how does the seesaw work dog agility course

by Joaquin Klein 8 min read

The trickiest of the agility obstacles is the seesaw, or teeter-totter, which is a tilting platform that a dog must ascend upwards, find his pivot point, tip the seesaw, and then exit the bottom of the other end. There are a lot of intimidating components to the seesaw, including the movement, the tricky balance, and the noise that it can make.

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How to get your dog started in agility?

Take a look at how to go about taking up this exciting hobby...

  • To get started in dog agility, find a good club or trainer in your area. ...
  • A couple of agility training sessions a week is plenty, combined with a little practice at home.
  • It helps to have a few agility jumps at home to practise your agility, but don't do hours of practice, just a bit here and there. ...

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When and how to get started with dog agility training?

To be eligible to compete in Agility, your dog must be:

  • 15 months of age or older.
  • Registered with the American Kennel Club or listed with the AKC Indefinite Listing Privilege (ILP) program, which allows unregistered dogs of registerable breeds to compete in AKC Performance and Companion ...
  • Spayed or neutered dogs are eligible to compete.
  • In sound health and up-to-date on vaccinations.

How to improve your timing in dog agility?

Introduce Contact Obstacles

  • The A-frame is a cone-shaped walkway. Dogs must be able to walk up the steep incline and back down the other side.
  • The dog walk works like a balance beam for dogs with ramps on either end.
  • The teeter-totter is just like the one you would find at the playground. Your dog must learn to walk across it as the board moves under its weight.

How to get started in dog agility training?

The following obstacles are covered in the rule book:

  • A-Frame: This is a simple climbing obstacle that is made from two flat boards. ...
  • Dog Walk: This is another raised platform, but this one consists of two ramps that lead to a narrow walkway. ...
  • Seesaw: This exercise is almost self-explanatory. ...
  • Pause Table: This might be one of the simplest exercises. ...

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How do you make a seesaw dog agility?

3:018:59How To: DIY Agility See-Saw | TheDogBlog - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou're going to need two pieces of PVC. Cut into 20 centimeter length. And last but not least fromMoreYou're going to need two pieces of PVC. Cut into 20 centimeter length. And last but not least from uprights you're going to need 2 PVC pieces. Cut into 35 centimeter length. So all those materials.

How do you teach a dog to do agility teeter totter?

1:2557:58Dog Agility Teeter Totter Training - LIVE! - Subscriber HangoutYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAll the way to the end and then riding the board down. So. I need to go back and revisit some of theMoreAll the way to the end and then riding the board down. So. I need to go back and revisit some of the foundation. Exercises that I did initially to teach her my criteria for the ending behavior.

How long is a dog agility seesaw?

The standard heights for a dog agility seesaw are 8 inches (20 cm), 12 inches (30 cm), 18 inches (46 cm), and 24 inches (61 cm) from the ground. The lower heights can be used to train your dog, building its confidence towards the 24 in (61 cm) standard for most dog agility competitions.

How long is the teeter in dog agility?

This dog agility teeter (see-saw) has a board that is 8' long and 10" wide. The base can be adjusted to be either 12" or 18" high. The board is aluminum alloy with rubber surface and the base is steel.

How do you train a dog to see a saw?

0:384:56Teach your dog the See-Saw | Zac & Lucy's agility - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo to start off what you want to do is just get the seesaw plank and lay it flat on the ground withMoreSo to start off what you want to do is just get the seesaw plank and lay it flat on the ground with your dog on the lead just calmly walk past the plank and get your dog to walk on the plate.

What to give puppy who is teething?

The best objects to offer teething puppies depend on your dog's size and level of activity. They include rubber teething toys that you can put in the freezer, such as a Kong, edible puppy teething rings, and flavored puppy chew toys.

How high should my dog jump in agility?

How high do dogs jump in agility? The most common question of dog owners starting out in agility is how high their dog will be jumping. The quick answer is: roughly as high as their shoulder height.

How long is a normal seesaw?

approximately 12 feetThe see-saw (sic) shall consist of a sturdy plank measuring approximately 12 feet (365cm) in length and measuring between 11 inches (28 cm) and 12 inches (31cm) in width.

