Build Your Own Agility Course

Dog Agility is a rapidly growing sport worldwide. On an agility course the dog is challenged to confront several obstacles and pass over, under or around them successfully. The dog works with a handler or the owner on a regulation course.
 
You can bring dog agility to your own backyard, and you can do it if you are on a budget.

In order to start your dog in agility, you need to have several pieces of equipment. These obstacles include:

• A teeter board
• Tunnel
• Collapsed tunnel
• Standard Jumps
• Tire Jumps
• Weave poles
• Pause table
• Dog Walk

Any dog, no matter what breed, would benefit from being involved in agility. Agility not only exercises the body, but it also refreshes and stimulates the mind. Not to mention, the added exercise can be beneficial to a dog owner’s waistline.

However, agility equipment can be expensive, so the challenge became how we could build our own agility course and stay within our budget of $150.00

In order to do this, we visited thrift stores, a plumbing supply store, a bicycle shop and toy store.  After we were finished, we were able to put together weave poles, 1 tire jump, a standard jump, pause table, teeter board and tunnel.

I have lined out each project, so that you can decide what you want to build depending on the space you have available. 

These plans are just to get you jump-started. Once you begin building this course, you will be surprised what you can find too add to the course just by visiting thrift stores and garage sales and swap meets.

Suggest you check with the local kennel club if you are thinking about putting your dog into competition. They have regulation heights and widths for each obstacle.

But, if like us, you simply want to keep your dog active and not bored, then the height is up to what you believe your dog can achieve without injury.

The purpose of the above course is to provide both exercise and mental stimulation to our German shepherds. Therefore, we kept in mind our household budget, as well as how much space we have available to set up this course.
 
The total cost for this course was just under $120.00

Building the agility course

• Weave Poles
• Tire Jump
• Standard Jump
• Teeter Board
• Pause Table - Visit a local warehouse or phone company maintenance center. Secure a plastic spool.  Cut a piece of particle board or chipboard to cover the surface, and then place Astroturf or indoor/outdoor carpeting over the spool. Fasten the carpet down with screws. Trim edges.
• Tunnel - After pricing the standard tunnels that are designed for agility runs, we decided to purchase a child’s tunnel.
  We found one at ToysR Us on sale for $16.99 to anchor it down; we used small earth anchors and parachute cord. But you can use any type or sturdy tie-down even fishing line.