Do it Yourself Agility Equipment

Agility competitions are obstacle courses that a dog runs through, untouched and not tempted by treats. There are quite a few obstacles, including weave poles, a tunnel and hurdles. To train your dog to run an agility course, you need equipment that is similar to that found at competitions. Although you could purchase agility equipment, you can save some money if you make it yourself.

Things You'll Need

  • 12 fiberglass tent poles
  • Rubber mallet
  • Red electrical tape
  • PVC pipes
  • L-shaped PVC pipe connector
  • Vinyl child̵7;s tunnel
  • String
  • Tent stakes
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Instructions

  1. Weave Poles

    • 1

      Place 12 fiberglass tent poles that are approximately 3 feet tall in the ground, using a mallet to pound them in, if necessary. The poles should be spaced 20 inches apart. Fiberglass poles will bend as your dog runs the obstacle, and they can be found at a camping supply store. If you cannot find fiberglass tent poles, you can use other materials, as long as they are 3 feet tall.

    • 2

      Use red electrical tape to make stripes on 12 PVC pipes. The pipes should be 1 inch around and stand 3 feet tall. Space the tape so that you have a stripe of red from the tape and then a stripe of white from the PVC piping. If you prefer, you can paint the stripes instead of using the tape. This makes the pipes easier to see.

    • 3

      Place one striped PVC pipe onto each of the 12 fiberglass tent poles to complete your obstacle.

    Hurdles

    • 4

      Use a rubber mallet to pound two PVC pipes into the ground. Choose pipes that are 1 or 2 inches in diameter. You want pipes that are the same height as your dog.

    • 5

      Take two, three-way PVC pipe connectors and cut the center connector in half using a miter saw. Then cut two straight PVC pipes to the desired height and attach the three-way adapters. The adapters should be turned so they face one another. Take a third PVC pipe, cut to the appropriate length to fit between the two upright poles, and set it in the center connectors to create the hurdle. This design will allow the hurdle to fall away if your dog's rear legs clip the hurdle during a jump.

    • 6

      Insert a third PVC pipe into the openings of the two L-shaped PVC pipe connectors. This creates a hurdle for your dog to jump. Set up a number of these in a row to create several hurdles.

    Tunnel

    • 7

      Arrange a 10- to 20-foot-long vinyl child̵7;s play tunnel on the ground. You can leave the tunnel straight or bend it into curves. You can find these tunnels at your local toy store. Make sure the tunnel you choose has a diameter of 24 inches.

    • 8

      Stretch a 3-foot piece of string or fishing line over the top of the tunnel every 24 inches.

    • 9

      Pound tent stakes into the ground every 24 inches along the sides of the tunnel.

    • 10

      Tie the string to the tent stakes. This holds the tunnel in place so it does not roll when your dog runs through it.