# I have some questions about AKC Rally signs



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I signed up for AKC rally next month - Novice B so now I need to be certain I understand how to perform them correctly. Most are obvious but there are some I would love to have some clarity. 

9. *270° Right Turn and 11. 360° Right Turn look similar. I understand the 360° is a circle and 270° isn't, but they look like they can look the same when you heel your dog. Is there something that you do to make it clear that you are performing them correctly and not confusing the signs?

13. Call Front – Finish Right – Forward "As the dog clears the handler’s path, the handler will heel forward before the dog returns to heel position." In WCRL you heel forward as your dog comes into heel but AKC wants you to move forward before the dog is in heel position - when do you move forward? When your dog is behind you?

33. HALT – Right Turn – Forward Is this a pivot? Does the dog sit then pivot right and then heel as you move forward?

37. Loop Right looks a little like 9. *270° Right Turn How do you differentiate that sharp angle so it doesn't look like a 270° .

Why are some signs referred to as "stationary"?

I think there is an app for iPhones for AKC rally - is it of any value to purchase?


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Skylar said:


> I signed up for AKC rally next month - Novice B so now I need to be certain I understand how to perform them correctly. Most are obvious but there are some I would love to have some clarity.
> 
> 9. *270° Right Turn and 11. 360° Right Turn look similar. I understand the 360° is a circle and 270° isn't, but they look like they can look the same when you heel your dog. Is there something that you do to make it clear that you are performing them correctly and not confusing the signs?
> 
> ...


*YES! The K9 Rally is free and invaluable. I always check it if I forget a detail about a sign at the shows. 

Hope this helps and that you enjoy your class! Also, for the serious competitor, I always recommend Dee Dee Anderson's Rally videos, "How to Win at Rally." https://vimeo.com/ddsdogtraining/vod_pages 
*


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

**270° Right Turn and 11. 360° Right Turn*
For the 270, you're going to turn in almost a right circle, but don't end up facing the direction where you started, you'll be facing left. To get the feeling for this, stand next to a doorway on your left. Make a circle turn to the right, go through the doorway

360 degree right turn. Same exact turn, but this time, do not go through the doorway, walk past the doorway, end up where you started.

The next sign will help you out. If the next sign is straight ahead, it's a 360. If the next sign is on your left, it's the doorway version.

*13. Call Front – Finish Right – Forward*
Leave while the dog is behind you. Depending on the judge, waiting is either points off or an IP. 

*33. HALT – Right Turn – Forward*
Not a pivot. Pivots require the dog to move with the handler in sync, and if you have a certain judge I won't name here, you'd better pivot together like you're in a marching band. This sign is way easier. Sit the dog, breathe a second, turn right like any other right turn.

*37. Loop Right *

You go straight on, do a half circle, and a DIAGONAL that crosses the line you made going in. To practice, get yourself two chairs. Set one directly in front of you. Set the other one three feet left of where you start. Walk forward, walk around the chair in your way, walk to the other chair. 

Stationary signs are signs where the dog stops moving.

I have an app called *Pocket Rally* for iPhone. It has signs, videos and more.

The AKC has rally videos on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOmnrKKiM2kcaowVl3SXeVQ/videos

They even have handy playlists available. You'll be able to watch several dogs, including a poodle, demo the signs.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

And remember, RIGHT is WRITE, the hand you write with. LEFT is LEASH, the side where the dog is walking on leash. I repeat this while I do a walkthrough so I don't screw this up. It can be hard to remember when you're in a maze of 20 signs on the floor which way is which.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

The earlier replies are correct, but I will add that thinking about what the sign does to your direction of travel can be helpful. For the two 360* signs you will continue in the same direction of travel to get to the next sign. For 270* signs and loop left/right you change your direction of travel.


The AKC videos (especially for new signs) are really good. Most of the teams are judges or people who have been top ten nationals finishers, so they are showing the pictures that judges are looking for.


Stationary signs are intended to show the dog's level of impulse control in my way of thinking. You must show a clear pause where the dog stays in position before moving on.


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## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

lily cd re said:


> The earlier replies are correct, but I will add that thinking about what the sign does to your direction of travel can be helpful. *For the two 360* signs you will continue in the same direction of travel to get to the next sign. For 270* signs and loop left/right you change your direction of travel.*
> 
> 
> The AKC videos (especially for new signs) are really good. Most of the teams are judges or people who have been top ten nationals finishers, so they are showing the pictures that judges are looking for.
> ...