How is dog agility scored?

Scoring. Agility is scored on a time and fault basis. Dogs must complete all necessary obstacles in a course in the time allowed. Dogs can accumulate faults for a variety of reasons including running an obstacle out of sequence, displacing a bar on a jump, or refusing an obstacle.

How high is an Agility Teeter?

It needs to measure 12 feet long and the base has to extend 2 inches past the sides of the plank with a gap that should not exceed 4 inches. When measured from the top of the board at the pivot point it has to be 24 inches, with the allowance to take an inch or 2 more or less, but no further.

How long is a teeter totter?

9 Feet 8 InchesTeeter Totter (9 Feet 8 Inches Overall Length)

How wide is an Agility Teeter?

The seesaw or "teeter-totter" is one of the most challenging obstacles for a dog to perform. This 12-inch wide, 12-foot long plank rests on a fulcrum. The seesaw should be balanced carefully so a 3-foot weight placed 12 inches from the high end of the seesaw causes it to hit the ground in 3 seconds or less.

How to make a dog agility saw?

1. Cut a piece of 2 by 12 in (5.1 by 30.5 cm) wood to make the seesaw plank. The planks for an official dog agility seesaw are usually 12 feet (3.7 m) in length. Purchase a long 2 by 12 in (5.1 by 30.5 cm) plank of wood online or from your local hardware store.

How to keep a seesaw interesting for dogs?

To keep your seesaw visually interesting for yourself and your dog, choose a color that contrasts with the paint for your contact areas to cover the rest of the board. Use latex or oil-based paint that is waterproof, applying a thin coat to the plank with a paintbrush or roller.

How to make sure a plank is always on the ground when a seesaw isn't in use?

Moving the fulcrum of the plank closer to one end will make sure that the longer side always sits on the ground when the seesaw isn't in use.

Why is my dog's seesaw yellow?

Most standard dog agility seesaws make the contact area bright yellow so that dogs can see it more easily. To keep the lines between the contact area and the rest of the seesaw straight, wrap the edge of your contact area with masking or painter's tape.

How many uprights should a seesaw board sit on?

This should create a single seesaw base. The fulcrum with the seesaw board will sit between the 2 uprights.

What happens if you have two different seesaw stands?

Your stands will need to be almost perfectly identical. If they are too different, your seesaw may not sit evenly on the base, or it may break more easily.

How to measure contact area on a seesaw?

The size of the contact area on each end of your plank varies between different dog agility associations. Measure the length of an appropriate contact area from each end of your plank and mark it with a pencil line.

What is agility competition?

Many people may not be familiar with agility competitions, where dogs navigate through an obstacle course while racing against the clock. Even for those who have heard of the sport, acting as a simple spectator can be a little intimidating.

How many points off can a dog get in a novice course?

In Novice or Open Standard and Jumpers With Weaves courses, if a dog gets a Refusal (R) — meaning he turned away from or stopped in front of the obstacle — he can still qualify since it is just five points off, but in Excellent and Masters [courses] a dog has to have perfect runs.”. 2.

What can cause a fault in weave poles?

Many actions can result in a fault such as entering the Weave Poles incorrectly or missing a pole altogether, failing to place a foot in the “contact zone” while performing an obstacle like the Seesaw, or performing the obstacles out of order.

How big is a dog's shoulder?

8 inches: For dogs 11 inches and under at the withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades of a dog).

How many poles do dogs need to weave?

Weave Poles — Comprised of six to 12 up right poles, a dog must enter to the right of the first one and weave through each of the others quickly without missing a pole. It is considered one of the trickiest obstacles to master. 4. Tire Jump — A dog must jump quickly and cleanly through the opening of the tire.

How many obstacles are there in agility?

Agility Course Obstacles. Courses typically have between 14-20 obstacles. Here are several you’ll run into: 1. Jumps — These vary from course to course, but a dog must leap over the bar without displacing it. The height of the dog determines the heights of each jump. FYI: Dogs are measured before the competition.

What is the A frame in a dog?

A-frame — Made up of two broad ramps hinged together, a dog must quickly scale the structure, scramble over the apex, and touch the “contact zone” while descending.

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