Rally Obedience

Judges Training Seminar

COURSE DESIGNING

• Judges must use the ANKC guidelines in regards to the following items:

• Overall size of course• Number of stations (not including start

and finish) for each level of competition• Number of stationary signs allowed per

level

• When designing a course, judges should remember to work all three levels in the same basic pattern to allow for ease of class changes.

• Slight repositioning of stations can be made for the higher levels to accommodate the need to incorporate jumps. It is recommended that the majority of the stations remain in the same location to allow for ease of class changes.

COURSE PATTERN• Judges must remember to keep the course

direction as fluid as possible to allow for a smooth flow for the handler and dog to complete.

• Using the entire space available is not a requirement however using the space at its best makes for a challenging course that is not tight or crowded.

• Remember that all size dogs must be able to manoeuvre the course equally. This means more space to allow for 360 turns or call front exercises.

• Some example of patterns to use to build a course are shown in the following

A B C

Note that all patterns shown are using 90 degree turns and go the length of the allowed space for the ring. Pattern B has the ‘start/finish’ roughly the same

location. A and C allow for an entrance and exit in different areas which can allow less congestion at the start line, which means a quicker overall judging time for the class. All patterns allow for plenty of stations on all three levels of competition and

do not tend to crowd handlers/dogs during their run.

• D E F

These patterns show sharper angles but the patterns continue to show a smooth flow for the handler/dog. These patterns also use a majority of the space allowed.

The only challenge with these patterns can be using the appropriate turn stations to soften a 90 right or left turn to allow for the sharper course layout. Note F has a ‘double back’ pattern. This is a common pattern to allow for About Turn stations.

ADDING STATIONS• Once your pattern is established, it’s time to start positioning the

stations.• It’s a good idea to decide in advance before placement, which

stations you would like to see in your course in keeping with the level you are designing.

• Concentrate only on the stationary signs or the ‘action’ stations, placing them on your pattern/template to allow enough space to complete them properly.

• Add your direction changes after the above are placed.• Be sure to keep the total stations to within the guidelines allowed

for the level you are designing.• Remember that you must change stations slightly to allow for the

other levels, which could mean adding stations. Be sure to allow proper spacing to add these stations which may include the jumps.

• The next few slides show the suggested progression for designing a novice course, with the provision to add stations for Advanced and Excellent.

Add Start and FinishRemember that these do not count in your total for the course.

Place signs on your pattern remembering to allow enough space for all size dogs to have adequate space. Remember to follow the guidelines for amounts of stationary signs for the level you are designing.

Be sure to use your directional signs to add some variety. You have two right and two left turns, but you have two 270 rights and lefts as well.Place these turns in your map.

Remember to number your stations. This is important as you must also make a written listing of the course and it helps the teams to remember where they are when doing both a read and walk through.

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Moving up a Level• It is important when designing your course, that you

allow for all three levels to keep the same basic pattern. This makes changing the course quicker and easier for the stewards and yourself. In many cases, the addition of jumps where necessary and changing some of the stations, is all that is needed to create another level of challenge.

• Inserting additional stations can be done, providing you have left adequate space in the Novice level.

• Refer to the rule book for minimums and maximums permitted for each level to ensure that you are complying with the requirements.

• The next slide shows how a few simple changes can take a Novice course to an Advanced course.

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Notice the addition of the mandatory jump as station 8 The pattern and placement of the stations remains the same for this Advanced Class compared to the Novice with only a few slight adjustments needed.

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Be sure to list the stations and sign numbers on the new course. Note the changed stations with the green arrows.

And On To Excellent• Once again, by changing a few stations and

adding another jump, the level of the course can be easily raised to the highest level available in this sport.

• Increasing stations also creates more challenges.• Be sure to refer to the rule book to comply with

the requirements and restrictions for this level.• Note the changes used in this course which

include the switching of Start and Finish.

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The direction has changed as well as adding the second jump. Very little changes in the placements of the stations are required to turn the Advanced course into this Excellent course.

Be sure to list the stations and sign numbers on the new course. Note the Excellent level stations now included as well as the HONOUR station noted with green arrows.

