# Home made equipment and trying it out (video)



## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

I have worked my tush off trying to find an agility club in my area to check out and possibly take Sabo to. I'm not quite sure we are cut out to go the whole 9 yards, but I do know I want to learn and have him learn so we can have fun! I found the thread on how to make your own agility equipment, and OSH was having a sale...so off we went to see what hodge podge I could find to make a few things. I was able to make two low jumps and a weave pole with 5 poles (ran out of rebar to stake into the ground, or I'd have 6)...

I'm pretty sure I set the weave all wrong, but I want him to get the idea of the motion before closing the stake together. The jumps? Well, I have to pull them out and give him more space...

This is the initial video. We played like this for about an hour, and at the end of the hour (1) I had no one around to video as hubby had gone inside and the kids were in the front and (2) he was doing it WITHOUT HIS LEASH! I was still guiding him with treats, but he was going straight forward weaving through the poles with only a treat leading him!!! 

I wish I had someone to take video because after the first several attempts we took a break to play with the hose (it was hot) and goofed off then went back to the "equipment"...and what does that silly dog do? Run the darn thing then tear off to the hose, grab the nossel and drag it back to me as if to say "Last time when we were done, you sprayed this, now spray it!!!". That is how the last part of the hour went...he would run the "course" then take off for the hose and drag it to me to play. I of course freaked out because he coughed and I thought "OMG! BLOAT!" and we were done playing. :blush: 

I will get him back out there before I go to work tomorrow for a bit and see if I can get him to run through it and see if I can get better video. I think I'm also going to start a blog for him to have one timeline of photos/videos as he gets older. 

Instagram

Lets see if that video works


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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

Sabo Agility Try 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

That link should work if the other link doesn't


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

If you go up to the narrow black stripe along the top of the page, and click on User CP you can put your GENERAL location so it will show up with each and every post, to the left like my Poconos stuff.

You may have a club/classes right next door one of us knows about and can recommend. But I don't even know if are in Australia, Japan, or the USA


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

LOVE your pup and wanting to train in the yard! Great job on the equipment.

If your yard is fenced in, and you continue to do a great job with the treats, you can take the leash off too! That way it won't get tangled and your hands are free for signaling.

Just a tip on the weave poles though. You have them setup like 'channel' weaves (the way I also like to train).

But the point of having them spread out side to side rather than in a straight line is our pup should be going straight thru FAST, not weaving at all when we start out with them spread like you show. So you can actually have your pup sit at the opening on one side, you go to the other side and call him to RUN thru directly to you. So the poles are upright on either side of him visually, but he's not weaving. 

Gradually, over time, you move them closer and closer so he still is running straight but they brush his body, then he has to gradually bend a bit, until finally he's really weaving.

BE AWARE though, until you buy one more pole, with the current setup you can only call him TO you (towards the camera) cause how they enter the weaves matters and the first pole needs to be at his left shoulder. If you go the other direction (and you need to get another pole because weaves need to go both ways from the start) the first pole would be at his right shoulder and that isn't correct.

Great video to give more hints and tips.





 
Hope you've started clicker training, such a help with all training, particularly agility 

This is a great site to show how you can get that leash off and do appropriate jump training with a low bar. Show how it's great to have both hands free too.





 
This is a cool video cause it's an important agility skill and you don't need any equipment but your toy!





 
Love this too!!!!


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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

Thank you for all the videos! I will watch them before work today or tonight at work (hopefully I have time)! I moved the other pole straight this morning and have to exchange one of the rebar poles I bought (I have another post) as it was too bent at the top to allow the pvc to fit over it! 

Sabo had a blast last night and so did I!!


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## TwoBigEars (May 11, 2013)

Great tips from MaggieRoseLee, I really don't have much to add to that.  I typically prefer channel weaves for training as well, but since it appears you have a small yard, you might look into 2x2 weave training. It starts with just two poles, then up to four, and continues adding poles two at a time. If you're interested, I would definitely find a trainer to help you with 2x2s as they can be a bit confusing especially for someone new to the sport. Otherwise continue trucking along with the channels!

I do have some help on the trainer front! I did some poking around based on your listed location and found a few clubs who seem to be near you.

Contact Point Agility
Happy Dog Agility
Driven Dogs Agility
Dog Agility Racing Team (looks like DART just hosts trials and seminars, no classes but may be able to point you somewhere for classes if the first three don't work out)

Best of luck and definitely keep us updated! I love seeing more GSDs in agility.


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## TwoBigEars (May 11, 2013)

Oh and I just noticed that according to your signature, Sabo is only five months old and he appears young in the video. If that's the case then personally I would not be doing any jump or weave training at all yet. If you do, be very very careful and definitely find a trainer who can help you tailor the training to his age. There is a lot of training to do that will be beneficial to agility that does not involve the equipment.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

TwoBigEars is a ROCKSTAR with all that help! Love that there are clubs in the area. I have to drive over an hour to get to the best ones in my area, but it's worth it.

One of the many advantages of the channel weave method is you can start earlier with the training because they aren't really weaving at all! So you can get the drive and speed and just not close them completely until the pup is older.

The best clubs/classes have sessions available for young pups and know to do age appropriate activites. Lots of the handler skills we need, body awareness the pup needs, and foundation level things.

Here's Glory in class at 5 months so you can see how was set up


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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

Awesome videos! I called one of the agility places and once I get my schedule tonight I will call the trainer and set up a lesson!!!!! How exciting!!!!!


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Good luck! 

If you are like many of us you are in for the next few years of training, then you get another dog and more training, and so on and so on ....


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## TwoBigEars (May 11, 2013)

Yay! And yep, it just goes on and on and on...more agility, more dogs...


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