Cool Rally Move

I LOVE my Tuesday night training group. I find myself looking forward to it every week. The people, the camaraderie, spending time with my dog -- let me tell you, dog training is a great stress reliever. My cardiologist should be happy.

Anyway, this week we learned a cool rally move called the left about turn. The official rally sign (to the right) is confusing -- even trying to explain it is confusing! -- but it's absolutely beautiful to see in action. The turn goes something like this:

• Dog and handler move forward with dog in the heel position (left side).
• Handler turns left 180 degrees, actually turning into the dog.
• Dog wraps around back side handler.
• Dog and owner move forward with the dog in the heel position (left side).

It looks like this:

I can't figure out how to do videos, so you'll just have to watch this non-shepherd for now. As you can see, the move can be a little tricky when done on leash. The handler must switch the leash from hand to hand and around the back without getting tied up. Not easy for an uncoordinated person like me, but not impossible either. We've been practicing and it has quickly become my favorite rally turn so far. Go ahead and try it with your dog. -- K