Introductory Rally Course – 5 weeks – next course will begin Sunday 5th January 2025.

Places on this course fill very quickly.  Course is strictly limited to 10 dogs.

To register for the course please email tasdogclub@gmail.com.  Once the course is fully booked, if you would like to register interest, we will keep a reserve list and notify you if a vacancy occurs or when the next course is scheduled.

This is a very basic 5 week course intended for dogs who have not done any Rally training.  Dogs must have basic obedience skills and be able to heel, sit, drop, stand, stay.

Course cost will be advertised and pre-payment will be required. For non-members Membership fees will apply.

Please DO NOT PAY until you have been notified that you have a place on the course, when further details will be emailed to you.

In addition, full day workshops are held periodically throughout the year and will cover all levels of rally.  When scheduled, the Workshop Date/time will be advertised on the website under Events Calendar, on the club’s Facebook page and in the Newsletter.

Ongoing Sunday training classes & class activities will be advertised on the website under Events Calendar – look under Additional Classes and Courses for the relevant date.

You need to be a current financial member of the club to attend rally course/workshop/training.  Rally training is for dogs that have completed the basic obedience course and are training at Intermediate (grade 1) level and above as some of the exercises used in the rally stations are taught in the Intermediate class.  The dog must be able to sit, drop, stand, do turns and understand the ‘stay’ command.  The rally workshop/training is not designed to teach dogs basic obedience.

Numbers for the courses and workshops are strictly limited, so you will need to contact the club to register.  You do not need to book for the regular Sunday training sessions.  Please arrive 15 minutes early to help set up equipment and allow 15 minutes after the class to help pack up.

Please bring soft food rewards that your dog can swallow quickly, i.e. chicken, steak, sausage, cheese, cut into very small pieces. The treats must be something extra special that you will only use when training your dog – not the usual kibble that you feed your dog and not smackos.  If you dog enjoys playing with a soft toy,  then you can also bring the toy as an extra reward for the dog at the end of each round of the course.  The toy should fit in your pocket – e.g. a tug toy.

You will also need a crate or a tether for your dog, so the dog can be safely restrained while you ‘walk’ the course.

For safety reasons you must wear sturdy enclosed shoes – no thongs/sandals will be allowed.

The main aims of the course, workshop & ongoing training:

1. Teach the dog & owner the basics of rally
2. Introduce the rally stations/equipment used at the various levels of rally training
3. Guide the owner through the correct method of rally training

Several topics for discussion at course/workshop/training:

• Emphasis on the skills needed to commence rally
• Safety considerations for dogs
• Further training after workshop
• Safe use of equipment
• Correct use of praise and rewards
• Training equipment
• Training at home
• Competing in Rally trials