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Setting The Ring• Always try to check with the club as to the size of ring and location of entrances prior to arrival on the day of

the trial. This will determine how you design your course and you won’t find yourself scrambling to realign your design to fit an existing space.

• Be sure you have all the correct signs, numbers and enough holders before you start to lay out the course.• The following steps are only one way of laying out a course, but they are efficient and generally make for an

easy set up:

1. On the first walk of the pattern, place holders in the approximate locations of the stations based on your course design, remembering to add a holder for Start and Finish.

2. The second time you walk the pattern, place the appropriate sign on the holder. This is where you can allocate your steward to assist you in clipping or fixing (depending on the equipment) the sign to the holder and loosely peg into the ground if this is the way they are held in place.

3. The third time you walk the pattern, adjust the signs to ensure that all directional change signs are in front of the path of flow, and all others are to the right of the handler, with the exception of the jumps if applicable to that level, which must be located on the left of where the handler will be to allow the dog to perform them. During this walk through, attach numbers if the holders are not permanently fixed with them, to each station in order. Stewards can be asked to perform this task as you will be adjusting station signs slightly as you walk through the course to maintain the flow of the course.

4. The final walk through allows you to perform each station as the teams would be during a trial. Be sure to allow proper space for stepping patterns and turning circles to allow for all size dogs. Stewards may be asked to also walk the course as it can help to have someone else ‘proof’ it prior to the class being judged.

5. Only when you are satisfied that the signs are in the correct position and the numbers are in proper order, should you call for the walk through for those in that class. Please refer to the rule book for suggestions as to numbers permitted during walk through at any given time, as well as to accommodate larger classes where multiple walk throughs might be necessary.

• It is important prior to the walk through for each class, to address the handlers and give a brief chat about any relevant stations that might cause confusion or what you as a judge hope to see during the trial.

• During the actual walk through, you must remain available for questions from the handlers.

• Only those that are competing in the class that is about to commence should be doing a walk through although exceptions can be made for Novice class to allow handlers friends or trainers to help guide them through the walk through and give encouragement.

• NO DOGS must be permitted on the course at ANY time during the walk through.

• Always encourage the handlers to re walk the course and take advantage of the time they are allowed by the rules, for the walk through.

• It is often a good idea to make a 2 minute announcement to those doing their walk through to allow them to use as much time as they feel they need to prior to competition. Such a warning will also often encourage others that have left the competition field to make one last walk through prior to the class commencing.

• The following slide shows just one version of a score sheet. It is important to use whatever type of score sheet that you are comfortable with and can mark quickly and accurately. Note the area for total deductions as well as total score and spaces that allow for class, breed and competitors number, and also jump heights if applicable for the class. Regardless of the style of judging sheet used, this information must be included on each sheet.

CLASS-Novice A NUMBER

TIME BREED

JUMP HEIGHT n/a

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

1. Walk around dog (#30)

2. 270 Left (#10)

3. 3 steps (#25)

4. 360 right (#11)

5. Right Turn (#5)

6. 270 Left (#10)

7. Call front finish right Halt (#16)

8. Serpentine weave once (#24)

9. Left Turn (#6)

10. 270 right (#9)

11. Down Walk around dog (#31)

12. Call front finish left Forward (#15)

13. Right Turn (#5)

14. 15. 16.

17. 18. 19. 20.DEDUCTIONS_________________ SCORE______________

TL=Tight Lead*CS=Crooked Sit*HE=Handler Error*DNA=Did Not Attempt*ICS=Incorrectly Performed Station*DQ=Disqualified*OP=Out Of Position

• Each box on the score sheet represents one station on the course. Sheets are designed with 20 boxes to allow for the maximum stations permitted at the highest level of this sport.

• To aid the handlers, the course stations are also written down with corresponding numbers. This aids in review of errors after the handler has run the course and been given the score sheet.

• Additional space can be used to note a judges notation legend which can include short forms of ‘crooked sit’=CS, ‘tight lead’=TS, ‘handler error’=HE etc.

• Because judging is quick and complex, it is important that judges develop some shorthand notations so that they can properly mark the team, and that all can understand any deductions and where they occurred, so that the team can benefit from their mistakes.

