Dog agility courses can be a fun activity for both pets and owners. You and your dog can participate in timed competitions or just run courses for fun and exercise. Buying agility equipment can be expensive, but you can make several types of equipment out of ordinary Schedule 40 PVC pipe. PVC pipe is an ideal tool for making agility equipment because it is strong and durable, but is also lightweight and easy to use.
Things You'll Need
- 1-inch PVC pipe
- Hacksaw or PVC pipe cutter
- 1-inch PVC tees
- 1-inch PVC end caps
- 1-inch PVC elbows
Instructions
Make Weaving Poles
Cut the PVC pipe. You need six lengths 36-inches long, five lengths 20-inches long, and six lengths 8-inches long.
Connect two of the 8-inch long sections with a PVC tee. Place another 8-inch section of PVC pipe in the remaining tee opening and place end caps on the two end pieces.
Repeat with the remaining three 8-inch sections. These pieces form the ends of the weave pole base.
Complete the weave pole base by connecting the end pieces and the 20-inch long sections of PVC pipe together with PVC tee connectors. Be sure the legs of the tees are facing up.
Place the 36-inch long sections of PVC pipe in the tees. These are the weaving poles. Place end caps on top of these pieces. You can rotate the tee pieces so the weave poles can be upright or angled.
Footwork Ladder
Cut the PVC pipe. You need 30 pieces that are 12-inches long and 16 pieces that are 6-inches long.
Make legs for the ladder by attaching PVC elbows to four of the 6-inch long pieces of PVC pipe. Place end caps on the open ends of the pipe.
Make a support piece for the ladder by connecting two 6-inch long pieces of PVC pipe with a PVC tee. Place another 6-inch piece of pipe in the remaining opening of the tee, closing that pipe with an end cap.
Repeat three more times so you have four supports.
Complete one side of the ladder by using PVC tees to connect the pieces in this order: end piece, three 12-inch pieces, support piece, three 12-inch pieces, support piece, three 12-inch pieces, end piece. Ensure the open end of the tees all face the same direction.
Repeat for the other side of the ladder.
Connect the two sides of the ladder together by placing the remaining 12-inch pieces of PVC in the open ends of the tees.