Dog Training Equipment (Agility Table)

by Stephen Taylor

Having got a new hyperactive puppy, we have decided to train her to help work the sheep.

To do this we need to be able to teach her left, right, forward, back etc.

Now you can buy all the equipment for this, but I'm far too mean for that type of malarky! ( I will also build some of the other common agility stances)

So............

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The Platform

I need a nice solid platform as the "tabletop",

Fortunately on one of my skip forages I found a building site security door.

3/4 Marine ply on a 4x2 frame -- perfect

So I cut it down to the size I wanted

The metalwork

I am fortunate that at work I have access to the scrap metal bin (plus use of benders, vices. hammers and hole punches).

So I made all the necessary brackets in my lunch break

4 x "Handle type" retaining straps

8 x hooks for the planks

They are pretty robust and I bopped some fixing holes on the hydraulic hole punch (easier than drilling!)

Attach Handle Straps

I pre drilled and attached the "handles" with corrogated roofing screws

The screws were salvaged from another skip find and are ideal for this as they have a large flat head

The Legs

I delved into my large pile of recycled (rescued) timber and found a couple of 4x2s for legs

Denailed them

Trimming 2 of the legs

As the underframe had a diagonal crossbrace I had to trim 2 of the legs to fit around

Ready to Assemble

It was easier to assemble on site as the whole thing would be awkward and heavy to relocate as one piece

so Hammer, 6 inch nails etc,

Assembled and Positioned

I predrilled for the nails as 6 inch ones can be hard work to drive home accurately

Then used 4 nails per leg

Stood it upright and cut out turf for post holes

Dig Holes

I used my manual post hole digger for this, it is ancient (a bit like me) but works really well

I actually find it easier to use than the motor driven post hole borer I have hired before - and certainly less bruising!

The goats were a great help!

Level and Fill in

The table needs to be very secure so the holes are about 18 inches deep, the site slopes so the depths vary a bit.

Once leveled, I refiiled the holes and tamped the soil down

The goats will probably climb on it too!

The "Run Up" Ramps

Again I delved into the big pile of wood and got the 4 run ups

I screwed the brackets to the back of these hefty bits of timber (2off 2x8s, a 2x10 and a 2x12) all the screws were salvaged from a building site skip ( a wasteful builder dumped about half a box of the 8mm hex head screws in there! I would be livid if I was paying or it!!!!!!!)

I used different sizes as as the dogs confidence builds you can use narrower timber, The lengths vary from 1300 to 1800 mm as the site isn't flat, however this gives approximately the same angle on each side

And Finished

So there it is, I may have to put cleats on the run ups if the dog needs them for grip - time will tell

The only thing I bought in the whole project were the 6 inch nails to hold the legs on.

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3 comments

Nicolette Spargo on Apr 10, 2017

Nice work!! Your puppy and goats are too cute

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- Stephen Taylor on Apr 10, 2017
  And a pain in the bum!! The goats are escape artists on a coldtz scale!
  
  2
- Nicolette Spargo on Apr 10, 2017
  Oh no! Sounds like you got your hands full!
  
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