The following are the suggested scoring deductions for all levels of Rally.

1 point *Tight lead(Consistent tight lead throughout the course should be considered a more severe infraction as the dog is not under control)

*Dog interferes with handlers forward motion(Dog refuses to move, forges during a direction change or is facing opposite or pulls in the opposing direction )

*Poor sits/downs/fronts(45 degrees or less should constitute a poor sit/down/front)

*Slow/Resistant responses(Keep in mind some breeds naturally take longer to respond due to their size or structure. This does not mean they should be deducted. Any dog that clearly requires multiple commands to complete a station should be considered to be slow to respond.)

*Touching/ticking a jump, pylon/cone or post(Touching applies to both dog or handler and does not result in the object being moved from the position or knocked over)

*Out of position(sits/downs/fronts greater than 45 degrees out of position, as well as more than 3 feet

from heel position would be deducted under this portion.

3 point *Repeat of Station(Maximum of two retries are permitted)

*Lack of control(Dog is under consistent tight leash or does not remain in heel position when off leash. Dog does not follow commands nor makes any effort to attempt stations in spite of repeated attempts)

*Loud or Intimidating signal(The use of loud or clearly intimidating signals by the handler towards the dog should be penalized. Physical corrections are also included in this

penalty)

*Excessive barking(Barking should be considered excessive only when it occurs in more than a

third to half of the course or when it interferes with the handler communicating with the dog.)

*Pylon/cone or post knocked over(cones/pylons displaced in spirals or serpentines, offset figure eight distractions moved)

10 point *Incorrectly performed station(At any point if the station has been attempted and has not been completed correctly, and if the handler does not call for a retry, this deduction must be given. )

*Hitting the jump(Hitting but not dislodging the bar jump, stepping on the broad jump. )

The following marks should be deducted based on the severity of the infraction and are up to the judges discretion.

1-10 point *Lack of teamwork(Handlers not praising dog, dogs not responding to commands)

*Lack of briskness(It is important to realize that all handlers do not walk or move at the same speed.

Some handlers may have physical restrictions which prevent them from moving at what would be considered a normal walking speed. As this sport allows older dogs to compete, they may also have slight physical restrictions and as a result this should be taken into consideration before deducting under this rule. This is not the same deduction as ‘slow to respond’)

*Handler error(This includes handler stepping on the dog when the dog is not in the way of the

handler, failure to untangle a lead in the novice class that may be restricting the dog, passing on the wrong side of a station, performing a station twice such as a spiral or serpentine after

successfully completing it. Judges must be willing to penalize depending on the severity or determine what constitutes a handler error compared to not completing a station correctly which includes turning the wrong way or miscounting steps)

DQ *Minimum requirements not met(This refers to not achieving a passing score and as such once this occurs, the team has

to be DQ’d )

*Dog unmanageable or uncontrolled barking(A dog that is either on or off lead and clearly not under control must be DQ’d. Dogs

that bark more than 50% of the course must be DQ’d)

*Station not attempted(Any station that is passed by and not attempted requires the team to be DQ’d. Should

a handler pass by a station and prior to performing the next station, call for a retry, they can return to the missed station and attempt it with the 3 point penalty being charged. Should the handler begin to attempt the station after the missed one, they

can not go back and attempt the missed station.)

*Consistent tight leash(This should be considered in the Novice class to be under the same rules as dogs that

are unmanageable.)

*Substantial out of honour position(More than a body length in either the sit or down and without changing those

positions are considered substantially out of the required position. Dogs rolling over without sitting up, dogs shuffling while sitting or dogs crawling while in the down position are all

considered to be at risk of being out of honour position depending on how far they move.)

*Not completing the honour position(Dogs that stand during the honour when a sit or down is required. Dogs that lay down

or stand when a sit is required. Dogs that sit when a down is required)

*Dog relieving itself in the ring(Dogs must not urinate or defecate in the ring at any time prior to or

during their run through. Vomiting does not apply

*Bar knocked off the uprights

(Displacing the bar jump from either direction and at any time)

*Using a jump as an aid to get over the jump(This can apply to the bar or wall/panel jump. In some cases the bar

jump may not become dislodged however it is still considered a DQ)

*Failure to jump in the right direction(Dogs jumping back over the completed jumps should also be considered

to be a DQ)

*Handler error(Handlers that lose their way on the course to the point that they can

not complete stations in order can be DQ’d. Handlers using any harsh physical corrections on a dog at any point during the course. Handlers knocking over station signs or pylons/cones as well as jumps are also considered severe

enough infractions to warrant a DQ mark.)

