If you are new to agility, you might be wondering about all the types of agility equipment commonly used in the sport. When you are just starting out, you don’t need to purchase every piece of equipment, but it is wise to understand a little bit about each piece of equipment and how it is used.
The Pause Table
This also can be called a pause box, and it is a place where a dog pauses during the competition and takes a few seconds to complete a series of basic obedience commands. These commands generally include sitting and staying in place and perhaps lying down. The handler (often the dog’s owner) uses hand signals or verbal commands to make the dog sit, stay, lie down and then hop off the pause table and continue through the agility course.
Contact Equipment
There are a few basic types of contact agility equipment, and all this means is that your dog will come into contact with the obstacle, unlike a jump which the dog is not supposed to touch. Contact equipment typically includes the dog walk, the agility a-frame, the teeter-teeter totter, tunnels and chutes.
Jumps
There are many different types of jumps that you might see on the agility course. Most courses will have basic jumps as well as double or even triple jumps. These double and triple jumps force the dog to jump a greater distance than with a simple, single jump. There are also panel jumps, tire jumps and some organizations, such as the United Kennel Club, have some quirky and wild jumps such as a picket fence jump or a window jump.
Weave Poles
The weaves are among the most difficult obstacles to master, but they are a lot of fun to watch. Depending on the agility organization, your dog might have to navigate anywhere from six weave poles up to one dozen. Generally each weave pole is separated by a distance of about two feet.
When it comes to training, there is no absolute first piece of equipment you must use. Some people begin with the pause table, which helps teach basic obedience skills anyway. Other people prefer to start with jumps or even a tunnel or weave poles. Often if your dog is a bit timid, it might be wise to not begin with moving items such as the teeter or high obstacles such as the a-frame.
At Carlson Agility, we offer just about every imaginable piece of agility equipment. You can find high quality, standard-sized agility equipment as well as miniature agility equipment perfect for the smaller dog or your agility puppy. The mini agility equipment also is a great option for a timid dog as the pieces are a bit less intimidating. They also fit more easily in your yard or even indoors for rainy day training.
Brad Carlson enjoys dog agility training. To find agility equipment or to find more about training equipment for dog agility equipment, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com website today.
