Sabby will correct me if I'm wrong, but basically Rally is a gentler, less competitive version of the ordinary competition obedience. It has different levels of difficulty, starting with on-lead exercises. Instead of competing against other people, you have your own personal score (200 in Level 1) and lose marks for mistakes; then, if your final score is above a certain level, you get a rosette and can go on to the next class. Instead of doing a round following a steward's instructions, there are signs telling you what to do - sit, down, sit and walk round your dog, walk at heel (which is not the collie-type heelwork of obedience!), and so on. Off-lead work and jumping don't happen until the higher classes, so Level 1, which the Coventry group will be doing, seems to me ideal for older or less vigorous dogs. And our group is for fun, so you can do what your dog can manage and miss out any exercise that you think might stress them. As I mentioned previously, my elderly Oliver finds sitting difficult, so when we see a sign saying sit, he will go down, which he finds much easier. And it will be only Cavaliers in the group, so the dogs won't be stressed by having to relate to bigger dogs. Sabby does the higher levels of Rally with her Cavaliers, all of whom have SM.
As to previous experience, being able to walk quietly on a lead, come when called and sit and go down would be useful, but we're there to learn and enjoy ourselves, and the dogs will enjoy doing things with us and appreciate all the treats that will be in evidence!
Unfortunately, you can't get a bus direct from Coventry station, but if you get any bus into the city centre and then catch a no. 13 going to Whitmore Park and get off at Jubilee Crescent, it stops just round the corner from the church. But it might be easier to get the 900 bus from Birmingham to the Belgrade Theatre, cross over the road and catch the 13 there. It would be great if you could come - let me know and I'll send you a map and more travel information. The same applies to anyone else who wants to come - PM me and I'll send you travel info.
Kate, Oliver and Aled