DIY Agility Equipment Part II: Ladders, Dog Walk, and Slam Board

We also made three other pieces of equipment for our agility course to go along with the teeter* from Wednesday.  These are much simpler to make and still just as fun.  The hardest part of making these obstacles was getting it all home!

Ladders

What you'll need:
-- 2" PVC pipe - we used (2) 10' pieces
-- Hacksaw

Step 1: Supporting the PVC pipe (we used a vise to hold it steady), cut into 3-foot pieces with the hacksaw.

To use: This obstacle is really just about growing your pooch's awareness of where their feet are.  Start by laying the pieces out evenly spaced.  Once he can consistently walk over them without hitting them, mix up the spacing.  To make it more challenging, overlap the pipes to add depth.

Dog Walk

What you'll need:
-- (1) 8' 2x10 pressure-treated plank
-- (2) 10" 4x4 pressure-treated post

Step 1: Place a 4x4 under each end.

To use: With a timid pup (one like Tess), start with the board lying directly on the ground.  Once they are comfortable walking across it, raise it up.  If 4" is too high, try elevating with phone books.



Slam Board

What you'll need:
-- (1) 24"Pre-cut wood table top, like this
-- (1) XX" pipe cap
-- Gorilla Glue

Step 1: Following glue directions, glue the pipe cap to the center of the table top (ours called to wet the surfaces first).  Allow the glue to dry as directed prior to use.

To use: While it isn't an actual obstacle, the slam board works on your pooch's balance and core strength, while also getting them used to the motion and sound of the board slamming the ground.

What have you DIY'd for your pooch?

*While we used bolts to make the teeter from earlier this week, you can just as easily glue the PVC pipe to the board (that Gorilla Glue is amazing), but we wanted to be able to switch the pipe out for a larger diameter as Ed progresses)