CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Activities => Other Activities => Topic started by: babycavlove on April 22, 2009, 10:31:06 AM
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Does anyone do agility in their own garden just for fun? Is it hard to teach them by yourself? Also is all the equipment expensive? Id love to give it a go with Phoebe and then Arnold (cav) when hes a bit older. I wouldnt honestly know where to start!! Would it be best to start off with just teaching a few small jumps and then moving on to other things? So in theory i could buy bits of equipment rather than all in one go? I have a feeling the equipment will be expensive!!
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I made agility equipment for use in the garden (well, OH did ;)) - out of plastic waste piping from Screwfix Direct ;) It comes apart for storage, too ;)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/IWightLass/Picture005.jpg)
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/IWightLass/Picture008.jpg)
I have a cheap childs play tunnel, that lil'bit has grown out of that the dogs love ;)
you can buy "fun" sets from PAH, but they are expensive compared with the home made equipment and not much more robust, and the professional wooden sets do cost a lot but withstand a lot of wear ;)
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I made some jumps last year after doing a beginners course locally. Basically, used electric fencing posts and garden canes, they don't fall if the dog catches them but as long as you are only doing small jumps, I don't think thats a problem. And weaves are just canes, will post a picture later as I don't have them to hand.
An agility class would give you lots of tips though.
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Our Penny Black learnt to do the weaves in our hall using baked bean cans :005: She did jumps over canes balanced on flower pots and the dogwalk was made of planks on bricks! We had a childs tunnel and a hula hoop for a tyre. When she had mastered all of this we found a club to go to.
She competed for nine years before retirement and now does veteran classes at the age of almost 13. She was placed at Crufts several times and has given us so much pleasure.
Use anything you can find that is safe and fun. Dogs don't know what is expensive. They just like the attention and activity.
Hope you do as well as Penny Black!
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Mine have the Pets at Home jumps and hoop, and a kids play tunnel I picked up on freecyle.....
I like the look of Rachels weaves though and would have a go making a set. Here's my lot anyway
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i180/jaspersmum/album3/IMG_8694.jpg)
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i180/jaspersmum/album3/IMG_8730.jpg)
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i180/jaspersmum/album3/IMG_8715.jpg)
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After reading this post yesterday I went and ordered some Electric fence posts (because they have a spike to push into the ground) and some plumbing pipe (to go over the posts to make them look more like weaves) to make myself a set of weave poles! I can't wait for the posts to come so I can start practising in the garden!
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Is there a correct distance for the weave poles to be set at?
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Is there a correct distance for the weave poles to be set at?
My OH made Max some ages ago, along the same basis at Rachels & TBH they're spaced too wide, I must measure them & ask him to reduce them as Max can't build up any real speed through them.
The rules say 18inches to 24inches between poles but 22" is pretty most common I think (according to an agility forum ;))
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I made my agility equipment for use in the garden out of some plumbing pipe
and we too have a childs tunnel
:luv: Wendy and Bob
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there is some where on the web that shows you how to make them and what distance they should be
i will have alook and see if i can find it for you
:luv: Wendy and Bob
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i found it have a look on here they show you how to make it all www.freewebs.com/agilityequipment
Good luck with the make
:luv: Wendy and Bob
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i found it have a look on here they show you how to make it all www.freewebs.com/agilityequipment
Good luck with the make
:luv: Wendy and Bob
thanks for that :D
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Good link ;)
Yes mine are very similar to this http://www.freewebs.com/agilityequipment/weavepoles.htm I found it useful to have the pipes that are on the ground spaced as these are as the dog should always go in on its left shoulder & this way he wont go over the tubing on the ground ;)
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we bought a set of ebay and have childs tunnel ;)
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OH made some weave poles with stands as we don't have a garden (so nothing to stick them in :005:) and we got a cheap tunnel - lots of fun in our hallway and even Shelley who can hardly see a thing likes the tunnel... :luv:
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I bought a set from a company called jesse jumps at crufts, you can order them on the net. Lightweight pole with a spike at one end, spacing webbing. They store in the garage when not in use and don't take up any room. I did not want any heavy equipment to move about can't lift it now.
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We have some broom handles and some bricks to stand them on. We have some short poles to act as weaves. We also have a door for the dog walk (although it is flat on the ground, but it helps train for the contacts). And we are getting a tunnel as well. So we nearly have all the equipment for hardly any money. :D