# Backyard Agility Obstacles?



## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Made some? Bought some? I'd love to hear about them or see photos!

I'm not sure I want to get into any sort of formal agility training, but I just did about 15 minutes of clicker training with Peggy, with some very low, lightweight jumps, and she's passed out at my feet as I type this. 

The combination of brain and body work is her kryptonite....but in a good way! I'd like to do some more, while keeping it varied.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Uh oh....having your own agility equipment is known to be a gateway drug to total obsession! Proceed with caution, lol. 

Seriously, it’s pretty easy to put together some basic things to start off with. You can put a broom handle through a couple chair rungs to simulate a jump. You can also just buy a kids play tunnel. OR you build some more permanent equipment for not a whole lotta dough yourself with PVC pipe and basic supplies. Here’s some easy instructions, and here’s some others. 

I attached a pic of some basic, but quite serviceable equipment I have set up at our camp. A friend of mine actually built this equipment for her dog. Unfortunately, her dog was not crazy about practicing in the yard so she gave it to me. My husband also built similar equipment that I keep at our house. It’s pretty easy and not expensive.

Of course you can also lay down a chunk of change for the good stuff. I’m not a trust fund baby so we make do with PVC pipe. I may splurge and get some fancy colored tape to wrap around the pipes though! Clean run also sells colored pvc pipe, tHat could be another splurge.


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## scooterscout99 (Dec 3, 2015)

Affordable Agility





Dog Agility Equipment at Affordable Prices! - AffordableAgility.com


The largest selection of dog agility equipment at affordable prices. Visit our Learning Center for dog agility training tips!




www.affordableagility.com




I made jumps and weaves out of pvc. My yard is small so I can’t do much at home. The first jump I built was for rally obedience. I have the Clean Run stick-in-the-ground weave poles, but my dog doesn’t ‘get’ them. He’s a super fast weaver, but not with those.


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

You can also buy stuff pretty cheaply at Dog Agility Equipment at Affordable Prices! - AffordableAgility.com


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

reraven123 said:


> You can also buy stuff pretty cheaply at Dog Agility Equipment at Affordable Prices! - AffordableAgility.com


Those prices are reasonable, you're right! Thank you! I just told Santa that Peggy would really like the Agility-in-a-Bag set.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

scooterscout99 said:


> Affordable Agility
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This photo is great!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Carolinek said:


> Uh oh....having your own agility equipment is known to be a gateway drug to total obsession! Proceed with caution, lol.


We're already hooked! Oh no! 





































When I noticed her looking at me as she landed, I added a second jump. Just an old plastic shoe rack. Lol. The neighbours are going to start complaining.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Carolinek said:


> Uh oh....having your own agility equipment is known to be a gateway drug to total obsession! Proceed with caution, lol.


So true. 😃. I think you and Peggy would love agility. 


PeggyTheParti said:


> Those prices are reasonable, you're right! Thank you! I just told Santa that Peggy would really like the Agility-in-a-Bag set.


 I bought some items from Affordable Agility. If you buy the Agility in a bag, don’t buy the first kit. Buy the second one. The short tunnel with attached chute has been discontinued in most of not all agility venues for several years.


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

Be careful! Peggy is still less than a year old, right? She should not be jumping more than about a foot until her growth plates close. You can do all of the training with keeping the jumps under a foot. Yes, I know she jumps higher than that on her own when she plays, but be really careful about asking her to jump in training. She also should not be weaving yet. You can start on 2x2 weave training to get weave entrances, but she shouldn't do more than one set yet. You don't want her twisting her body.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

ReRaven is correct. Until Peggy’s growth plates are closed, no repetitive jumping or twisting the body to weave. It’s okay when Peggy jumps and twists on her own in play. 

You can work on foot work, hind end awareness, start the 2x2 weave pole training etc.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

reraven123 said:


> Be careful! Peggy is still less than a year old, right? She should not be jumping more than about a foot until her growth plates close. You can do all of the training with keeping the jumps under a foot. Yes, I know she jumps higher than that on her own when she plays, but be really careful about asking her to jump in training. She also should not be weaving yet. You can start on 2x2 weave training to get weave entrances, but she shouldn't do more than one set yet. You don't want her twisting her body.


Very important!! Good reminder. Thank you.

She just turned a year old. You can't really tell from the photos, but this jump is super low. The other one is even lower. But since I can't seem to convince her to not give them 2 feet of clearance, I'm being extremely conservative with reps. Nothing compared to how much she jumps while playing.

We've always been very careful with her growing bones. We don't even take her on long walks unless it's on a soft surface. And even then, she sets the pace and gets to do lots of sniffing and exploring.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

I got the very cheap idea of using pool noodles and garden stakes to hold them upright (which transitioned into short bamboo skewers which I blunted) to see if my boys would even go for it. They kinda do . 

