Agility is a fun sport that anyone can play with their dog! Here at OneMind Dogs, we believe agility is much more than just a sport. It’s a way to build a connection with your dog, where you feel like you are two souls with one, shared mind. No matter how agility looks for you and your dog, the focus should be on having a great time together! You can start training agility from home with some simple DIY agility obstacles. Read on below to find out more!
Could your dog use some more mental and physical stimulation in their daily lives? Playing agility together could be the answer you’ve been looking for! Agility training is also great for creating a stronger bond with your dog. As a bonus, you’ll see better general listening and focusing skills too.
Whether you’re an agility newbie or already have some experience, setting up an agility course in your backyard and teaching your dog some new skills is a great way of keeping them happy and stimulated.
There are so many agility obstacles you can create with some simple items from your home. Or perhaps you fancy a trip to a homeware store! All you need is a pinch of creativity to get started.
We’ve listed six easy tips below – we hope you find them useful!
Pool Noodle Uprights
Pool Noodle Uprights (PNUs) are great for teaching your dog some agility basics. They can be used for wrapping, practicing handling or anything else you normally use a jump wing for! The best type of pool noodle is the one that is hollow inside. This way you can insert e.g. a peg or a tomato stake into the ground and insert the PNU over it to fix it in place. Here is a great exercise to try with your PNU:
Jumps out of PVC pipe
A good old jump is an essential piece of equipment on an agility course and great for all kinds of fun and games with dogs. With a little effort, some PVC pipe, PVC 4-ways, PVC T-joints and basic tools you can build a pretty decent jump yourself. You can find lots of DIY ideas and instructions for these jumps online, such as this one here. Once you’ve built your PVC jump, you can easily turn it into a wing-jump with some cardboard cut-outs.
Super simple broom stick jump
If you’re not too bothered with having a super pro-looking jump with specific measurements and simply want to play, the easiest way to make a quick DIY agility jump is using two plant pots or milk crates and a broom stick. Your pup will love it as much as they would a more professional creation!
Just make sure to keep the bar lower than the dog’s shoulders and that the dog can knock the bar off if he runs into it, safety is important to keep your pup having fun!
Weaves from PVC and screwdrivers
A great way to make your own agility weave poles is by sticking a thin screwdriver into the ground and sliding a PVC pole over the handle. Place the poles 60 cm apart in a straight line. Pro tip: get cheap screwdrivers at a homeware store and then buy the matching size PVC poles so they fit snugly over the handle of the screwdriver.
Wide plank of wood for contacts
There’s no need to buy big, expensive agility obstacles to teach the basics. You can teach your dog contacts using a thick, wide plank of wood that you paint with a mix of sand and paint or rubber chip to give it some grip. Rest the plank on a bucket or a step on one end so it’s on an incline. You can also turn it into a mini agility seesaw by placing a small round log underneath it in the middle.
Styrofoam or cardboard box wall jumps
Make your own wall jump by painting and stacking some Styrofoam blocks or small cardboard boxes on top of each other. Super simple, easy and fun!
Don’t forget – agility is not all about obstacles! It IS about having fun together with your dog. The foundation skills for agility can even be practiced in your living room, with no obstacles at all! Check out the proof here:
Show us how you went!
These six tips should get you going, and with a little imagination there’s so much more you can do!
We’d love to see your creations and any DIY tips you might have, so please share them on social media and tag us at #oneminddogs!
Hey, and if you need some extra inspiration for your training, check out our webinar on training agility by yourself from home. The webinar is FREE, packed full of videos and tips and only takes 30-minutes of your time! Just fill out the form below and it will land in your inbox in 5-minutes!
