at a brisk pace with the dog under full control at the handler’s left side.
Learning Rally takes many hours of training, under guidance from a good Rally instructor. It is truly awesome when you see a team performing on an excellent level of this sport… the handler and the dog move as though they are glued together while the dog’s attention is 100% on the handler, looking for every sign the handler may give the dog for his next move.
Well, Max and I are far from being on an excellent level of Rally but with the encouragement of our trainer, Helen Dohrman and our class mates, we entered an AKC sponsored Rally Fun Match
a few weeks ago. As we drove out to the Marymoor Park in Redmond, I was nervous wondering if Max will be able to keep his attention on me, given that this was his first time where he will be performing in the open field. The outdoor scent and distractions from birds flying overhead may send him off into a hunting mode instead of focusing on the sport.
We entered in the Novice rank and to our amazement, he came in first place! Now that we got our feet wet, we are excited to step up our weekly practice to master more complex obstacles.
Max was happy because he made friends with a darling dog named Jimmy Dean who was competing in the same level as us. It was the first competition for both of the dogs.
This is what is great about attending any dog event… we get to meet many dog loving humans and their dogs.
He barks ferociously and attacks the screen as though he is going to catch his next meal.
Max and I enjoy going to various dog obedience and sport activities every week. One sport which we have been doing this summer is Rally obedience. Rally is a sport in which the dog and the handler completes a course that has been designed by the rally judge. The dog and handler proceed through a course of designated stations. Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding what type of obedience behavior is required from the dog. The handler and the dog moves continuously at a brisk pace with the dog under full control at the handler’s left side.
Learning Rally takes many hours of training, under guidance from a good Rally instructor. It is truly awesome when you see a team performing on an excellent level of this sport… the handler and the dog move as though they are glued together while the dog’s attention is 100% on the handler, looking for every sign the handler may give the dog for his next move.
Well, Max and I are far from being on an excellent level of Rally but with the encouragement of our trainer, Helen Dohrman and our class mates, we entered an AKC sponsored Rally Fun Match
a few weeks ago. As we drove out to the Marymoor Park in Redmond, I was nervous wondering if Max will be able to keep his attention on me, given that this was his first time where he will be performing in the open field. The outdoor scent and distractions from birds flying overhead may send him off into a hunting mode instead of focusing on the sport.
We entered in the Novice rank and to our amazement, he came in first place! Now that we got our feet wet, we are excited to step up our weekly practice to master more complex obstacles.
Max was happy because he made friends with a darling dog named Jimmy Dean who was competing in the same level as us. It was the first competition for both of the dogs.
This is what is great about attending any dog event… we get to meet many dog loving humans and their dogs.
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