The name Rally Style Obedience has been adopted for this concept of dog obedience competition because of the use of directional signs to guide the handler throughout the performance in a maner somewhat similar to that of Rally Car Racing. When arranged in the ring in preparation for a trial, the signs are numbered suquentiall to idicate the course that the handler must take during the performance. The team o f dog and handler heel from sign to sign and perform the exercises indicated by the sign at each location. Other than the handler being given permission to start the performance, the judge gives no further directions throughout the performance.

In the development of this concept using sequentially numbered signs to direct the handler through a course, it was then necessary to comprise a list of exercises and to decide on how this program could be presented as a competitive sport composed of different class levels with accompanying titles.

First, something that I like is the continuous performance of Rally-O uninterrupted by directions from the judge.

Scoring: In Rally, the parameters for scoring are set to serve the objectives of the program. It is my belief that a method of scoring that would best serve those objectives would allow handlers to focus their concentration on undertaking an enthusiastic, energetic, animated performance in which the handler and dog were able to truly enjoy working as a team.

Team: When working as a team in drug detection, police service, search and rescue, etc., the handler's responsibility is to provide help and encouragement to the dog to keep the dog focused on the job at hand. Thus, incorporating this concept in Rally-O also tests the human partner of the team by evaluating his/her ability to handle the dog to the best of the dog's ability to complete a given task.