Okay, this was a much more clear way of saying it!  

All of the AKC videos are on the K9 Rally App.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I've been searching around, but finally found a nice summary of AKC rally signs grouped by skill types. I think this is a really helpful way to look at what the signs are evaluating. The original pdf is titled "Rally Exercises as Skill Progressions" and it shows the signs in each group. I can't get the original to upload, but here are the sign numbers, what levels they apply to and what the skill sets are grouped into.


Rally Exercises as Skill Progressions
N=Novice I=Intermediate A=Advanced E=Excellent M=Master
Heeling:
NIAEM: Normal Pace #19
NIAEM: Slow Pace #17
NIAEM: Fast Pace #18
NIAEM: Moving Side Step Right #20
IAEM: Two Side Steps Right, Forward #123
Halt Sit:
NIAEM: Halt, Sit #3
E: Sit Stay #298
Halts and Heeling:
NIAEM: Halt, 1, 2, and 3 Steps #25
NIAEM: Halt, Fast Forward From Sit #28
NIAEM: Halt, Slow Forward From Sit #36
IAEM: Halt, Side Step Right Halt #109
IAEM: Halt, Leave 2 Steps, Call to Heel, Forward #118
M: Stand, Leave 2 Steps, Call to Heel #322
Right Turns:
NIAEM: Diagonal Right #39
NIAEM: Right Turn #5
NIAEM: 270° Right Turn #9
NIAEM: Halt, Right Turn, Forward #33
IAEM: Halt, Turn Right One Step, Call to Heel, Halt #104
IAEM: Halt, Pivot Right, Forward #116
IAEM: Halt, 90° Pivot Right, Halt #106
IAEM: Right Turn, Dog Circles Right, Forward #119
EM: Stand, Right Turn, Forward #214
Left Turns:
NIAEM: Diagonal Left #40
NIAEM: Left Turn #6
NIAEM: 270° Left Turn #10
NIAEM: Halt, Left Turn, Forward #34
IAEM: Halt, Pivot Left, Forward #117
IAEM: Halt, 90° Pivot Left, Halt #107
IAEM: Left Turn, Dog Circles Right, Forward #120
EM: Stand, Left Turn, Forward #215
About Turns:
Right:
NIAEM: About Turn Right #7
NIAEM: Loop Right #37
IAEM: Halt, About Turn Right, Forward #101
IAEM: Halt, 180° Pivot Right, Halt #112
Left:
NIAEM: About U Turn #8
NIAEM: Loop Left #38
IAEM: Halt, About U Turn, Forward #102
IAEM: Halt, 180° Pivot Left, Halt #113
Right and Left Combinations:
NIAEM: Left About Turn #29
EM: About Turn Right, About U Turn #212
EM: About U Turn, About Turn Right #213
Spiral:
NIAEM: Spiral Right, Dog Outside #21
NIAEM: Spiral Left, Dog Outside #22
Serpentine/Figure 8/Cloverleaf:
NIAEM: Serpentine Weave Once #24
NIAEM: Straight Figure 8 Weave Twice #23
NIAEM: Offset Serpentine Right #41
NIAEM: Offset Serpentine Left #42
NIAEM: Figure 8, No Distractions #32
IAEM: Offset Figure 8 #108
M: Cloverleaf #314
Heeling with Circles:
NIAEM: 360° Right Turn #11
NIAEM: 360° Left Turn #12
EM: Double Left About Turn #211
EM: Halt, Dog Circles Right, Sit #216
M: Dog Spins Right, Forward #312
M: Dog Spins Left, Forward #313
M: Side by Side 360° Right Circle #319
M: Side by Side 360° Left Circle #320
M: Dog Circles Right Around Handler, Handler Circles Left #321
M: Double Left About Turn, Turn Right #315
M: Double Left About Turn, Turn Left, #316
Call Front:
NIAEM: Call Front, Finish Right, Forward #13
NIAEM: Call Front, Finish Right, Sit #15
IAEM: Halt, Call Front, Finish Right #110
NIAEM: Call Front, Finish Left, Forward #14
NIAEM: Call Front, Finish Left, Sit #16
IAEM: Halt, Call Front, Finish Left #111
NIAEM: Call Front, Return to Heel #35
M: Call Front, Move 2 Side Steps Right, Finish Forward #304
M: Call Front, Move 2 Side Steps Left, Finish Forward #305
Handler Steps in Front:
IAEM: Halt, Step in Front, Finish Right, Forward #121
IAEM: Halt, Step in Front, Finish Left, Forward #122
Downs:
NIAEM: Halt, Sit, Down #4
NIAEM: Stop and Down #27
IAEM: Halt, Down, Sit #114
EM: Down While Heeling, Call to Finish, Sit #206
Stands:
IAEM: Halt, Stand #115
EM: Halt, Stand, Down #201
EM: Halt, Stand, Sit #202
EM: Stand While Heeling, Call to Finish, Sit #207
EM: Stand, Leave, Sit, Call Front, Finish, Sit #208
EM: Stand, Leave, Down, Call Front, Finish, Sit #209
Walk Around Dog:
NIAEM: Halt, Walk Around #30
NIAEM: Halt, Down, Walk Around #31
IAEM: Halt, Stand, Walk Around #105
EM: Moving Stand, Walk Around #203
EM: Moving Down, Walk Around #204
Back Up:
NIAEM: Call Front, 1, 2, and 3 Steps Backward, Forward #26
EM: Backup 3 Steps #205
M: Backup 3 Steps, Right Backup 1 or 2 Steps, Forward #309
M: Backup 3 Steps, Left Backup 1 or 2 Steps, Forward #310
M: Backup 3 Steps, Stand & Leave, Call to Finish, Forward #311
Jumps:
AE: Send Over Jump, Handler Passes By #103
E: Send To Jump #210
M: Halt, Recall Over Jump, Finish, Right Turn, Forward #301
M: Halt, Recall Over Jump, Finish, Left Turn, Forward #302
M: Halt, Recall Over Jump, Finish, About Turn, Forward #303
Recalls:
M: Halt, Recall Over Jump, Finish, Right Turn, Forward #301
M: Halt, Recall Over Jump, Finish, Left Turn, Forward #302
M: Halt, Recall Over Jump, Finish, About Turn, Forward #303
M: Halt, Leave, Recall, Finish Right, Sit #317
M: Halt, Leave, Recall, Finish Left, Sit #318
Send Away/Go Out:
M: Halt, Send Away Sit, Return, Follow Arrow Forward #306
M: Halt, Send Away Sit, Return, Follow Arrow Right #307
M: Halt, Send Away Sit, Return, Follow Arrow Left #308
KBWT 12/2017


