You expect to see a ton of eager-to-please herding and retrieving breeds performing at AKC Rally trials. A perfect illustration is the entry list for the 2024 AKC Rally National Championship, where 86 Border Collies and 83 Golden Retrievers competed. One dog that turned a few heads in the ring was 4-year-old “Storm” (Into The Storm Waldrep CD RM2 RAE RC CGC FITB), the only Black and Tan Coonhound at the event.
Storm and her owner-handler Laura Beth Waldrep placed in the top 100 of the Championship class—quite an achievement for a breed known for having an independent, tenacious streak.
A Lifelong Soft Spot for Scenthounds
Waldrep, from Markleville, Indiana, got her first dog, a Beagle named “Samson,” as a companion when she left for college. By the time she moved back home, her parents had a Golden Retriever, and Samson, who struggled with separation anxiety, benefited from the extra company.
When Waldrep was ready to move out again, she decided Samson needed a buddy. Waldrep rescued “Wizard,” a wonderful All-American Dog and great companion for Samson, but he passed before the old Beagle. By this point, Waldrep was sold on being a two-dog household, and she had always been a fan of Black and Tan Coonhounds. “Watching Westminster every year, I knew that was my heart breed.”
“Thunder,” who turns 6 years old this year, was Waldrep’s introduction to the breed. Her aunt, who had recently gotten into obedience training, suggested enrolling him in puppy classes. Thunder started off in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Class, then moved on to the AKC Canine Good Citizen program. Unsurprisingly, he also enjoyed AKC Scent Work and, while not a speed demon, Fast CAT.
While Waldrep says that Thunder isn’t always the most motivated competitor, he helped ignite her passion for dog sports.
Finding AKC Rally During the Pandemic
After Samson passed, Waldrep was ready to add another Black and Tan Coonhound to the family. When she got Storm, Waldrep was planning to focus on conformation. “I was still very new to shows and competing and didn’t really know what I was looking for,” she says.
Storm was due to participate in her first beginner puppy conformation show the day that the first COVID-19 lockdowns began in her area. Training options were limited while her local clubs were closed, but Waldrep came across the AKC Rally® Virtual Program. If you’re unfamiliar with the sport, it involves the dog and handler working as a team to navigate a course of 10 to 20 signs, performing various turns and behaviors.
The local club focused on obedience, but Waldrep and around five other club members formed a subgroup called the “Rally Rebels,” and began training for the Novice and Intermediate Rally titles at home. Waldrep quickly discovered that Storm had a natural aptitude for the sport. Thunder enjoyed the quality time it afforded him with his guardian, but he didn’t like being in the heel position. Storm, on the other hand, loved it, and was so enthusiastic during training sessions.
Black and Tan Coonhounds As Competitive Rally Contenders
After the pandemic lockdown ended, Waldrep and Storm entered an Advanced Class AKC Rally trial. Despite Waldrep having jitters and making a mistake, Storm did fantastically, and their final score was 90. “I was like, ‘Wait a sec, I cost us minus 10 by going the wrong direction at the sign. So you’re saying it’s our very first in-person show, and my dog was perfect!'” That was when Waldrep realized Storm’s AKC Rally skills were something special. They both fell in love with the sport and haven’t looked back.
“Going up against more traditional obedience breeds and being competitive and beating them is something I’m very proud of,” Waldrep says. She loves exposing dog lovers to the breed and showing them what they’re capable of. That’s not to say there haven’t been challenges along the way. Training a nose-driven Black and Tan Coonhound in AKC Rally requires a different approach than for some of the more compliant breeds that excel in the sport.
“I’ve got a cold-nose scenthound [one that excels in detecting older scent trails], and that can be even more of a challenge than training some hot-nose scenthounds, like a Beagle,” she says. “They’re not bred to work with humans in the same way as, say, a Border Collie, who is often right by their handler’s side.” By getting Storm to think that training is her idea, using lots of tasty treats, and working in non-distracting environments (Waldrep’s bunny and raccoon-filled yard is a no-no), she is more eager and loves putting the work in.
A couple of months back, Waldrep introduced Storm to talking buttons. Now, her second favorite button (after “Eat”) is “Train.”
Support and Acceptance Within the Dog Fancy Community
Along with strengthening her relationship with Storm, Waldrep also values the connections she has made through her dog sport journey. She especially appreciates how welcoming and inclusive the Rally clubs and show circuits have been to her. “When I first started in conformation, it was before I transitioned to female,” Waldrep explains. “I was always a woman inside, but I wasn’t public, and I was really concerned about how the Fancy would take to trans people.”
Waldrep explains she can’t say she hasn’t had some issues—one person in particular went out of his way to cause issues for her and Storm. However, “for the most part, the Fancy has been such a great, accepting community for both me as a woman and my untraditional dog,” she says.
This Rally Journey Is Far From Over
Waldrep works nights and sometimes sacrifices sleep to continue competing at this level in Rally. But she says it’s clear that it’s all worth it for the enjoyment and camaraderie it brings her and her dogs. Storm is working towards becoming the first Coonhound breed to receive one of the highest accolades in the sport—an AKC Rally Champion title (RACH)—by the end of the year. Waldrep is also actively involved in teaching Rally at her local clubs.
“After that, I think I’m going to have to take a break from competing in Rally, because one of my next big goals is to become a Rally judge,” Waldrep says. “And, as the rules are right now, I have to have a CDX in Obedience.” So, obedience training will be the next task for this impressive pair.
As Storm’s accomplishments rack up, Waldrep recognizes what a special dog she is. “It’s a team sport, and the human has a lot to do with it, but Storm really does get the credit,” she says. “She is a once-in-a-generation Coonhound.”
Waldrep believes Storm is a great example of how any dog can get involved in Rally. “It’s a great beginner dog sport because you are allowed to talk to your dog; you can cheer and rally them on as you work with them,” she says.
If you missed the 2024 AKC Rally National Championship, catch the highlights on AKC.tv. Congrats to “Zuko” and Kim Berkley, the 2024 AKC Rally National Champions!