06/09/2026
In may, we participated in a virtual trial through the Canadian Associationof Rally Obedience!
I decided to give the virtual trial a try specifically for my older dog Indigo. Indigos very first trial ever was a CARO trial in febuary 2025. At an age when most dogs are retired from the sport world, he stepped into the ring for the first time. He earned his first โQโ at that trial.
How does a virtual trial work? You register, receive your course maps, set up the course at home, practice, film you and your dogs best run, and then send your videos off for judging before the deadline! It sounds simple, but ill admit it was a lot of work (the wind kept blowing my course away lol).
Indigo is an enthusiastic โi wanna do anything you doโ kind of dog, and he's so happy to learn something new while spending time with me. But as he gets older, the travel is getting a bit harder for him. When we go to trials, its typically a 3 hour drive up, and 3 hours back, and thats a lot for an old boy. So i decided that our goal for Rally, would be to finish his novice title, and then he would retire from this sport. The virtual trial was an great accessible option for competing without the travel! Perfect for my boy!
Well, we did it! Indigo qualified in both of his runs, earning him his Rally Novice Title! At nearly 13 years old, Indigo is a true example of how you can always teach an old dog new tricks, and i couldnt be prouder of him! ๐ฅน๐