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

no no no no you have armband - left and no armband - right Grin I write with either hand, both hands from an L when you look at them etc. the other thing I can use quickly is "I pledge" which dates me but saying the pledge of allegiance every morning meant you learned that hand not the other hand...


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I've read through everything and thanks for all the responses, I'm clear on what I need to do for those signs.

And yes, like obviously some of us here on PF, I don't know my right from my left - missed getting that gene. Still struggle with it. I can also write with both hands although neater with my right, but I'm ambidextrous and likely to use either arm for most things. Groan. At least with rally you get clues from the pictures. 

spindledreams - they don't always hand out arm bands - sometimes it's a sticky label you put on your clothes. I overheard someone in my class who is an AKC rally judge and she was saying sometimes they have arm bands available for those who demand them.. not always.

The reason I asked why "stationary" is when you compete in WCRL the stationary exercises are where you are allowed to feed a treat to your dog - if you make a mistake and feed at a non-stationary exercise oops, you NQ. So I never feed - but the term has a purpose in WCRL so I was wondering why AKC uses it. 

In WCRL we have call front and finish right (or left) and you wait till dog is in heel position to move forward so it felt weird to do it when Babykins was behind me and not near heel - but she didn't seem to find it a problem. We do so many weird things heeling that she just did it. So I was pleased that this doesn't seem to be the problem I thought it might be.

Catherine, your description of coming out in a different path to travel really makes it clear.

And Click thanks for the links and Pocket Rally. I'm going to get that. I have the WCRL version and it's wonderful.

This is a new adventure for us.


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