DIY Agility Course

“The only good puppy is an exhausted puppy.” That observation, only slightly exaggerated, is distilled from decades of sharing life with dogs, attending dog training courses and reading dog training books. Exercise remains essential to good behavior and good health in the adult dog. For high energy dogs, even long, daily walks may not be enough. Agility training is one way of focusing all that energy.

As an organized sport, agility trials date back to the late 1970s. The U.S. Dog Agility Association is only 26 years old. Not all high energy dogs have sufficient competitive drive for agility trials. But even noncompetitive amateurs can benefit from agility work.

The course is a series of obstacles, requiring the dog to jump, climb, run, scrunch through tight spaces, negotiate narrow passages. The obstacles also require problem solving. As the dog figures out the solutions, she/he gains in confidence.

Professional agility gear is readily available. The investment makes sense for dogs competing in trials. For the more casual involvement in agility training, do-it-yourself versions may be preferable.

The backyard is an obvious choice for the homemade course, but yard work will require dismantling or moving the stations. Garages, basements and barns are other options.

With minimal handyman skills, anyone can put together a hurdle from PVC pipes and PVC tee-joints. Creativity rather than carpentry can transform some common household items into agility equipment — as long as the craftsman keeps the dog’s safety in mind. Before deploying an old board as a ramp, the dog owner must make sure the board will support the dog’s weight and stay in place.

My homemade agility course, set up in the barn, consists of re-purposed items. The agility ramp’s original purpose was to help an old, arthritic dog climb into a car. It is well suited for its new deployment, because it was built to support a 100-pound dog and its heavy rubber grips provide for a secure interface with connecting surfaces.

An old tire, which had not yet found its way to a recycling center, now hangs from a bolt in a hayloft joist. Jumping through a tire hanging two feet above the ground is no great challenge for a dog standing 26 inches at the withers, but the tire’s sway requires some precision.

Sturdy benches serve as jumping platforms. Two-board (widely separated) stall gates serve as contact obstacles requiring the dog to squeeze through. A large wooden stepstool, built to gain access to a hot tub, is another climbing station. In warm weather, a galvanized metal trough, filled with water, becomes a water obstacle — and a cooling station for a hot setter.

The piece de resistance is an old treadmill. It is the final station in the course. The duration of the jog depends on the dog’s energy level and focus. On focused days, we play with the speed and slope.

Homemade obstacle courses may not be a match for the gear used in professional agility competitions. But they are a good adjunct to canine exercise programs and offer a unique opportunity for bonding with man’s best friend.

Sources:
www.agilitytrainingfordogsguide.com
www.caninecrib.com/dog/training/standard-jump.asp