Rally Level 1 Curriculum

GOAL

Teach dogs attention heeling, sit, down, stand, stay, recall, and any other skill requirements for Rally-O. Practice all the exercise signs for Level 1 Rally courses. Practice and polish performances and get handlers ready to show their dogs for titles.

REQUIREMENTS

Dogs should already have some basic training (sit, down, come, stay, heel), and be in good health and flea free during class. Dogs MUST be non-aggressive towards people and other dogs.

Each week we will work on attention heeling and review the previous week's signs and skills. When teaching each of the signs, put them in the sign holders, explain what is required, and have everyone practice heeling up to the sign and performing it. Here is a legend of the symbols used for each of the APDT Level 1 Rally-O signs:

Week 1

Welcome, introductions, take care of any outstanding applications and checks.

• Make sure all dogs in class can sit, down, and stand. Practice having dogs stay in all 3 positions with distractions. Give suggestions for practicing.
• Explain how much of Rally is heeling! Teach and practice attention heeling: start from scratch if needed or just "clean up" for experienced dogs. Make sure dogs start in correct heel position, maintain correct heel position while moving, and halt in correct heel position.
• Teach "Halt - Sit", "Halt - Sit - Down", and "Halt - Sit - Stand"

• Week 1 Practice course:

Week 2

• Review course:

• Practice heeling. Make sure dogs are staying straight while heeling and at the halt.
• Teach dogs to side-step in front of handlers. Use food lure, stick, and clickers.
• Review and practice sit, down, and stand stay.
• Teach dogs to back up in front of handlers.
• Teach dogs to turn right and left while heeling. With a lure, wrap dogs close around for the right and use a pause or backing up for the left turn.
• Teach "Halt - Sit - Walk Around", "Halt - Sit - Down - Walk Around", "Right Turn", "Left

• Turn”, “Slow Pace” to “Normal Pace”

• Week 2 Practice course:

Week 3

• Review course:

• Practice heeling. Make sure dogs are staying straight while heeling and at the halt.
• Teach dogs the left (lure) and right (back chain) finishes.
• Review backing up in front and then teach the dogs to back up in heel position.
• Review side-stepping in front and practice with handlers in different positions.
• Teach dogs to come in and sit straight in front. Use lure, feet, and box.
• Teach "Fast Pace" to "Normal Pace", "270 Right", "360 Right", "Spiral Right", and "Halt

– Sit – Down – Sit"

• Week 3 Practice course:

Week 4

• Review course:

• Critique heeling during and immediately after each dog does the practice course.
• Review backing up in heel position.
• Practice straight fronts.
• Review side-stepping in front and from different positions including in heel position.
• Teach "Halt - 1,2,3 Steps Forward", "Halt - 90 Pivot Right - Halt", "Halt - 90 Pivot Left - Halt",

and "Spiral Left"

• Week 4 Practice course:

Week 5

• Review course:

• Critique heeling during and immediately after each dog does the practice course.
• Review side-stepping in front and from different positions including in heel position.
• Review straight fronts.
• Teach "Call Front - Finish Left", "Call Front - Finish Right", "Moving Side Step Right",

"About Right Turn", and "270 Left"

• Week 5 Practice course:

Week 6

• Review course:

• Critique skills during and immediately after each dog does the practice course.
• Review left pivots.
• Teach "About U Turn", "360 Left", and "Straight Figure 8"

• Week 6 Practice course:
  Replace #2 with "360 Left"
  #5 with "About U Turn"
  #6 with "270 Right"
  #7 with "Halt - 90 Pivot Right - Halt"
  #8 with "Straight Figure 8"
  # 9 with "Slow Pace"

Week 7

• Review course:

• Critique skills during and immediately after each dog does the practice course.
• Teach "Call Front Forward Left", "Call Front Forward Right", and "Halt - Right Turn 1 Step - Halt"

• Week 7 Practice course:
  Replace #1 with "Halt - Sit"
  #2 with "Halt - Sit - Down"
  #3 with "Call Front Forward Left"
  #4 with "Call Front Forward Right"
  #5 with "Halt - Right Turn 1 Step - Halt"
  #6 with "Halt - Sit - Walk Around"
  #7 with "Spiral Left"
  #8 with "Halt - 90 Pivot Left - Halt"
  #9 with "Halt - 90 Pivot Right - Halt"
  #11 with "About Right Turn"
  

Week 8

Graduation course from an APDT Rally Level 1 trial. Handlers walk the course and then each dog runs the course with score sheets to keep at the end. Teach stand stay. PARTY!!

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