Agility Equipment

[Maxy24]

Does anyone know the measurements of different agility equipment? I'd like to see if my dad could build any, but I need to know how long/high, etc. everything needs to be.

I am considering taking a class with him to introduce him to equipment and learn how to handle him during agility, but I can't afford to continue after an intro/foundation class. Plus it'd be fun to have an agility course in the backyard.

 

[CaliTerp07]

It depends on the venue. A NADAC a-frame is significantly lower than an AKC or USDAA frame.

I built jumps/tire/weaves/teeter for probably $120 total. I've yet to try a frame or dog walk--not enough space, nor am i confident enough in my building abilities.

NADAC specifications: NADAC Equipment Specifications
AKC specifications: http://www.akc.org/pdfs/rulebooks/REAGIL.pdf
USDAA specifications: http://www.usdaa.com/binary/files/Rules_ebook_2011_appA.pdf

 

[Maxy24]

Thank you soooo much, that is exactly what I was looking for.

My dad is a carpenter which is the only reason I'd ask him to do it. He has access to a lot of materials and tools and knows how to put things together. I'm sure he won't be able to do everything, but it'd be nice to have enough for a small course.

ETA: Do you know what height dogs jump as which heights? (if that makes sense lol).

 

[BostonBanker]

Jump Heights

Here's a link with jump heights for several venues. I didn't check the accuracy beyond Meg's AKC and USDAA heights.

 

[CaliTerp07]

Jump Heights

Here's a link with jump heights for several venues. I didn't check the accuracy beyond Meg's AKC and USDAA heights.

Yikes! My little Lucy would jump 22" in USDAA (she's 16.5"). That's a big jump from the 16" she'd jump in AKC or NADAC!

 

[Saeleofu]

THANK YOU! I was just about to ask the same thing lol

 

[BostonBanker]

Meg falls into the same height class; I run her performance in USDAA, where they jump one height lower than their measured height (so Meg jumps 16"). She's on the smaller side of the height class, and although she could and has jumped 22" courses, I figured the lower stress would add up over the years and be beneficial. On the rare occasions I run her in CPE or AKC, she jumps 16" anyway.

 

[Maxy24]

Thank you! Now I just have to find out how tall my dog is lol. I feel like he'll be jumping 12" but I won't know until I see him again.

 

[Beanie]

Jumps are very very easy to build out of PVC so you won't need a carpenter for that. Anybody can make PVC jumps using some sched 30 and either a pipe cutter or a hacksaw. They will also be lighter out of PVC than if you built them out of wood. What you could do is just build wings out of wood to put in front of your PVC standards to change the look of the jump. There are all kinds of cool designs you can make, like fire hydrants, or a cactus with coyote howling, just all kinds of neat stuff he could make with a jigsaw. And then you can switch them out and use them sometimes to expose him to different looking jumps. The more different looking obstacles you can expose him to, the better!

The best thing to do as far as jump heights go is to either buy/make jump cups that you can slide up and down the pipe jump standard, or to dish out more cash and get jump cup strips. I have jump cups on mine that I made and slide them up and down as needed, but I'm going to order jump cup strips soon to put on all my jumps because I now need my jumps to be more easily adjustable. I have two jumps I made ages ago with DIY "jump strips" on them, but it was a HUGE PITA to make them... they only cost me a few bucks in fittings to make but I would still rather pay $10 to not have to go through that process all over again. =P

 

[BostonBanker]

Anybody can make PVC jumps using some sched 30 and either a pipe cutter or a hacksaw.

Or by playing "dumb girl" with the Home Depot guy, at which point he will spend 30 minutes cutting as you stand there and say "Okay, now I need 4 2" pieces....

I bought my jumps cheap off of e-bay, but built my own tire.

 

[PWCorgi]

Or by playing "dumb girl" with the Home Depot guy, at which point he will spend 30 minutes cutting as you stand there and say "Okay, now I need 4 2" pieces....

