# Eliminating the chute



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Read this on another board.

AKC Agility Suspends Use of The Collapsed Tunnel | Canine Chronicle


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## islanddog (Jun 27, 2016)

Heard this elsewhere too.
I am happy about that., 
I did love the chute, and sending my previous girl through the chute. I thought it was a wonderful test of courage and trust.
However, I always worried that my dog might get caught up in it, and that that trust would be misplaced. 
Apparently, I was right.
So I'm glad--planning on doing agility again.
I do hope they will come up with a new obstacle that requires courage and trust--but can be trained safely. No thoughts on what that can be, though...


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

What safety issues did they have with it?


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## voodoolamb (Jun 21, 2015)

mycobraracr said:


> What safety issues did they have with it?


The dogs would get tangled in it causing leg injuries.

I tried training Mako on the chute. It was a disaster. He would grab a mouthful of the material and try to play tug while running through... I benched the chute hoping to come back to it when he was more mature and less land sharky. Guess we won't be doing that after all.


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

islanddog said:


> Heard this elsewhere too.
> I am happy about that.,
> I did love the chute, and sending my previous girl through the chute. I thought it was a wonderful test of courage and trust.
> However, I always worried that my dog might get caught up in it, and that that trust would be misplaced.
> ...


It will be interesting to see what each of the different venues decide on, and if/what will be added as a replacement. 

Here's an article with some more examples, if anyone's interested in a visual.

https://howtheyplay.com/animal-sports/Chute-It-Stay-or-Chute-It-Go-And-What-Should-Replace-It


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have a chute set up in my yard and the dogs run through it all the time. I was kind of surprised they took it away but I can kinda see why. Mine is staked into the ground so the end doesn't move when they are coming out.


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## angelas (Aug 23, 2003)

I've also heard of friction burns on the face when a large, fast dog goes through.

It's impressive to watch. But like some comments I've seen, the speed that is being achieved on the agility field nowadays make this dangerous. Especially if the entry angle isn't dead on.

I believe it was a release from the CKC that postulated changing how it is designed (flat bottom of the barrel entrance, weighted fabric on the bottom) as ways of keeping the chute. But they did acknowledge the safety issues

But frankly, as a test of trust and independence, is it not just as equally a test of those things to have and open tunnel where the exit can't be seen from the entrance?


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## BahCan (May 29, 2010)

Here is a video on the dangers, it's pretty good


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

The video explains it well, but some of those dogs "crashes" made me cringe.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

How about the dog walk? it is the reason I dropped out with Deja. She fell off a few times and the trainer said that it is the way they learn. But I don't want a crippled dog. Never understood why they didn't make them wider for the larger breeds, same with the see-saw. I loved agility but decided to play it safe for myself too. It is very hard on your joints and many agility enthusiasts have knee and hip replacements. I honestly think that dogs were not meant to weave either or run down an A frame (hard on their toes and joints. It is no wonder that many are injured and retired prematurely.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I've never had a problem with the teeter or the dog walk. it's simply a matter of control and making sure that your large dog isn't running it at top speed


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## Della Luna (Jul 14, 2015)

Bad Dog Agility released an excellent podcast on the subject: 




I am very happy to see the chute eliminated. Too many opportunities for all kinds of different injuries.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

There was an agility course set up at a dog event I went to once. Pay a buck and take your dog thru, to benefit the humane society or something. I let my girl go, she was such an athlete when she was younger. Ran up on the dog walk, no fear, ran along till she lost her balance and then she realized she had lost it and sort of kicked off toward me like "mom, catch me!!"

Well, I did. Wasn't going to let her fall. Unfortunately or fortunately she had that blind faith in me so I had to deliver. Of course, I should have been more careful and made her be more careful. Luckily I was fit enough to pluck her out of the air and lower her down. 

Her mom was an agility dog. I am sure she would have rocked it if I had taught her how. 

I tried to teach her a chute at home once and it was a disaster, she got tangled up, flipped upside down, total crash. But I told her to stop fighting and I would get her out so she did and I did and luckily she wasn't hurt and isnt the type of dog to care about something like that. Tunnels are her favorite. She runs through like wheee!


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## TwoBigEars (May 11, 2013)

Personally I didn't really care whether the chute stayed or not. I did feel like it was really under-trained and most people didn't spend much time teaching their dog to perform it safely (always go straight, don't turn in the fabric). Accidents can happen even with a lot of training though and the same can be said for every agility obstacle. Not to mention the tough exit angles on both AKC and USDAA courses that made straight exits less intuitive for the dogs.

I'm not sure if anything new will arise to replace the chute. As far as an obstacle that tests courage, trust, and training, I think the teeter is it. Riding a moving board that bangs is a pretty big challenge for most dogs to overcome.


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