Which contact equipment would you choose to have at home?

[Oliver21508]

Hiya

If you could have any contact equipment from agility to train on at home, which would you have?

[Pudding]

I have got a tunnel 2 jumps a set of weave poles and a round jump

I made them 

[Max X 2]

We'd have a dog walk, but it aint gonna happen so for contact training we'll have to make do with a lid off a tube of pringles 

[sophiew]

I've seen a contact trainer which is a dog walk, see saw and A frame in one! That's what I'd have 

[Oliver21508]

I'm getting a piece of contact equipment this christmas, and I thought a seesaw as he's not used to it, and if I use it at home, he'll get used to the movement and it's unlike any obstacle on the agility course. ollie's good with the dog walk and a frame but he needs training on his contacts but i could always do this on the seesaw. should i get a seesaw?

[JohnW]

Rather than pay the going rate for weaves, a good tip is to pop to one of the discount stores and buy some cricket stumps they work a treat and alot cheaper  

Sorry I know its not contact equipment but just thought I would add it as agility equipment is not cheap in the slightest 

[jla]

I've got a garden see-saw and a garden dog walk.  Must say I think that the dog walk has been most useful for me.  The see-saw was to get over one issue with my female GSD which we did quicklym where as the dogwalk we use more generally for proofing contacts.
Personally I don't like reptitively doing the see-saw due to the potential joint impact.

[Oliver21508]

I've got a garden see-saw and a garden dog walk.  Must say I think that the dog walk has been most useful for me.  The see-saw was to get over one issue with my female GSD which we did quicklym where as the dogwalk we use more generally for proofing contacts.
Personally I don't like reptitively doing the see-saw due to the potential joint impact.

that's a point actually. we have only done the seesaw a few times and he was fine, but I tilted it myself. I may just get a contact trainer as it's like a mini A frame and it's only £75.

[jla]

Not sure if you have seen the contact trainers you are descibing but they are pretty tiny.  We considered one but as it's only a few strides for the dog to be on, over and off we didn't think it would be that useful.

[Oliver21508]

Not sure if you have seen the contact trainers you are descibing but they are pretty tiny.  We considered one but as it's only a few strides for the dog to be on, over and off we didn't think it would be that useful.

Thanks. yeah, I thought they looked pretty small. I'm now thinking of getting 5 basic jumps, because we don't have any proper jumps, just some poles on bricks which are not the right height for him. so I could get 5 basic jumps for £70-£80. would you recommend that?

I have a sort of contact trainer already (a door laid on the ground), weaves, tunnel and these sort of jumps.

[jla]

What are you going to be aiming for?  Is it to practice exercises, turns, have you got a specific issue?  It really depends what you think you need.

I have 3 basic wooden jumps, the see-saw and dog walk, a set of normal weaves and a set of channel weaves which we can do 2x2 with for a pup.

I never use it all together as I don't have the space  but tend to get out what I need.  Take tonight.  I am going to try and retrain my girl to do running contacts so I had the dog walk planks flat on the ground.

[Oliver21508]

His contacts need training but I have a contact trainer (in the shape of a door ). He's fab at his weaves (channel), and he loves his jumping, but I need to work on my technique of directing him and my body posture, so more jumps I think would help me do this, as at the moment, it's not flowing as we don't have a lot of jumps or any good sized jumps. he's fab at everything you throw at him, and there's nothing he's truly dreadful at that we need dramatic improvement on, it's more me.

[Oliver21508]

I'm now thinking about buying 5-6 jumps at £11 each, so it's about £70-80. Which ones are better? Does it matter if the jump is shorter in width?

http://www.jessejump.co.uk/shop.htm

(first picture - basic (left jump - £12 each), and basic 3/4 width (right jump - £11 each)

[jla]

Think I used to have the normal width ones from there.  If space isn't an issue then I would go for the proper width ones as that is what you will see in competition (kind of!)

If not then I doubt it will make much difference if you go for the thinner ones.