This massive piece of equipment consists of a hole "jump through" on one corner (see above left), three 3' square ascending platforms around front corner, a ramp off a tunnel on right side and a wavey slide off the back corner.
In the middle of the previous picture is a box-like structure which is a maze (above) that the dog must weave in and out of to the end. On the upper right side of above picture is a board with a 4" rounded timber underneath to make it flip/flop when the dogs cross it.
The "Tree House" sits underneath an oak tree and is the dogs favorite observation point.
The stimulating environment of a dog playground consisting of many challenging obstacles provides dogs with exercise that makes them more nimble and self-confident. It helps develop their motor skills and instills in them the confidence and judgment to use those skills in other environments. While learning to navigate the different obstacles, the dogs learn to solve problems which gives them a feeling of control over their own lives and fills them with the joy of personal achievement.
We tried to design obstacles that would imitate ways in which dogs might use their bodies in a "natural" environment.
"Stepping Stones" Five sets of 4" x 16" solid blocks stacked three high and 16" apart. Forming the angle at the top are three cement wellcaps.
Going across from the up-ramp you see in the previous picture on the far left, there is a small swinging bridge and a barrel tunnel. This lets out to a three-barrel ramp tunnel (above). There is a rubber mat inside the ramp barrels for traction.
This is another huge obstacle consisting of many pieces. Above is a 16' long catwalk (that the parti-color Std. Poodle is on). The cross walk has rocks on top that the dogs have to step over and between and, where the Beagle is, there are four descending platforms that are two feet apart.
From another up ramp (on the previous picture's structure) is a ladder (see parti-color Poodle) going up to a platform. There's a slide going off the right side of this platform.
The swinging bridge part of this structure is sixteen feet long and is made up of 36" long pieces of 2"x 2" rounded boards. A coated steel cable runs through holes at either end of the boards and attaches to the platforms. There are 1/4" pvc spacers over the cable between each board.
Five cement culvert barrels 32" in diameter form this six foot high "Mountain."
Underneath the A-Frame, inside the box frame, are two 50 gal. drums straped together hanging from chains at either end -- so it is free swinging. The inside of the drums are painted with traction paint.
This teeter totter is larger than competition size -- it's 3' at the turning point.
The maze (in need of painting) consists of many 36" high panels in eight, six and four foot lengths. These can be reconfigured to form many different paths.
This obstacle is 16-feet long -- half (right side in the pictures) consists of 1"x 4" boards spaced four inches apart lying crosswise on a frame of two 2"x 4" boards, eight-foot-long. The other half (left side in the pictures) is two parallel, eight-foot-long 2"x 4" boards spaced about the shoulder width of a Standard Poodle. There is a ramp at either end of the structure.
Click on below picture to see VIDEO clip from The Wizard of dogs using obstacle course .
