Walking Poles

[Starkehre]

Hi guys.

Was wondering if anyone can please suggest where I might make inquiries about purchasing a set of walking poles. That probably isn't what they are known as, but this is the description - probably conduit or similar poles set up on a frame so as they sit several inches off the ground. I believe there will probably be about 8 - 12 poles in a set and the height and width apart is usually adjustable.

I have seen these poles at agility clubs used in training, just not sure where to purchase them from.

any advice much appreciated.

[Kavik]

You are talking about weaving poles The distance between poles is not adjustable. With some designs you can slant the poles or make a channel for training.

Here are some Aussie sites

http://www.airdogs.com.au/agility/product....=252&page=1

http://www.agilityaustralia.com/

and some US sites

http://www.affordableagility.com/WEAVES.htm

http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...p;ParentCat=336

http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...p;ParentCat=336

[Starkehre]

Thanks for your prompt response Kavik, but I am not referring to weaving poles. I did agility for years. The poles I mean are running adjacent to the ground, like trotting poles for horses. they are used in agility training to assist the dog with learning rear foot placement and developing thigh muscles etc.

I will check out your links tho, as maybe some of these places make/supply the walking poles also.

Thanks heaps.

Added, anymore advice please... greatly appreciated.

I had already looked at agility australia, and there was nothing I could see on their website, but I may call them later if I cannot find anything else.

Edited September 10, 2009 by dyzney

[Starkehre]

Just felt the urge to throw in a cute pic of my girl Dyzney doing weavers.

This was taken at Melb Royal in 2005, before she got IMT. She is such a cutie.

Edited September 10, 2009 by dyzney

[Kavik]

Like these?

http://www.affordableagility.com/cavaletti.htm

[Kavik]

Great shot! I haven't seen many Rotts at agility

[Starkehre]

Hi Kavik, yes that's them. Dah, stupid me, I am a horsie, and I didn't even think to call them cavalettis.

However, the ones I have seen were all attached to the ones frame. It was at Agility dog club in Altona vic a few years ago. It just looked easier to keep them in the same distances if leaving them outside, rather than having the individual cavs.

I do sort of know someone who makes agility equipment, if I can track down their contact so I might see if I can do that.

Was sort of hoping to not have to order from overseas... big items, huge freight.

Thanks for the compliment of dyzney's photo. I have heaps of fantastic Rotti agility shots. My bitch prior to Dyz, Ruby was the first ADM JDM rottweiler in australia. and she qualified for and competed in Vic Top Dog 2002... long time ago now. I think she finished 7th out of 10, but we stuffed up the tunnel entry and lost about 2 seconds there, bummer.

I will see if I can drag up a shot of Ruby as well.

They both loved it so much, and so did I.

By memory, these ones of Ruby were both taken at our first National down here.

These were in the olden days when the jumps were high. The poor girls.

Edited September 10, 2009 by dyzney

[Starkehre]

OK, so what I am after, (thanks to Kavik's help) is cavalettis, but preferably joinable by a frame running down the sides.

anyone know where I can find some please?

[Luke W]

Hi Kavik, yes that's them. Dah, stupid me, I am a horsie, and I didn't even think to call them cavalettis.

However, the ones I have seen were all attached to the ones frame. It was at Agility dog club in Altona vic a few years ago. It just looked easier to keep them in the same distances if leaving them outside, rather than having the individual cavs.

I do sort of know someone who makes agility equipment, if I can track down their contact so I might see if I can do that.

Was sort of hoping to not have to order from overseas... big items, huge freight.

Thanks for the compliment of dyzney's photo. I have heaps of fantastic Rotti agility shots. My bitch prior to Dyz, Ruby was the first ADM JDM rottweiler in australia. and she qualified for and competed in Vic Top Dog 2002... long time ago now. I think she finished 7th out of 10, but we stuffed up the tunnel entry and lost about 2 seconds there, bummer.

I will see if I can drag up a shot of Ruby as well.

They both loved it so much, and so did I.

By memory, these ones of Ruby were both taken at our first National down here.

These were in the olden days when the jumps were high. The poor girls.

Contact Altona - The guy (Murray) who made the ones you saw at Altona still hangs out there - he can probably make you a set. I know the ones your are talking about.

ETA - I just emailed Murray to ask if I can give you his email address...

Edited September 11, 2009 by Luke W

[Starkehre]

That'd be great Luke. I know Murray quite well. If you PM his email address that would be great.

Thanks so much.

That's right, now I remember, Murray even told me he made them. Oh, my memory is so bad.

[Luke W]

That'd be great Luke. I know Murray quite well. If you PM his email address that would be great.

Thanks so much.

That's right, now I remember, Murray even told me he made them. Oh, my memory is so bad.

Done!

[kelpiechick]

I wouldn't bother going to the expense to buy them - and don't tell Murray that I am trying to do him out of a sale - LOL !

If you are using them to train rear end awareness, etc. all you need are some standard jump bars with one end raised up off the ground - I use empty drink cans with the middle pushed in a bit. ( have also used these when teaching class at ADCV.)

If you are using them to train jump grids, you can also use them with a can on either side, although jump bumps would be a lot safer as they don't displace if the dog steps on them. (Large diameter PVC sawed in half lengthwise, like a stride regulator) These tend to have replaced most cavaletti in the dog world now as they are safer.

