How to Build Your Own Agility Dog Walk Equipment

Consisting of two uprights and three long planks that form a 4-foot-tall runway, the dog walk intimidates many dogs. Much to our dogs' good fortune, the average dog owner can construct this practice dog walk in a single weekend. Although the metal supports required for competition-style agility dog walks might require skilled cutting or soldering, this PVC version of dog walk supports requires no specialized skills or tools.

Things You'll Need

  • Four 1-1/4-inch PVC pipes, 10-foot lengths
  • 32 1-1/4-inch PVC tees
  • PVC pipe cutter or hand saw
  • Ramps and walk planks
  • Two boards, 12 inches x 2 inches x 12 feet
  • 1 piece of lumber,1 inch x 2 inches x 10 feet
  • 3-inch hinges
  • Paint, two contrasting colors
  • Sandbox sand
  • Nails
  • Screws
  • Circular saw
  • Screwdriver
  • Hammer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut the PVC pipe into eight 20-inch lengths, eight 12-inch lengths, and 24 8-inch lengths. Cut one of the 12-foot boards into two 6-foot lengths. The cut should be at a 45-degree angle to allow the board to rest evenly on the floor or ground.

    • 2

      Assemble the supports. Make four support sides to form two support units. Using a 20-inch piece of PVC, connect two tees at the center hole. Make two of these units.

    • 3

      Secure an 8-inch length of PVC in each opening of the tees on one unit. You should have something that looks like a wide, short-legged capital "H" in front of you.

    • 4

      Attach another tee to the free end of each of the 8-inch lengths. The tee should be connected at the side opening, with the center opening rotated upward.

    • 5

      Connect the second 20-inch unit to the "H" frame, using 8-inch sections of PVC in both tees at one end.

      You should have a unit that resembles a two-rung ladder, with four tee openings facing what will be the inside of the structure.

    • 6

      Use four 12-inch lengths to connect two sides to form one support. Your support should be a rectangle that stands roughly 30 inches tall. When completed, the plank forming the horizontal portion of the walk will rest on the 12-inch crosspieces.

    • 7

      Prepare the boards. Cut the 10-foot stud into 10 1-foot sections. Starting at the angled end of the board, measure and mark a horizontal line 12 inches from the bottom. Nail or screw the first of the five sections to each of the shorter boards at 9-inch intervals, ending 2 feet from the top of the board. Make the top of each nail or screw either flush with the top of the sections or slightly recessed.

    • 8

      Give the boards a first coat of paint. Paint the long board entirely with the darker color. Measure an area 2 feet from the bottom of each shorter board. Paint the 4-foot section of board in the darker color; use the contrasting color to paint the two-foot section. Sprinkle the top of the boards with sand to create a rough surface for traction. Paint the boards with a second coat after the first coat has dried. As an alternative, sand can be mixed directly into the paint.

    • 9

      After the boards have dried, turn all of the boards face down, using sanded surfaces or those with slats attached as a guide. Nail or screw two hinges at each of the ends of the long board. Attach both of the shorter boards to the longer boards, leaving the angled ends free.

    • 10

      Put the dog walk supports approximately 8 to 9 feet apart on a level surface. Place the top plank between the 12-inch sections of PVC, angling the ramps at a gradual slope with the slats facing upward. You've completed your dog walk.