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Build your own dog agility course

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Index of /Equipment/dogwalk2. Jump Heights. Determining your Dog's Jump Height First measure your dog: Measuring him from the ground to the top of his "withers", or shoulders (which is the highest point at the nape of the neck, where the bottom of the neck meets the back).

Jump Heights

Measure him from the side, and use a yardstick or measuring tape. The agility organizations have the following jump height divisions: For dogs 10" and under at the withers: 8" jump height over 10" and under 14" at the withers: 12" jump height over 14" and under 18" at the withers: 16" jump height over 18" and under 22" at the withers: 20" jump height over 22" at the withers: 24" jump height Other jump divisions: Dogs over 22” may be entered in a 26” jump class at the owner’s discretion.

Build Your Own Agility Course For Your Dog. Dog Agility is a rapidly growing sport worldwide.

Build Your Own Agility Course For Your Dog

On an agility course the dog is challenged to confront several obstacles and pass over, under or around them successfully. The dog works with a handler or the owner on a regulation course. You can bring dog agility to your own backyard, and you can do it if you are on a budget. In order to start your dog in agility, you need to have several pieces of equipment. These obstacles include: Garden Dogwalk. For this design I decided to make the trestles from timber.

Garden Dogwalk

Mine taper inwards towards the top. The legs are made from 50mm X 75mm timber and the cross pieces are made from bits that I had handy. The trestle legs are hinged at the top using strap hinges. When the dog walk is painted and it's ready to set up I'll adjust the height of the trestles so that the whole thing is about 28 to 30" high. I can then use chain to string between the legs of each the trestles so that they open up to exactly the right width. If you don't want to go to the trouble of making trestles you can buy builders trestles or get a pair of saw horses from somewhere like B&Q or Homebase. For the top of the dog walk and the ramps I bought two sheets of 4' X 2' 19mm exterior ply. Agility Bits - The Mini Dogwalk. Now for painting.

Agility Bits - The Mini Dogwalk

I was advised to mix gloss undercoat with sand for a good non slip surface. I didn't have any gloss undercoat and it was expensive to buy, so I got some white emulsion, some white gloss and some blue garden paint. I mixed it up with sharp sand and slapped it on. I think the contacts are painted with white masonry paint. The whole disgusting mess took about a week to dry properly and the sharp sand hurt Jamie's tootsies.

Now you can see what I mean about it becoming a national treasure. We have made a much improved dog walk but it involved spending money. Snap Clamps and Structural PVC pipe fitting prices. Our utility grade pipe meets the size and thickness standards of Schedule-40 PVC water pipe.

Snap Clamps and Structural PVC pipe fitting prices

The pipe contains UV stabilizers which delay sun damage and discoloring. We are now stocking some fittings and pipe in various colors. If you don't see the pipe you want remember that almost ALL of our pipe and fittings can be specially made (in larger quantity) in any color needed. Our unprinted utility grade pipe is an affordable alternative to the high gloss, high price, furniture quality PVC pipe. However, we also offer the furniture quality pipe. Buy flexible pvc pipe at FlexPVC.com PVC pipe, hose, tubing, pvc plastic pipe fittings & plastic pvc furniture fittings online @ wholesale discount prices (flexable) Instant Agility. Instant Agility » Adjustable “Channel” Weave Poles. Weave poles are great fun for your dog (as Tess demonstrates), but they do take a bit of training.

Instant Agility » Adjustable “Channel” Weave Poles

These adjustable poles make that training easy–start with them open, allowing your dog to run down the center “channel,” and slowly narrow that over time until your dog is weaving through the poles. We are going to make a set of six poles; this will take about three to four hours and will cost about $28 for materials. It pays to be accurate when cutting and gluing, ensuring each pipe is seated fully in its connector, and that perpendicular joints are as true as you can make them.

Tools You will need a PVC pipe cutter, a sharpie, a measuring tape and a short length of 4 x 4 or another solid block with a square edge for aligning perpendicular joints. Materials Below are the pre-cut pieces and connectors (all for 1″ pipe), ready to be assembled. Assembly.