Rally
If you've not seen Rally, you really should.  The novice level is all done ON lead, and you can
talk to your dog the entire time.  You can use body language to get them to do what you want.  
The only thing you can't do is use food (or toys), touch the dog or have a tight lead.  All you
need is a 70 out of 100 to pass.

For Kira, this was an easy title, we got it in three straight entries.   She got scores of 88, 77
and 93.  Two years later we're working on the Rally Advanced title with her, and while it is more
of a challenge to do the course off lead, she's still managed to qualify at each trial we've
entered so far.

For Greyhound Ruby, Rally was a bit more of a challenge.  We entered Rally Novice at the
Greyhound National Specialty only days after she was out of season & ended up competing
outdoors (which we'd never practiced) and in hotter temperatures than I anticipated.  Luckily
we qualified anyway and with a score of 85, we took a 2nd place ribbon as well.  Then we got
her second leg at the Salisbury, Maryland show on Friday November 9, 2007 with a score of
81.  Her third leg, on November 30, 2007 could have been a disaster, as we were late getting
to the trial, due to a detour at the almost last minute, we ended up going in the ring cold,
without even having a chance to look at the course plan or watch anyone else do it, we sight
read the course and still managed to qualify with a score of 77.

Derby was my third dog to take into the Rally ring & he had only had 9 obedience classes and
they were in the fall of 2007; six months prior to our stepping foot in the ring.  Since we'd done
so little training I really didn't know what to expect, but the little boy did me proud and even did
his sits when I asked him to.  Again, the trial was outdoors which we had never trained for and
in spite of that, he still scored an 80 for his first RN leg.  In June 2008 I messed up &  missed a
station in our course at the Rock Creek Kennel Club trial so we did not qualify.  August 2008
we tried another outdoor trial as the weather was cool, but Derby was POSITIVE that there
were bunnies in the bushes & I could NOT get his attention at all, so we did not qualify.  
September we found another indoor trial and this time I had Kira entered in Advanced and
Avery entered in Novice as well.  Kira went first and qualified for her first RA leg, then Avery
and I learned that with Avery I need to take the courses slow and deliberately or she'll get too
far ahead of me - like in agility!  She qualified and I got a little practice for Derby's run, so this
time he qualified with a score of 92!  October - another indoor trial - Kira, Derby and Avery
entered again.  The course looked difficult with a lot of stations packed into too small a space,
but the judge was generous with her scoring & Kira got a 93 matching her highest score in
Rally Novice.  Then Avery's turn in Novice and she qualified with a 91.  Derby's run was not
pretty, and I wondered if we would even qualify, but he managed to pull out a score of 80 and
finished his Rally Novice title!  

Kira and Avery are entered on Friday November 7th at my local kennel club's trial looking for
third legs for both of them, and Aren is entered also, hoping for  his first Rally Novice leg.

Kira, Avery and Aren all got Rally legs on 11/7/08, finishing titles on both Kira and Avery!  Aren
and Marseille both got legs on 11/20 & 21/2008 finishing Aren's RN title and leaving Marseille
only needing one more leg which she earned on 11/28/08.

Kira earned the first leg of her Rally Excellent title on 1/18/09 and the second leg on 2/15/09.  
We made a try at the third leg on March 29th, but it was NOT our day.  Kira was totally
unresponsive to me in the ring and we were excused about 1/3 of the way through the course.  
Don't know what the problem was, but we'll try again on April 25th.

Kira earned the final leg on her Rally Excellent title on April 25, 2009 and in doing so also
qualified her for the Award of Versatility from the American Whippet Club.  
My first dog to qualify for the AV.
More info on AKC  rally
APDT -the Association of Pet Dog
Trainers also offers a rally program
Ruby's first RN leg
On November 28, 2008 six of us all entered the Catoctin Kennel
Club Rally Trial, each of us without knowing about the others,
and ended up having a sort of Whippet Specialty!  Between the
six of us we earned 8 qualifying scores and finished 5 new titles.
Here's a picture of the entire group of us with the judge --->
Candids from  the Rally ring:
Me & Marseille
Renee & Fever
Charlene & Sioux
Sandy &
Topper
Me & Aren
Me & Aren: