# Questions about Obedience Trials



## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

sorry i have no answer to your questions. just wanted to welcome you back - seems you have been away forever. best of luck going forward.


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

I think "clean and neat" should be your goal. There are no clip requirements for performance events. 

The judge will be assessing the dog's performance and not his appearance--although I must add that showing up with wraps or bands shows a great disregard for the judge. It's as though you think he or she is not worth showing your very best to.

Read the rules, read the rules, read the rules. You might find Rally Novice to be more forgiving, even if you must learn the signs quickly, than Novice Obedience. In Rally, you may give extra commands and chatter to your dog the whole time. In Novice Obedience (and even in Beginner Novice), there's no chattering, and you get only one extra command. In Novice Obedience (as I forgot and thus was penalized) you cannot give simultaneous voice commands and signals. So my recommendation is to read and practice just the Novice signs--you need 3 passes before you have to worry about Advanced signs. During the walk-through, you can ask the judge to clarify any signs you might find confusing.


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## Mom-n-Reiki (Jan 6, 2013)

Thank you both! 

I'm really considering spending the extra money to try both. Ro is a working dog first and foremost, so he isn't used to a lot of chatter anyway. He's just a jerk sometimes that plays semantics. Haha. 

I hope Ro ends up being presentable enough. That makes sense about the wraps and bands, but is not something I probably would have thought of. He isn't banded anymore, but his jacket will probably be starting to matt up. Part of me really misses the fluff. Lol.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

In performance events, dog can be shown groomed as in the conformation ring, so a corded (or "in-progress") corded dog is perfectly acceptable. They can be in *any* haircut, not just the prescribed conformation haircuts, but cannot be "altered" in any way that would be a disqualification in the conformation ring, meaning no dye or coloring, and no painted toenails (though it's doubtful a judge would notice or comment on that). They may have band(s) holding the topknot and/or ears (though these should be minimal as needed for safety and not the vast array of bands that are often found on between-show conformation dogs).

I'll let the others advise you about whether to look into Rally or Obedience. Isn't there a Pre-Novice Obedience class, too?

Either way, your dog is lovely! Keep us posted on the cording!

--Q


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Q is exactly right & there are corded dogs in performance events. As for regular obedience or rally, rally novice signs are really not that difficult. He can show in a chain with a leather leash. Prongs or other training collars are not allowed. Martingales, flat collars & choke chains are fine. I use chokes in rally & obedience as a signal to my dogs that it is "working" time. 

If he is proficient at obedience he is capable of rally. There are only 2 signs that would be a little different for novice. One is the Left About Turn where you turn into the dog to the left as they come around you to the right & the Call Front Return to Heel where you call the dog to your front & walk around them to Heel position while they maintain a sit. He needs to be able to finish to the right or left from a front for some of the stationary exercises. There are descriptions of how each exercise should be performed listed in the rally rules on the AKC site. It includes pictures of each sign as well.

I'm a rally instructor & I've compiled those sections into a Word document that I'd be happy to email to you if you want to pm me your email.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Hi there, yes welcome back as others have said.

I would either enter rally or beginner novice (which also uses rally signs). It is easy to figure out the signs. You can download them from the AKC site and read the descriptions. Also people will help you on the walk through which you will get for either of those. For rally you can talk to the dog more to be encouraging and build confidence. For beginner novice it is an obedience class and you will be penalized for extra orders although you can give one "good dog" while heeling to encourage.

There is only one novice A or of any class per day. That info dog is showing you up to four is for folks like me with Lily since I often enter three classes a day (one obedience class and two rally).


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## Mom-n-Reiki (Jan 6, 2013)

Thank you all!!

I couldn't make up my mind and missed the entry deadline. We'll give it a go next time. I have two puppies going in the ring this November, and Rowan gets dragged around to the shows too. I want to keep him busy. 

I'll start a new thread in the Grooming section on Ro's cording progress. My boys have been keeping me too busy!!


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