Harley, my miniature poodle, and I went to a dog show in Conroe
last weekend where we competed in Rally Obedience. Unlike a regular
obedience competition, where a judge gives orders, competitors
navigate a course of stations with the dog in heel position. It was
me and Harley's first show, and we were competing in the novice
class against other handlers who were new to the sport as
well. Unlike traditional obedience, handlers are allowed to
encourage their dogs during the course. We compete in AKC rally
where you start with 100 points and the judge deducts points for
mistakes. A qualifying score is a 70 or above. If you qualify three
times the dog earns a title.
We arrived in Conroe early to make sure we did not miss our
class. While we were there we talked with some very nice people.
One man had a golden retriever that he was raising as a service dog
competing in the novice class. This was a way for him to try
something new and switch up his training routine. Another person
who was competing for the first time had a rescue dog that was
about five years old. She was extremely proud of how well her dog
was doing in the busy show atmosphere with many new people and
dogs.
When it was finally time for me and Harley to compete I was a
little nervous. The judge invited us into the ring and asked if we
were ready. I looked down at Harley and then back at the judge and
replied yes. The first station was a pretty tricky and we lost a
few points. We kept moving through the stations, working together
as a team, and after the longest minute and a half of my life we
finished the course.
At the end all the ribbons were passed out with many of the top
scores going to high school and college students showing their
dogs. While me and Harley didn't get first place we did receive a
qualifying score, one score closer to a title. I was very proud of
Harley, at only 11 months old he did very well considering all the
distractions. We will continue to practice and improve our
teamwork. Competing in dog sports like obedience or agility is a
great way to spend time with your dog and other people who love
their dogs as well.