IMPORTANT – MEMBERSHIP & ENROLMENT REQUIRED
Rally classes are available to current Sutherland Shire Dog Training Club members only, and enrolment into the class is required before attending.
To participate in Rally training at SSDTC:
- Handlers must be current financial members of SSDTC.
- Dogs and handlers must be training in Class 2 or above in Sunday Obedience classes.
- Enrolment must be confirmed by the Rally instructors before attending.
The Class 2 requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Rally instructors following an assessment of the dog and handler.
Please do not attend Rally training without first receiving confirmation of your enrolment from the Rally instructors.
Rally training is conducted on Monday evenings – Refer to Training Times for dates/times.
For further information, assessment enquiries or Rally enrolments, please enquire at the clubhouse on Sunday mornings.
What is Rally?
Rally is a fun dog sport that combines obedience skills with a course of numbered signs. Dog and handler work together as a team, moving around the course and completing the exercise shown at each station.
Unlike traditional Obedience, where exercises are performed under the direction of a Judge, in Rally the handler and dog complete the course independently after being directed to start by the Judge. Handlers are encouraged to communicate with their dogs throughout the course and may use verbal praise and encouragement.
Rally exercises include heeling at different paces, turns, changes of direction, sits, downs, recalls and other obedience-based exercises. As teams progress through the higher levels, the exercises become more challenging.
Rally is suitable for handlers who want to enjoy something different with their dog, as well as those interested in progressing to competition.
How Rally Works
In Rally, dog and handler navigate a course made up of numbered stations. Each station has a sign indicating the exercise the team is required to perform before continuing to the next station.
Courses are designed by the Judge and vary from trial to trial. Depending on the level, exercises may include turns, changes of pace and direction, stationary exercises, recalls, side steps, pivots and other obedience-based skills.
Before competing, handlers are given the opportunity to walk the course without their dog. This allows them to familiarise themselves with the course layout, the order of the stations and the exercises required.
During the course, handlers may communicate with and encourage their dogs. The aim is for the dog and handler to work together as a team while completing the course accurately and within the allowed time.
Rally competition progresses through four levels:
Novice → Advanced → Excellent → Master
The exercises and level of difficulty increase as teams progress through each level.
Rally Levels
Rally competition has four levels, with teams progressing through increasingly challenging exercises as they gain experience.
Rally Novice (RN)
The introductory level of Rally. Dogs complete the course on lead and the exercises focus on foundation Rally skills, including heeling, turns, changes of pace and stationary exercises.
Rally Advanced (RA)
At Advanced level, dogs work off lead and additional exercises are introduced, including more complex handling skills and jumps.
Rally Excellent (RE)
Excellent builds further on the skills developed in Advanced, with more challenging exercises and course requirements. Dogs continue to work off lead.
Rally Master (RM)
Master is the highest Rally class and includes the most advanced exercises. Courses are designed to test the teamwork, training and Rally skills developed through the previous levels.
Dogs Australia also offers additional Rally titles for teams continuing beyond the individual class titles, including Rally Advanced Excellent (RAE), Rally Champion (R Ch) and Rally Grand Champion (R Gr Ch).
Full requirements for Rally classes, qualifying scores and titles can be found in the current Dogs Australia Rally Rules.
Rally Signs & Exercises
Each station on a Rally course has a sign showing the exercise the dog and handler are required to perform. The signs used depend on the level of competition, with additional and more challenging exercises introduced as teams progress through the Rally classes.
Learning to recognise the signs and understand how each exercise is performed is an important part of Rally training.
SSDTC Rally training gives handlers the opportunity to learn and practise Rally signs and exercises, develop their handling skills and work through Rally courses with their dogs.
Rally Sign Demonstrations
Our Rally Signs YouTube Playlist provides video demonstrations showing how the individual Rally signs are performed.
VIEW RALLY SIGN DEMONSTRATIONS
See Rally in Action
New to Rally? Watch the video below to see a dog and handler completing a Rally course and get an idea of how Rally works in practice.
Please note: This video was recorded outside Australia and may differ from current Dogs Australia Rally rules and requirements. It is provided as a general example of how a Rally course is performed.
Rally Rules
For the current Rally signs, official exercise descriptions, class requirements, scoring and titles, please refer to the current Dogs Australia Rally Rules.
[view Dogs Australia Rally Rules – Effective 1 January 2026]