This is the second installment in a series on reducing the stress in creating, training and performing a freestyle routine. It isn’t an exact science. There are different approaches that work equally well. But these are pointers I’ve gathered over my 20+ years competing in, teaching and judging freestyle. Use what works for you and your canine partner. And… Continue reading…
Tips for Building a Fun Freestyle Routine
Building a freestyle routine can be exhilarating or it can be excruciating. Near complete creative freedom attracts some, but overwhelms others. Then there’s the dog training component! It can be stressful- but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re feeling like putting your first routine together is just too much or you’re a seasoned exhibitor… Continue reading…
Meet Judge Carrol Haines
When dog sports people tell you they’ve been involved in a sport for 15 years or more, chances are good that they’ve competed- or at least trained- more than one dog in the sport. Carrol Haines and I became friends in 2006 when her partner was a miniature poodle. That may surprise some because although… Continue reading…
The Rally Freestyle Elements Special Awards
You may have seen calls for nominations for the annual Special Awards posted in the Rally-FrEe for All Group recently. If you’re one of the 50 plus new members who joined RFE this year, you may be wondering what that’s all about. So, I wanted to use this post to share how the Special Awards came to be… Continue reading…
Love Your Dog First
“Love your dog first and the sport second.” Every now and again this quote makes the rounds on social media. I’ve seen it attributed to various sources. I’m not sure who gets the credit, but I’m always happy to see it shared. In a sport like freestyle, because the rules are written broadly to encourage… Continue reading…
Meet Judge Judith Stoodley
If you’re an RFE member, you’ve no doubt interacted with Judith. She not only judges and competes in both Musical Freestyle and Rally-FrEe, she’s also the admin for the Rally-FrEe for All, and both the Rally-FrEe and Freestyle Spotlight Groups on Facebook. Judith is knowledgeable, friendly, and she’s one of a core group who’s been… Continue reading…
Get a Cue
I believe the primary reason so many trainers have difficulty creating effective verbal cues is a lack of understanding. How to place behaviors on cue is the most misunderstood and misapplied process in training. And when done incorrectly or incompletely, the dog’s response to a verbal cue can be inconsistent at best, or completely unpredictable at… Continue reading…
What’s Your RFE IQ?
It’s our birthday! The end of the month will mark a decade of Rally Freestyle Elements. While we’ve grown and evolved over the past 10 years, much about this organization has remained unchanged. For example, it’s important to me to maintain a supportive, family atmosphere. Newbies to RFE are swathed in encouragement and given tons… Continue reading…
Tricks of the Trade
“Does my dog have to know a lot of tricks to do freestyle?” “Why teach tricks, shouldn’t we be working on heeling if we want to do freestyle?” “My dog knows a ton of tricks so we’re ready for freestyle, right?” People ask me a lot of questions about trick training. And I won’t lie,… Continue reading…
Meet Judge Nancy Marston
Our judges embody the true definition of community: Everyone doing their part for the betterment of all. Theirs isn’t an easy job. They spend long hours ensuring the accuracy of their scores, contributing to discussions in the judges’ group, answering exhibitor questions in the Rally Free for All Facebook group, and still find time to train… Continue reading…
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