Rally Obedience is a new sport designed to get the beginning obedience person and dog to the rings to compete with less stress than the traditional obedience competition. You may talk to your dog the whole time you are in the ring and scoring is limited to full points off, no half points are scored.

Rally is done by following the direction on the signs of the course telling you what exercise you and your dog are to perform. The courses are from 10 to 20 signs. Each course is different. It is judged on a top score of 100 and a required passing score of 70. You must pass three times under at least two different judges to earn a title. The titles are:

Rally Novice (RN): Three passes under at least two different judges. Passing score of 70. There are 10-15 signs with no more than 5 stationary signs. These are signs where the dog must sit or down or stay. These exercises are all done on lead and you may do anything to help the dog perform the exercises except a tight leash, food or touching the dog.

Rally Advanced (RA): Same as above regarding passes and different judges. There are between 12 and 15 stations, 7 stationary signs. One jump is required and the dogs are off lead at this time. Each level adds additional signs with increased difficulty.

Rally Excellent (RE): Same as above regarding passes and judges. Excellent consists of 15 to 20 signs, 7 stationary signs and two jumps. Excellent is also done off lead. Handlers may talk and gesture to the dogs but may not pat or clap during the Excellent course. There is also an Honor dog and that exercise is part of the scoring of the course. After the course is run that dog “honors” the next performing dog with either a sit stay or a down stay executed during the performing dog’s run. A non-qualifying performance on the honor is a total non-qualifying for the whole course.

Rally Advanced/Excellent (RAE): To earn this title dogs must compete and pass both the Advanced and the Excellent courses on the same day. At this point different judges are not necessary. Upon passing Advanced and Excellent on the same day ten times the title of RAE is earned.