Deduction for touching your dog?

[Liesje]

In rally, what is the deduction for touching your dog? Not a bump like doing a left turn, but if your hand touches your dog? Is that an auto NQ?

[GranvilleGSD]

1-point deduction for each of the following:
• tight leash
• dog interfering with handler
• poor sits
• slow, delay, or resistance to respond
• touching or ticking a jump, pylon, post or person
• out of position

I don't see this in the rules, but I thought if you intentionally touched your dog it was an NQ.

[Liesje]

That's what I was thinking/afraid of. We have a trial on Sat. and she *just* learned one of the new signs last night (stand out of motion). She does it perfectly, IF if very gently touch her back or her neck when I give the command. I'm trying to fade it out, but without the touch she ignores the verbal command and does a sit or down instead b/c she knows those already. I was thinking if there's just a 1-5 point deduction for the touch, I would use it rather than lose 10pts for an incorrect exercise (assuming she sits or downs instead).

[Branca's Mom]

Well, if you are pretty sure she is not going to do the exercise you will lose 10 points anyway right? So take your chances and do the little tap. Hopefully right at that moment the judge will be distracted or best case scenario just take a point.

[Liesje]

That's what I was thinking, but I don't want to NQ either. We just started this command last night, so basically we have tonight. Tomorrow I leave from work to SchH and don't get back until after midnight, then will drag myself out of bed for this rally trial Sat. morning. Maybe I'll just polish everything else and expect the 10 pt deduction assuming she doesn't do it (can't blow past it b/c I KNOW that's an NQ). I wanna win though! I'm trying to figure out how to fade the tap into a hand signal.

[Kayla's Dad]

If you touch your dog-especially in Advance and Excellent, it's an NQ. If the dog bumps you it's a deduction-depending on the bump and the judge. Check with the particular judge (or maybe not if you do not want to call attention to it)

I had a situation in one trial where I passed my hand over Kayla's head-it was the straight figure 8 weave and we were making the turn to repeat the weave. The judge thought I had touched her and said right there "YOu're excuse because you touched your dog. She relented and reverse her decision when I protested. We qualified but it threw us off for that run. We talked about it afterwards and walked through that particular exercise again, so I could see what she thought she saw. My hand was several inches above Kayla's head but from where the judge was standing at the time, it appeared to her that i had actually touched Kayla's head.

It goes back to the "don't make the judge have to think" in the ring.

[Liesje]

Yikes! OK I'll do my heeling AKC style then (left hand on my stomach). We haven't done rally since last May.

[Branca's Mom]

10 points will no doubt throw you out of the ribbons unless you have a VERY small class. I think a lot depends on the judge myself but if winning was what I was after, I would take the chance of an NQ and do the tap and hope that the judge was distracted. (seen it happen)

Just started training yesterday...

Yikes!
Personally, I am very competitive and know before I go into the ring that I should get close to a perfect score in Rally or a 195 consistently in obedience... LOL But, in your case, I would take my chances with the NQ to at least have a shot at the ribbons......

Good Luck whatever you decide!!

[Liesje]

Yeah I want to win but....she has never NQ's or not passed anything! So I also don't want to get busted and break her streak.... I told my friend maybe I will look at the course map and then balk if it has the new thing on there. Not the dog's fault I haven't really introduced it yet. We have been training for a Dog Sport trial, rally sort of became an afterthought. Our last time doing Rally was last May and we won twice in a row so now I'm like in it to win it or bust!

[Liesje]

Well I figured out a hand signal that I *think* will work! I say "halt!" and sort of sweep my left hand, palm facing out left and flat, along my left side (as opposed to pointing down for platz, drawing my hand up for sit, or holding my fits out for stand). It has replaced me reach back and to the side to gently touch her back. She gets it at home, not sure about the ring but at least we have something to work with now!