You might remember that we started out training for rally obedience with Freya doing the AKC novice exercises. We switched over to UKC in late spring since there were going to be UKC trials during the summer and fall. When Axel’s conformation handler offered to do his Rally Novice title as well, I started running Axel through the practice courses I’d set up for Freya.
Before Freya’s trial, I posted about the exercises in UKC Rally Obedience 1 that are not used in AKC Rally Novice. Because I am so smart and organized, I neglected to check on the AKC Rally Novice exercises that Axel hasn’t learned or practiced from Freya’s UKC courses. Much to my horror, there are five of them. FIVE.
Okay, breathe. Breathe!
Halt, 1-2 and 3 Steps Forward: This one shouldn’t be a problem since we’ve done it in general heeling practice since beginner classes.
Call Front, 1-2 and 3 Steps Backward: This one we will need to work on for the first time. Yikes!
Stop and Down: Dog downs as I stop? So it’s not a down, it’s not quite a moving down… again, yikes!
Halt, Fast Forward from Sit: Should not be a problem since Axel likes to move fast. Unless of course he moves too fast!
Left About Turn: As in a Schutzhund-style about turn. Since I constantly labor under the delusion that one day I will go back to training in Schutzhund, all my dogs have learned this early on. Whew!
Okay, maybe this isn’t the major crisis I thought it was after all! Now if it would just stop raining…
(NaBloPoMo | October ’09: 15 of 31 | 75% Challenge: 237 of 274)