Rüdi and Rally
We're also working on the rally side of obedience (the main difference other than a bigger variety of test elements is that I get to talk to him the whole way through the test); I find rally to be a lot of fun. He wrapped up the Rally Novice title (1st level) in three straight tests at the South Bay Kennel Club on August 5/6, 2023, and the German Shepherd Club of San Diego County trials on September 3. He also finished the next level, Rally Intermediate, in three straight tests at the Bakersfield Obedience Training Club and Skyline Dog Fanciers Club of San Mateo County trials in mid-October. He even pulled off a Rally Advanced (entirely off-leash) in his first attempt at the Del Valle Dog Club of Livermore trials (two days after finishing RI at Skyline), then followed with a second pass at the Swissy Nationals. Number three came at the Kennel Club of Riverside trials the day before he turned 16 months, so he earned his RN, RI, and RA titles all within the space of three months.
After trying to refine some of his basic skills and training him for some new, more difficult signs, we started our quest for a Rally Excellent title at the Silver Bay show on February 24, 2024 — or at least I thought we did. Silly me, I forgot that in the not-so-fine print in the rally rules that the Excellent A class, which I had registered for since it is generally for new dogs and new handlers (i.e. people like me and Rüdi), that dogs who have already earned a CD title (i.e. like Rüdi, even though it doesn't seem like it) are not eligible. Two and a half weeks later I got a letter from AKC indicating that he was ineligible for that class and that they were withdrawing his qualifying score. Sigh. Three weeks later, now properly registered in Excellent B, he pulled off two very decent scores at the Del Sur show on March 16/17, and squeeked by with a third pass at the German Shepherd Club of San Gabriel Valley trials on March 23 for his RE title. A friend took a video of us on the 16th and can be found below.
We have just closed out 2024 by earning his RAE title (Rally Advanced Excellent, where you must qualify in both Rally Excellent and Advanced on the same day ten times — AKC has invented many ways to extract cash from your wallet) while we continue to learn the Rally Master signs. He got his last two “double-Qs” at the Greater San Diego Basset Hound Club rally trial the weekend of November 16/17, 2024. His Saturday Advanced score was a 97, his highest score at any level by 4 points.
Rüdi in the rally ring is just a big slow goofball. Because big working group breeds are not common in obedience/rally, he is a bit unusual and has thus built up a bit of a fan club cheering him on. Thanks to all of you for the congratulations and well-wishes; I really do appreciate your friendship and support, and I wish you all the best whatever flavor of dog you are running.
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