What is Rally

AKC Rally is a companion sport to AKC Obedience. It is a way to introduce your Cocker Spaniel to Obedience competition, but is not as rigorous as traditional obedience competition in its scoring. Once your Cocker has mastered performing   “Sit”, “Heel”, “Come”, “Stay”, and “Down” to both voice commands and hand signals, it is ready to start performing them in a sequence via signs that have been placed in a course inside a competition obedience ring. Each of these signs display information on the one or more actions the dog must perform to their master’s commands.

Your Cocker will Love It

This sport is fun for the dog because the rules encourage unlimited voice and hand communication from the handler to their dog. Because the signs are close to one another, the handler maintains constant communication with their dog, thus encouraging their dog to maintain focus on them. This gets the dog used to being rewarded for keeping their attention on their owner. The signs in Rally also prepare the dog for the types of actions they will need to perform as they progress through the levels of competition obedience. Cocker Spaniels do well in Rally because they love to perform commands in close proximity to their owner.

Rally Training Classes

There are 67 Rally signs that the handler must understand and learn how to manage their dog to perform them. Taking Rally classes from an experienced Rally trainer helps the new handler learn and understand each Rally sign and how to perform it with their dog. Working with an experienced Rally trainer assures you learn effectively and how to perform the commands in the proper timing.

There are numerous Obedience schools that offer Rally classes within a reasonable driving distance from most cities in Georgia. As a member of the Cocker Spaniel Specialty Club of Georgia, you will get to know other members who have been active in Rally training and competition for years and can help you find a training facility. The AKC also provides information about the AKC affiliated clubs or training facilities that offer Rally training in Georgia and other states.

Rally Videos

Video of a Cocker performing Rally at the Novice level in a Rally Trial 

Video of a Cocker Spaniel performing Rally at one of the higher levels 

Getting Started in Rally Trials

Training is beneficial and enjoyable. Once you complete training successfully and are on a roll, you should consider participating in AKC Rally Trials. The AKC provides detailed information on getting started in Rally. 

Shout Outs

Jan Epting was so kind as to provide the content for this page. We really appreciate her contributions!