AKC Rally Regulations – January 2008
CHAPTER 4
NON-REGULAR CLASSES
Section
5 - Rally Plus. All exercises and performance in the class will be judged
based on the AKC Obedience Regulations. A perfect score would be 200
points. As with other non-regular classes, a maximum of 10 points will be
assessed to each station. It is possible for a dog and handler team to receive
a negative score in this class.
Heeling -
No point value assigned to heeling, but points can be deducted based on the
performance of the dog and handler as per Obedience Regulations. Dogs
will be judged on heeling from start to finish. The heeling course for the
first part of the class shall be 180 to 200 linear feet of heeling. The heeling
pattern will include additional heeling once the dog and handler return to the
Rally portion of the class, moving from station to station after the first
“Halt” and “Sit.”
The dog,
which is off lead, and handler begin at the start sign, with the judge’s
command of “Forward.”
The handler
may talk to his dog, giving encouragement or additional commands and/or signals
to heel, up until the cone or other marker placed 3 feet after the first turn.
After the
team passes the cone or other marker placed after the first turn, the handler
cannot talk to his dog again during the heeling portion without being scored
penalties.
The team
will be required to perform the
The quiet
portion of the heeling exercise ends at the first Halt-Sit station (sign #3).
Again, this first part of the class will be 180 to 200 linear feet of heeling.
Return to
regular rally portion of the class with a mandatory Stand for Exam – Upon
completing the first Halt-Sit station, the handler will resume the rest of the
Rally course and be allowed to talk to his dog. The course will contain 20 to
25 stations, one of which will be a required Halt-Stand-Walk-Around-Dog station
(sign #36). This station will be modified for this class to require a pause
with the handler standing approximately 3 to 6 feet in front of the dog while
the judge approaches and touches the dog’s head, body and hindquarters with the
palm of one hand as required in the Novice Obedience Stand for Examination.
Once the judge has touched the hindquarter portion of the dog and starts to
step back, the handler will circle the dog, returning to the heel position, and
then continue on the Rally course.
The course
should include 20 to 25 total stations, seven of which have to be stationary
exercises after the first part of the heeling exercise.
Recall -
After passing the finish sign, timing on the dog has stopped. The handler will
then move his dog to a designated area at one end of the ring where the handler
will position his dog in a sitting position facing the opposite end of the
ring. Without any order from the judge, the handler will then give his dog a
command and/or signal to “Stay” and leave his dog as in the Novice Recall
exercise. The handler, once reaching the far end of the ring, will turn and
face his dog and give a command and/or signal to “Come.” (The handler will be
allowed two commands to call his dog without any substantial penalty being
assessed. If the handler gives more than two commands to “Come,” a substantial
penalty or higher may be given.)
The maximum
point value for this station is 10 points.
After the
dog has sat in front, the handler will then “Finish” his dog without any
commands from the judge. If the dog does not sit in front of the handler after
being called, penalty points may be assigned. Handlers may command and/or
signal their dogs to sit in front. If a dog fails to “Finish” after being
commanded (multiple commands and/or signals may be used), the judge may assign
substantial points. Judges may deduct points for slow response from the dog
during the Recall portion.
Honor -1
Minute Sit and Stay - Once the dog has completed the Recall portion of the
class, the handler will then move to a designated Honor exercise area. This
portion of the class will require an Honor steward who will time the dog and
handler for a one minute Sit-Stay exercise. This exercise will be off leash and
will be performed while the next dog in the class is running the course. The
handler for this exercise will leave his dog in a Sit-Stay at the Honor area
when the judge commands the next dog in the class to start with the “Forward”
command. The Honor handler will command and/or signal his dog to stay, walk to
a marked point about 15 feet away from his dog, and turn and face his dog. The
Honor steward, upon hearing the command “Forward” from the judge, will time the
dog for a period of one minute. The handler may give commands and/or signals to
his dog using normal speech tones and commands without penalty. Once the one
minute time has elapsed, the handler will be advised to return to his dog. Upon
returning to his dog, the handler will leash the dog and leave the ring area.
The maximum point value for this station is 10 points.