Mint and I attended a Rally Obedience seminar at NorWest Dog Training Club in Kumeu on Saturday.
When Mum told me we were going to the seminar, I wondered what she was talking about, as I had never heard of Rally Obedience, or Rally-O. But, Mum said that she had been looking for a place where we could to the dog sport in Auckland for more than a year and finally found information about the seminar on a New Zealand Rally Obedience Yahoo group.
Both Mum and Dad were very busy as the renovation of our house was still going on, but they felt sorry for having had to keep us in our crates for long hours every day while tradesmen were working in the house. So, they decided to have a special day off and took us to NorWest Dog Training Club to try out Rally-O.
It was so much fun!! We dogs don't have to stick to the handler as closely as we do in traditional obedience, and we can do a variety of exercises, such as sit in front, weaves, and spirals (For more information and resources about Rally Obedience, see here).
Although I couldn't keep my nose off the ground when I tried out a whole course, I think I did pretty well. You know, it is so hard to keep my nose off the ground, especially on the grass in an unfamiliar place. I usually practise dog dancing and obedience indoors at Ardmore New Zealand Kennel Club Exhibition Centre. But, on the grass I catch far more interesting smells than I do when I practise indoors!!
I think Mint did well too. As long as Mum held some food in her hand, Mint kept all his attention on her and did most exercises in a course without problem. But, with no food in Mum's hand, his concentration didn't last long and he started pulling the lead after several obstacles.
As there aren't many people and dogs doing Rally-O in New Zealand, the instructors of yesterday's seminar, President and Treasurer of New Zealand Association of Rally Obedience, are working hard to attract more people and dogs into the sport. At the moment they are looking for dog training clubs in and around Auckland that are interested in holding a Rally-O seminar in the upcoming holiday season when there aren't many obedience and agility trials. So, please contact them if your club might be interested in it!
In a lunch break we also had a great time playing with a ball with rope and a mini frisbee!!
