Does anyone know where the cheapest places to buy agility equipment are?

Question

i have been looking for agility equiptment but its sooo expensive any ideas?

Answer 1

1.  Some equipment, especially contact equipment (A-frame, teeter, dog-walk) is just very expensive if you buy it, even used.  And it's not good to buy really broken down stuff that a club might be selling.  Broken or flimsy equipment can not only provide a risk to your dog but if your dog has a bad experience on it (even if she doesn't get hurt) it often traumatizes them on it.  Case in point:  I once saw a Golden go up an A-frame that hadn't been chained accurately.  It gave (dropped a couple of inches).  The dog was startled, jumped off, raced off the class area, urinated and wouldn't even go close to the A-frame ever again.  The owner eventually stopped doing agility.

2.  Inexpensive equipment?  Check out:  Affordable agility.  They have something called "agility in a bag" that is:  6 PVC weaves, 2 adjustable jumps, a tire frame and tire (ditch their tire and use drainage tubing from Home Depot), a pause box (worthless but you can convert the PVC to another obstacle) and a chute all for about $150.  Plus it all breaks down and goes into a shoulder bag you can carry to a park or vaccation spot.  Great deal.

Also, look at a contact trainer.  It allows you to practice 2o2o contacts on a smaller version of an A-frame/dog-walk that doesn't take up a lot of space.

3.  Look at making your own.  With PVC you can make:  jumps, weaves, teeter base, tire frame.  Get the Jim Hutchins book "do it yourself agility equipment."  I got it and used it to make my A-frame.

4.  Pair up with local folks also doing agility.  You get the teeter, she gets the competition-quality tunnel, and he gets the competition-quality weaves.  Then share or do run-thru's where each of you brings your expensive equipment.