Instructions on Building an Agility Course Frame

An agility course cannot be complete if it is missing the A-frame. Also known as "contact obstacle" or "scaling wall," the A-frame consists of an obstacle almost shaped as the letter ''A'' consisting of two broad ramps hinged together. Horizontal slats placed on the ramps assist the dog's grip when ascending and descending the obstacle. With A-frames easily costing between $500 to $1,000, it may be a good idea to try to build an A-frame at home. With the right tools and equipment easily found at your closest home improvement center, you may create this piece of agility from the comfort of your home.

Things You'll Need

  • Table saw
  • Two 4'x8' sheets of plywood
  • Several 1'x4' boards
  • Pneumatic nail gun
  • Measuring tape
  • Marker
  • 1-1/2" galvanized nails
  • Wood glue
  • Exterior house paint
  • Dry sand
  • 3-inch hinges
  • Eye rings
  • Heavy duty chain
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut down the two 4' by 8' sheets of plywood down to '3 by 8' using the table saw. To enforce the structure, attach three 1' by 4's on each plywood sheet: two '1x4's should be framing the two longest sides and one 1'x4' should be placed parallel to the two long sides right down the middle. It is a good idea to cut the ends of these boards at an angle. The two plywood sheets may be made further rigid by attaching eight more pieces of wood obtained by cutting some extra 1'x4' boards. This means 16 total pieces should be attached perpendicularly to the long side boards on both plywood sheets so as to join the three long boards.

    • 2
      The wooden rungs help the dog in ascending and descending.

      Measure 12-inch sections across the width of the plywood starting from the bottom up till the top and mark with a marker. These will be the places for the horizontal slats, which will help your dog's footing as it ascends and descends. You should have seven slats for each piece of plywood. To obtain the wooden slats, simply cut 1' by 4' lumber 35 inches long for each rung and attach using wood glue and the 1-1/2-inch galvanized nails.

    • 3
      Most A-frames have yellow contact zones.

      Mix the exterior paint with some sand in order to create a surface that gives the dog some traction. Use two different colors to paint the plywood boards to help your dog distinguish the obstacle. Generally, yellow is used to paint the contact zone, which encompasses the first 42 inches from the bottom.

    • 4

      Check that the paint is dry and attach the 3-inch hinges to the A-frame connecting the two boards. Next, attach eye rings on the 2' by 4' right midway on each side of the wall. Finally, attach a chain through the eye rings that way you can adjust the height of the wall.