Dogster

Agility Course Equipment - Make Your Own?

Running, catching, leaping; this is the forum to discuss dog sports and agility training with other active pups!

Gi Gi Gia

Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 10:30am PST


	So I was looking into agility equipment and was quite shocked to see how expensive the equipment is! My gosh I was stunned! I've purchased show quality horse equipment such as poles, barrels, timer, etc. in the past and it was nearly the same price and the dog equipment is MUCH smaller... Have any of you made your own agility equipment for practice at home? I noticed the poles and jumps are generally made out of PVC pipe, looks like something I could get my husband to make.

GIMME BACON!

Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 11:29am PST


	This website has great instructions on how to make agility equipment! http://www.instantagility.com

Spooky Mulder

Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 1:55pm PST


	Poles are super easy (and cheap!!) to make. I have a 6 set that I made for under $20 in my backyard, looks just as good as the "official" equipment. Mine are the fixed kind though, about 4' of PVC piping with the ends capped, drill a hole in one end of capping and bolt a screw on the bottom. Stake 'em in the ground and you're done, easy as pie (though it does require that you skewer your yard... maybe a problem for some!).

I'm triple- superior MAD- now!

Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 2:58pm PST


	I made my own jumps and teeter. I looked closely at the stuff sold on ebay and copied it. First decade they were H shaped frames, a few years ago I found 4 way Ts and now have really nice looking jump frames. Never tried to make doubles or triples as I only have room for 2 jumps anyway. Weaves, made at least 4 sets and ended up buying 2 sets of 6 poles. One locally, one on ebay. Stick in the ground just don't hold up for real training and PVC frames ones [check ebay] aren't heavy enough for real training. Go ahead and make them, they are cheap enough anyway but you will want to get the metal based ones eventually. Table, easy. I just made a low one. Practicing at class works fine for full height. Mine was from scraps in the yard, do make a full sized top if you buy material. Never made a real A frame or dogwalk, no room in the yard for one. I did cut a long bit of plywood in half, sand painted it, hinged it together and put chain on it to hold it up for a mini contact trainer.

Gi Gi Gia

Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 3:24pm PST


	Thanks guys this is all great information! My yard is sloped and I have a small area that is flat (somewhat) but it has no grass there, will that be a problem? Should I be practicing on grass only? Does anyone know where I can find the AKC standards for agility course for my Boston Terrier? I'd like to get it as close as possible to what she would use in a show.

Zephyr

1213425

Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 3:52pm PST


	Doesn't really matter what you practice on since agility can be run on most surfaces. I have this built in my living room at present. It's a teeter and a contact trainer base or with some modifications a short a-frame base. I have better dog-walk plans I copied off of youtube though They require a bit more PVC than I have on hand right now. Some PVC and basic understanding of Trig means you can build just about anything easily.