Are You Ready?• Each team will be asked to come to the start position by the steward. Be sure that

the score sheet you have matches the number and breed (if indicated) of the team ready to begin their run.

• Check with the timer to ensure that they are ready to begin. They have two watches and should be very comfortable with the operation of the watches.

• Greet the handler and when doing Advance and Excellent, be sure that the steward has been given the lead off the dog.

• Be sure to ask the handler if they are ready. When they indicate that they are, the only thing you should say is “Forward”.

• It is important that you do not vocalize at any point in the run, nor give any indication as to the path or how a station is to be performed, should the handler ask during the run.

• Be sure that when you are marking the performance, you do not ‘stalk’ the handler and dog, nor interfere with their ability to see a station or the path clearly. You must not manoeuvre yourself so that you are unable to see the team correctly.

• During the designing of the course, it is important to remember that as a judge, taking the fewest steps possible and yet allowing a clear view to judge, is the most preferred way as at the end of a long day judging, your legs will appreciate the limited movements you have done for each team over the various levels of competition.

This Sums It Up• The inner ring steward is in charge of doing the addition of marks on the score

sheets. This allows for the class to not be delayed.• It is important that your ring steward understands your marking system, so it is

always a good idea to go over this with them prior to beginning to judge any class.• The inside ring steward also is in charge of marking down the time on the score

sheet.• To assist in keeping the trial moving smartly, two clipboards are recommended so

that the steward can prepare for the next team whilst a team is being judged. Be sure to check the score sheet prior to marking that the team number is correct as well as the breed listed.

• The Inside ring steward is also required to mark all scores and times on the judges sheet which will allow final placements for each class to be registered.

• As a judge, you are required to put down your start time for the class, and the finish time as well as provide a signature.

• You will also be required to present any awards in each class at the conclusion of that class which include first four placements and any qualifying scores. All score sheets, whether they qualify or not, need to be passed back to the handlers.

PAPERWORK• It is important to remember that all scores, times and placements

be recorded on the main judges book, as well as certificates to be issued to handlers so that they can submit these for acknowledgement of their titles when they achieve them.

• Stewards are reminded to check to ensure that the judge has filled out the certificates and judges books completely and signed where appropriate.

• It is encouraged that the score sheets used during the running of the trial, be returned to the handlers, so that they are able to see where their mistakes were and better be able to train in the future to correct them. These sheets are not to be considered official certificates that would be submitted to their state controlling body for acknowledgement of titles.

AWARDS PRESENTATIONS• Judges are encouraged to gather all qualifying score teams in the

ring upon conclusion of the judging of their class for presentations.

• Marked score sheets can be handed back to the teams at this time, along with any trophies awarded for placement in the class.

• Official certificates with the score, time and placement noted for submission for a title, are not required at that time, but should be available within a reasonable time after completion of the class.

• Judges are encouraged to discuss teams runs if required however, both handlers and judge must remember that there should be limited time allotted so as to not delay the set up and start of the next class (if applicable)

• Should there not be adequate time for questions between classes, the judge should make themselves available for a reasonable time, upon conclusion of judging all classes that day.

AT THE END OF THE TRIALAt the completion of the days events, it is a good idea to be available for questions or discussions

from the handlers. As this is a new sport here, there will be a lot of questions and it is your responsibility

to know the rules adequately enough to be able to answer them.

Rally Obedience is a fun way for handlers to work their dogs and although somewhat different than traditional obedience, as a judge, we are here to

encourage and help correct mistakes that may be made during the trial due to inexperience or simply

nerves!

Rally Obedience is designed to be fun and challenging, for both the competitors AND those that

choose to judge the sport. A positive attitude from both sides, will ensure that this sport is enjoyed by everyone involved and stays true to the purpose for

which it was designed....