You can also make them yourself from wood. Two thin bits about 20cm or so, screwed together to make an X - one of these for each end. Then another piece glued into the middle for the 'bar.' Nancy Gyes uses these at Power Paws - if you google 'Power Paws Agility' there may be a photo of them somewhere on their site. If you have access to the very first 'Agility in Motion' DVD there was a segment where she demonstrated exercises using them. The beauty of these was that she had angled the X pieces so that the cavaletti could be 2 different heights depending on which way you turned them over.

What did you want to use them for? We rarely use cavaletti at ADCV any more as there are ways to teach rear end awareness, foot placement, jumping etc. that use different equipment and in general are probably safer and just as effective.

Edited to add - should read other people's posts in full first ! I just looked at Kavik's link and they are exactly like the ones from Powerpaws - except theirs are wooden.

I have been at ADCV for quite a few years and I have never seen anything like what you are describing, except possibly for our ladder ???????? Two large PVC lengths with displaceable rungs so you can angle the rungs all over the place like cavaletti if you want. Would this be what you mean? This would also be fairly simple to make - it just has some offcuts of small PVC bits attached at intervals along the top of each side bit to hold the rungs and the rungs are loose - you slot them in wherever you like.

Love the photo BTW. Think I can remember Ruby - she was running in Masters when I first started out as a beginner with my BC X (now retired, where did the time go????)

Edited September 11, 2009 by kelpiechick

[Starkehre]

Thanks kelpiechick.

I am not wanting the cavs for rear awareness or placement. I actually want them for strength and muscle building in my youngster. Nothing to do with agility, just thought of them as I remembered them. They will work really well as walking poles. I do not wish to jump my big baby. Just walk him over a series of these, and that is why I want quite a few in a row, not one or 2. Wishing to build strength and nuscle in a low impact fashion. he is already doing underwater treadmill and will be starting swimming next month, but just wanted something else that we can do at home.

Hope this makes sense.

Appreciate your advice.

How sweet that you remember Ruby. she was such a hard running girl. Loved her agility. Unfortunately she died shortly after her last Royal. she also got IMT as dyzney did, but did not survive. Breaks my heart still today.

[Starkehre]

Thanks Luke. Much appreciated.

[Kavik]

I use a ladder for much the same thing - for understanding where their feet are etc

[Starkehre]

I spose I could use a ladder. It isn't adjustable to suit the dog's walking gait, but at a walk I guess it won't matter much, in fact he will have to work a little harder to squeeze extra steps in or stretch out a bit further to reach.

Might give it a go, ta.

[4Kelpies]

Hi dysney. I remember Ruby too. She was a stunning dog. I'm sorry to hear you lost her.

[Starkehre]

That's lovely 4kelpies, thanks for letting me know you remember Ruby.

Yes, heartbreaking to lose her. She was such a gorgeous girl with the a fun loving attitude and real spunk. She was also great as an advocate for the breed. Bomb proof with people and dogs, not a nasty bone in her body.

Dyzney is the same. I am very lucky she survived the same horrible disease. She is retired now, but I am toying with bring her back into obedience. Just cause I am a glutton for punishment. I have never been good at competing with more tha one dog at a time. A bit overwhelming for me. I like to concentrate on one at a time.

Hope you are still enjoying your agility. Feels like I have been out of it forever.

Hey, I was just remembering Ruby's last trial. I think it was Masters Agility with Robyn docker as judge at Hastings.

I had it pre-planned, just for a joke... when it came to the weavers, I weaved through them and Ruby ran down alongside them.

Shocked Robyn to bits, but she cracked up, and being her friend, I knew she wouldn't mind.

Of course I was NQd, but it was fun for a laugh, and a nice way to go out.

[kelpiechick]

Murray's ladder has adjustable rungs so might be worthwhile looking into one like that - or he may be able to design something specific for you as he is good like that.

Would a physio disc/balance disc help at all? My older kelpie broke his leg a couple of years back and now runs with no flexion in one wrist joint so I am forever working on stuff like that. (Poor thing can only turn in one direction and struggles the other way - some Masters courses are nightmares ) Maybe you could teach her to back up onto the disc??? Hart Sport have some good prices with these.

How tragic to have to go through that with both your dogs - hope it all works out with Dyzney.

Your mention of Robyn is a 'blast from the past' too - haven't seen her around a ring for a long time and coming up through Novice and Excellent she was one of my favourite judges.

[Starkehre]

Thanks kelpiechick. Not sure about the physio disc/balance thingy. Although an excellent idea, as my huge puppy is still learning "stuff" (he is not quite ruby or dyzney yet), I might injure both of us trying to get him onto it.

My plan is to give our ladder a try, (though being such a big dog, I think he will just try to jump it), and if that fails I will probably contact Muzz and see what he can make for me. Jag is still a 10 month old big goofy puppy. The lifting of his legs will give him great strength and muscle definition and as he grew so big so fast, he is still at a bit of a loss at knowing what his rear legs are doing.

sorry to hear about your dog breaking his leg. Well done for working on him tho. You gotta do what you gotta do. Well done.

Yeh, blast from the past! Robyn was always my favourite judge too, except coz my dogs knew her so well, it was difficult stopping them from going over and jumping on her, instead of running the course.

Yes, having IMT with both dogs is not only ridiculously rare, but also damned hard to go through. We are just so lucky we still have dyzney.