On Sat., April 22 and Sun., April 23, the Kay-9 Dog Training Club hosted Obedience and Rally Trails at the Unity Gym. Dogs and handlers from several states, including Oklahoma, came to Ponca City to compete for American Kennel Club titles in Obedience and Rally.

Obedience is one of the American Kennel Club’s oldest sporting events, and unlike other categories that dogs can participate in, it is open to all dogs. Because some of these categories are specific to the breed or genetics of a dog, some breeds and even mixed breeds aren’t always allowed. With Obedience though, any dog is welcome to come to be judged on their discipline in several different tasks. Walking on and off leash, jumping, retrieving, staying, and other behaviors are all judged.

Beginning in 2005, the American Kennel Club’s Rally event is a way to show off a handler and their dog’s teamwork skills. This entire competition is judged on how each team works together as a team while performing a number of skills and how the dog listens to commands. During the course, the handler steers the dog through the course of anywhere from 10 to 20 different signs with instructions on them. They work side-by-side as they follow the commands and show extreme dedication and discipline in their fields.

On Sat., April 22, there were two obedience trails and one rally trial with two different judges and there was one obedience and one rally trials on Sun., April 23. The people of Ponca City were able to come visit and watch the performances of each dog and their handlers. These advanced skills were shown off and the best dogs and handlers were given their ribbons and titles showing their success. The new Obedience and Rally trial dates were announced for May 4 and May 5 of 2024, so save the date for next year!