:rofl1: :rofl1:

I can't wait to buy Frodo his very own TUNNEL, he thinks those are the bestest!

 

[Beanie]

Or by playing "dumb girl" with the Home Depot guy, at which point he will spend 30 minutes cutting as you stand there and say "Okay, now I need 4 2" pieces....

They refuse to cut pipe for you at our Home Depot. =< It's apparently against their policy or something. Pfft.


I bought my tunnel at Rocket Tunnels but they are out of business... what's that other place that does tunnels reasonably..? NTI or something??

 

[MafiaPrincess]

I like NTI. I'd suggest quality. Decent ones last, especially if they don't sit outside in winter. You can likely resell it for close to what you paid. Cheap ones can end up with paws tearing through them.

There's plans on the net for most things, multiple types, when all else fails fidn a pic you like and copy it. It's what I do best.

 

[CharlieDog]

How did you build a tire jump? That's the one I can't figure out for the life of me

 

[Saeleofu]

CD - I have yet to make mine, but my trainer built one and I'm modeling off of that. Lots of PVC, a corrugated drain tube, and a hula hoop...

 

[MafiaPrincess]

How sturdy do you want it? How 'real' do you want it?

Could make a PVC frame and use a pool noodle or hula hoop if you don't care so much.. Could make a much bigger PVC frame if you want O pipe to be your tire.

Lot of my stuff is scaled down not in height but in how huge it is. My tire is a small hula hoop. If I ever get to move and have a yard I'll make bigger or buy better.. Though some things smaller weren't appropriate. I made an awesome mini teeter I had to sell off as the fall on it wasn't enough like a real one for Moo. My plank has been waiting in my garage for a year and a half for a full sized one..

Scaled down tire. It's held on by elastics. The few times Moo's wiped out it's fallen down for him.

 

[CaliTerp07]

CD - I have yet to make mine, but my trainer built one and I'm modeling off of that. Lots of PVC, a corrugated drain tube, and a hula hoop...

Yup, plastic drainage pipe. To make it keep its shape, you can spray the foam insulation stuff inside it. It expands, hardens, and maintains the circular shape.

There's a yahoo group for agility equipment with a lot of different plans for obstacles.

 

[Saeleofu]

I was going to use the hula hoop for shape but I think I changed my mind lol...

Most of my stuff is scaled down too - my jumps are all about 2.5 feet wide, which is plenty wide enough for the dog to jump. I figure maybe if anything it'll make them better, since there's a smaller target? But it certainly makes it easier/cheaper to make and store.

 

[CharlieDog]

That's pretty awesome. All my pvc is cut to 40 inch length. I'm using all six pieces for my weaves currently, but I'm planning to pick up some stuff to make feet for them to use as jumps, and I want to have three dedicated jumps, as well as at least 9 weaves, and then a tire. I have the space to do all that, but I think my mother would object to a dogwalk or teeter in the backyard

 

[misfitz]

Or by playing "dumb girl" with the Home Depot guy, at which point he will spend 30 minutes cutting as you stand there and say "Okay, now I need 4 2" pieces....

Heheh. My Home Depot guys were laughing at me..."You're building a what?" I built a high jump (obedience style) using PVC for the standards, and wood for the jump part. The feet are weighted with kitty litter inside the PVC. The wood I found was something called a "hobby board" that comes in 8" x 4' sections. It rests on the ground and is attached by velcro...not sure what I'll do when we're jumping more than 8" though. (Edited to add: oh, wait - foamcore!)

I bought my tunnel at Rocket Tunnels but they are out of business... what's that other place that does tunnels reasonably..? NTI or something??

I have a tunnel from the kids' section at Ikea. Not sure if they still sell them, but it works for Sienna's size - she's 18". I wonder if they have really big plastic pipe at Home Depot? Like air conditioning duct pipe or something? Hmmm...

@MafiaPrincess, I *love* the tire! Especially the pink hoop, LOL. I've seen directions to make them out of a pool noodle as well. Was going to mention the Yahoo group also, but Cali beat me to it.