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September 1, 2026 Contents
September 2026 Issue ~ Volume LIV – Number 12
Features…- Front & Finish™ First & Foremost Obedience Rating System
- Obedience Training Is Important For All Dog Sports
- Reinforcement The Modern & The Forgotten
- Cookies! Confessions Emerging from Three Decades of Treat Dependence – (5th of 5 )
Highlights…- Biscuits & Bones – Looking Ahead
- Course Practice – Intro To Rally – 34 – Rally In Small Spaces
- AKC – New World Screwworm Update
- Away From The Doghouse – Read The Rulebook
- Ring Ready Workshop Recap – 3 Ring Confidence Games
- Blaze Graduates To Non-Pairings ~ Doggedly Obedient
- NADOI – Lessons from the Dogs of Kauai
- A Common Bond ~ Title Rosettes
Recommended Reading
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Continuing the Conversation
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Where Have All The Tchotchkes Gone?
I got the idea for this article while I was doing what I do best . . . carrying out the garbage. I hope the article is better than what was in the bag. Oh, and I should mention I had just finished reading Kelly Cassidy’s splendidly presented proposal to bolster obedience competition.
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Stemming the Decline of Obedience
Kelly Cassidy explores the decline in Kelly Cassidy explores the decline in obedience participation and encourages meaningful discussion about the sport’s future. A compelling feature looking at issues, concerns, & possibilities facing the sport today.
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New Canine Exercise Equipment ~ A Parody
Peloton vs. Pawloton. Technology brings new canine exercise equipment that is being praised by training enthusiasts across the country. (A Parody)
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1 in 4 Think Walking Dogs Every Day Should Be Legally Required
43% believe dog owners who don’t walk their pets should receive a life ban from owning pets. Half think tying up dogs for over an hour should be illegal.
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Rally Call Sign Exercises
CALL signs are used as distance markers. They show a handler the distance they are to move to continue with the current sign.
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What “Stay” Means
A reasonable amount of time is devoted to teaching our dogs to hold a position, which we usually term “stay” or “wait”. I used to teach both stay and wait.
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Book Review: Awesome Obedience
Awesome Obedience can be thought of as an obedience cookbook. While one could read it cover to cover, it is really meant to be read in discrete bits.
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What is Your Definition of Success?
I’ve been competing with my 20 month old puppy in Open A. Until we started Open, I could say Daisy had never NQed on anything. Well, I can’t say that anymore.
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Front & Finish™ 2020 Rally Combined Ratings
Top Dog: Golden Retriever RACH Ayrshire’s Time Will Tell UDX5 PUTD OM4 BN RM3 RAE3 JH CGC TKP Owned by N & J Burns
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Front & Finish™ 2020 Rally Novice Ratings
Top Dog:Shetland Sheepdog, Ivanlee Let The Games Begin BN RN CGC ~ Owned & Handled by K Darling
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Front & Finish™ 2020 Novice A&B Obedience Ratings
Top Dog: Keeshond, Wyndspell Effervescent CD ~ Owned & Handled by Marion Crain
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2020 Delaney Rating System
Dave & Trap Lead the pack…
Top Team ~ Golden Retriever
OTCH10 Tanbark’s Three Wire UDX15 OGM – Owned & Handled by Dave Gannon -
2020 Masters Rally Ratings
Top Dog: Golden Retriever RACH U-CDX, URO 3 Ayrshire’s Time Will Tell UDX5 OM4 PUTD BN RAE4 RM4JH TKP CGC VC CCA RM JH TKP WC CCA VC CGC ~ Owned by Nancy & Jack Burns.
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Dealing With Disappointment
If you do any kind of dog sport for any length of time, you soon learn that there is a lot of disappointment that goes along with playing the dog game.
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Our Target Group
How do we cultivate new participants? Clearly, exposure is a primary requirement for recruiting new handlers to join us. People can’t become interested in something if they don’t know it exists.
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Animal Farm Launches Pets Together Program
Animal Farm Foundation has announced the launch of Pets Together, a free virtual program for those who are socially isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Training At Home
Struggling to find a place to train? It’s winter! Days are short, buildings shut, classes cancelled. If you’re feeling discouraged you’re not alone!
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Jumping Full Height for Competition
Seven’s reached 18 months and it is safe to start teaching him to jump full height. To ensure this is positive I’m using a jump that will let the bar easily fall.
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For The Love of Showing
Philia is non-romantic love between equals or a love for activities. Ai means the love of things or activities. These two words don’t begin to tell the story how I fell in love with showing.
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New Beginnings
Remember Y2K? This one goes back a few years but their’s still some practical advice for Agility enthusiasts.
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