Do it Yourself Dog Agility Course

Dogs love to run and challenge themselves, which is why it is important that they receive the opportunity to stretch their legs and minds on a daily basis. One way both can be achieved is by constructing a simple dog agility course. Agility courses are easy to create and can accurately mimic the sort of courses you might find at official competitions. With a few materials you could have your very own dog agility course in your yard at very little expense.

Things You'll Need

Chairs
Brooms
Wooden sticks
Children's tunnel
Paint/Cone

Instructions

- 1
  Clear a space where you want to set up your dog agility course. According to the American Kennel Club, the minimum size of an official agility course should be 5,000 square feet.
- 2
  Mark the start line. This could be done by placing a cone at one point of the course or by drawing a white line on the ground with paint or chalk depending on the surface.
- 3
  Set up several different obstacles for your course. Take two chairs and place them adjacent to each other. Place a broom between the chairs so it creates a hurdle. Add weave poles to your course. Place five sticks, chairs or blocks of bricks 22 inches apart in a line. The aim is for your dog to weave in and out of these obstacles, which is common in official courses.
- 4
  Buy a children's play tunnel from your local toy store, 12 feet in length. Place this on your agility course. The dog will have to crawl through the tunnel and come out the other end. Add any other obstacles that you can think of or make from materials you have around your home. Consult the American Kennel Club's Regulations for Agility Trials for further ideas and information.
- 5
  Mark the finish line in the same manner as you marked the start line. Time your dog on how long it takes it to complete the course, and then try to beat that time. The dog should get faster eventually. Change the order of the obstacles to keep the dog interested.