The pool noodles were cheap at the Dollar Store, colorful, and pretty safe. I haven't got around to building ramps, but I think even training to walk a board on the ground could be going in that direction.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Rose n Poos said:


> I got the very cheap idea of using pool noodles and garden stakes to hold them upright (which transitioned into short bamboo skewers which I blunted) to see if my boys would even go for it. They kinda do .
> 
> The pool noodles were cheap at the Dollar Store, colorful, and pretty safe. I haven't got around to building ramps, but I think even training to walk a board on the ground could be going in that direction.
> 
> View attachment 467066


What a great idea! I could even start by laying some on the ground, which might deter her from doing those flying leaps of hers. I imagine they'd be fairly weather-proof, too. 

I like the thought of walking her through some simple obstacle courses, to work on impulse control. She did a few excited air snaps today, which is a behaviour I've not seen in months. Don't really want to go back down that road!!


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

We made a wobble board from some simple parts at Home Depot. Similar. Used it for years at home when we didn't have a teeter.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Oh, gosh, our backyard is littered with the stuff, as you can imagine. Very addictive indeed!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Liz said:


> We made a wobble board from some simple parts at Home Depot. Similar. Used it for years at home when we didn't have a teeter.


This looks very doable. Thanks! She never fully trusted the wobble board at puppy class.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Quossum said:


> Oh, gosh, our backyard is littered with the stuff, as you can imagine. Very addictive indeed!


This makes me feel better. Plus, I figure it would be even worse if we had kids!


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Yes, good point to watch the repetitive motions for a little while longer, another few months. I do think she’s a natural though! That’s a great pic. Here’s Gracie practicing, I think the link will work.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Carolinek said:


> Yes, good point to watch the repetitive motions for a little while longer, another few months. I do think she’s a natural though! That’s a great pic. Here’s Gracie practicing, I think the link will work.


I love it! Such joy!

Peggy's taken to waiting next to her backyard jumps instead of her usual pile of toys. A natural, indeed! I checked and the tallest of the two hits just below mid-shin, but since I can't control the height of her leaps, I'll continue to be extremely cautious.

She's not gained weight (44.2 lbs) or height (21.5") in months, and she finished her first heat at the start of March. I'd be surprised if she has more growing to do, aside from filling out, but I'm not sure if that correlates in any way to the closure of growth plates.

To be safe, I'm channeling her enthusiasm now into precise 2-paw and 4-paw targeting on various backyard surfaces, which she seems to be getting a kick out of. If you'd told me 6 months ago that my impulsive girl would be capable of such focus, I'd have laughed and laughed (and also hugged you while crying tears of gratitude).


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I love it! Such joy!
> 
> Peggy's taken to waiting next to her backyard jumps instead of her usual pile of toys. A natural, indeed! I checked and the tallest of the two hits just below mid-shin, but since I can't control the height of her leaps, I'll continue to be extremely cautious.
> 
> ...


It is great ( in some ways) to see them grow up isn’t it! Gracie all of a sudden seems to have found her brain, she’s still a crazy little thing but I see her really thinking to figure out things I ask her to do. Liver treats help, lol.

The fact that Peggy has had a heat indicates she’s reached puberty, but I am no expert on bone growth for sure. I had Gracie spayed at 13 months ,but she hadn’t come in heat yet and I wonder now if I should have waited. As a small breed it’s probably OK. Her mother didn’t come into heat till she was two, but went on to have very healthy litters. She was seven when Gracie was born, it was her last litter and Gracie was one of five healthy pups. Maybe the line tends to mature later and I hope I didn’t jump the gun at 13 months.

I think you’re doing just fine with Peggy, go easy when you can hold her back and avoid the repetitive impact movements. It probably won’t hurt her to jump a 20 inch jump once or twice, it’s the repeated drilling of practice exercises that has high impact on the bones that is risky. I started jumping Gracie at full height (12 inches) just before she turned 15 months, with plans to debut her in a trial at the end of that month. Then COVID happened and everything went on hold. She will be in her first trial next weekend at 18 months.

Keep us posted on Peggy’s journey!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Carolinek said:


> She will be in her first trial next weekend at 18 months.


That's so exciting! And who knows - maybe entering her first trial with that extra little bit of maturity will serve Gracie well in the long run.

Peggy lost her brain twice yesterday, getting over-excited and resorting to silly puppy antics that I've not seen in months. But both times she abruptly stopped herself. It's such a relief watching them start to figure things out for themselves.

Can't wait to hear how your little lady's first trial goes!


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Thanks Peggy!it is exciting to watch them mature, it’s a cliche but it does go so quick.


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