It’s been 6 years since the first Special Awards Ceremony honoring my friend and mentor Diane Balkavich. Diane was a pillar in the freestyle and obedience communities and a pioneer in applying then new positive reinforcement techniques to dog sport training. Diane was truly the heart of freestyle, generously sharing her positive reinforcement training skills and helping… Continue reading…
All For One
The other day, I had a student ask me what my cues were for pivots. When I told them I didn’t have any, they were surprised. And when I went on to say that I didn’t have cues for side passes either, they were really confused! In my experience, many handlers tend to overcomplicate their… Continue reading…
Meet the Board
We’ve had a great response to our Big Announcement about transitioning the organization to a non-profit. While this group has already been hard at work behind the scenes, it’s time for you to be formally introduced to the members of RFE’s first board of directors. If you have an idea for how the organization can be… Continue reading…
Tips for Building a Fun Freestyle Routine Part 3
This is the final installment in our series on creating and performing new freestyle routines. I hope these 3 articles have helped you to plan, get unstuck and/or get excited about working on a new routine. But most of all, I hope the series reminds you how much fun it is to do freestyle with… Continue reading…
An Exciting Announcement
2022 marked 10 years of RFE fun and camaraderie! So, what’s coming next for RFE and its members? Read on and find out what’s happening and how you can get involved. We’re making some changes so that Rally Freestyle Elements can continue to grow and offer even more teams the chance to learn about, bond… Continue reading…
Tips for Building a Fun Freestyle Routine Part 2
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…
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