Weave poles are extremely common obstacles in agility competitions. They vary in number, but usually fall between 6 and 12 poles. The spacing of the poles depends on the agility level of your dog. At home, you can find poles that stick in the ground or are freestanding. Poles that stick in the ground are great for backyard use, because they can be easily moved or removed. However, make sure you have measuring tape in order to measure the distance between the poles. Freestanding poles will either be adjustable or have set spacing.
If you are teaching your pet how to navigate the poles, then it’s a good idea to use adjustable poles. That way, you can start training by walking through the obstacle with your pet; as he gets the hang of things, you can shorten the distance between the poles.
Step 1
What you will need:
Start with the weave poles – you can build your own relatively cheaply from PVC pipes.
- 8 PVC pipes, each 3 feet long
- 9 PVC pipes that are 20 inches long
- 4 PVC pipes that are 18 inches long
- 10 PVC T shaped joints
Note: each pipe should be around 2.5 inches thick.
Step 2
Start at the ends:
- Take one of the T joints that you will use for the end.
- Place an 18 inch Pipe on either end for a stabilizer.
- Repeat the same for the opposite end of the course.
You will have 2 T joints with 4 of the 18 inch pipes used in this step.
Step 3
The center:
- Take 1 of the T joints and place 2 of the 20 inch pipes on either end.
(Just like in the above step)
Step 4
Building out from the center:
- Take 2 more T joints and place them on the opposite ends of the 20 inch pipes from the above step.
- Take 2 more 20 inch pipes and insert them on the opposite end of the T joints you just put on.
- You will repeat this process until you have a line of 20 inch pipes connected by T joints laying flat on the ground. Each T joint will be facing upwards for the vertical 3 foot weave poles to be inserted.
Attach the stabilizers to either end of the PVC line you have made.
Step 5
Lastly, insert the vertical weave poles:
- In each T joint that is facing upwards (to the sky) insert a 3 foot pipe.
These vertical 3 foot pipes should not be held down because they must come out when the dog hits them. Plus you want the unit to remain portable.
Step 6
Increasing difficulty:
When you want to bring the poles in closer you can simply detach the 20 inch pipes laying on the ground and cut them equally for a closer weave. You can also angle the T joints to increase the level of difficulty that will be experienced during a competition.
This article was written by Collin Walker who writes for Pet-Super-Store.com, a site featuring dog training collars, dog crates and dog travel carriers.