-
October 1, 2026 Contents
October 2026 Issue ~ Volume LV – Number 1
Features…- Front & Finish™ 2025 Advnced A Rally Ratings
- Front & Finish™ 2025 Intermediate Ratings
- National Obedience Survey: An Early Look & What Comes Next
- Proof of What?
Highlights…- Dog Trainer’s & Judges
- Advanced Rally Challenges – 35: Excellent Challenge
- Letter’s To The Editor
- Teaching My Senior Dog A New Language
- Book Review – Diane Bauman’s Teaching Dogs To Make Better Decisions
- A Common Bond: Sportsmanship
Recommended Reading
-
Continuing the Conversation
You need to have a paid or complimentary subscription and log in to view our posted articles. Username or E-mail Password Remember Me Forgot Password
-
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.
-
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.
-
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)
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
-
Front & Finish™ 2020 Rally Novice Ratings
Top Dog:Shetland Sheepdog, Ivanlee Let The Games Begin BN RN CGC ~ Owned & Handled by K Darling
-
Front & Finish™ 2020 Novice A&B Obedience Ratings
Top Dog: Keeshond, Wyndspell Effervescent CD ~ Owned & Handled by Marion Crain
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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!
-
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.
-
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.
-
New Beginnings
Remember Y2K? This one goes back a few years but their’s still some practical advice for Agility enthusiasts.
Front & Finish LLC
Website: https://frontandfinish.com
Email: dogs@frontandfinish.com
Contributions: We welcome submissions of articles, letters to the editor, photographs, multimedia, and artwork for publication. Submission constitutes permission for Front & Finish®, at its sole discretion, to use such materials, in whole or in part, without any compensation. Submissions should be emailed to dogs@frontandfinish.com.
Advertising: Current information on advertising rates, deadlines and other requirements are listed on our web site http://frontandfinish.com or email us for info at dogs@frontandfinish.com.
Copyright & Trademarks: All material in this issue is, unless otherwise stated, the property of Front & Finish, LLC, publishers of Front & Finish™, The Dog Trainer’s News. These materials are protected under copyright, trademark, and other applicable intellectual property laws. Reproduction, retransmission, or redistribution of any material contained in this publication, in whole or in part, by any means, without the prior written consent of Front & Finish™, is prohibited. A single copy of this document may be made solely for personal, noncommercial use, provided all copyright, trademark, and other proprietary notices remain intact. Users may not distribute copies to others, in any form or for any consideration, without prior written consent from Front & Finish™. Requests for permission to reproduce or distribute material may be directed to Front & Finish at dogs@frontandfinish.com.
Dissemination or republication of any material from Front & Finish™ issues, websites, or other online services, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited by copyright law.