Agility is a fun and challenging sporting event for both dogs and handlers. An agility course includes obstacles such as jumps, tunnels, and dogwalks. If you don’t want to purchase your own agility obstacles, here’s how to make your own with items that you probably have in your home.
If your dog enjoys this jump and you’re interested in getting involved with the sport, find more information here.
Materials:
- 2 pieces 58.4 oz. Swiss Miss canister (or another large-size canister)
- 2 pieces 13.8 oz. Swiss Miss canister (or another thin canister)
- 8 toilet paper rolls (without toilet paper)
- red, yellow, blue, black, and white acrylic paints
- a paint brush
- a box cutter
- a piece of cardboard
- a black pen
- 1-inch width Scotch tape
- a ruler
- a pair of scissors
- a hot glue gun
Step 1:
Carefully peel off the outer layer of the canisters to remove the label. If you are having a hard time finding Swiss Miss canisters, you can try using another brand as long as the size is almost the same as the one used here.
Step 2:
Paint the canisters with black acrylic paint. This will be the primary coating of the canisters. You can also use spray paint, which may dry faster. Let the paint dry for an hour or two before proceeding to the next step.
Step 3:
Apply a second coating to the canisters. Let the paint dry for an hour.
Step 4:
Apply a white primer on the toilet paper rolls. Let the paint dry for an hour.
Step 5:
Paint the primed toilet paper with yellow, red, blue, and black acrylic paint. Paint at least two toilet paper rolls for each color.
Step 6:
Let the paint dry for an hour.
Step 7:
Hot glue the black toilet paper rolls together side by side.
Step 8:
Connect the yellow toilet paper roll on both ends of the black ones.
Step 9:
Glue the next pair of blue toilet paper rolls beside the yellow ones.
Step 10:
Connect the pair of red toilet paper rolls on the free end of the blue ones.
Step 11:
Trace the circular end of the toilet paper roll on a piece of cardboard using a black pen. Cut the traced circle. This will serve as a guide or pattern to the canister so that we can create a perfectly circular hole on it.
Step 12:
Place the circular pattern on the middle body of the big Swiss Miss canister and trace the circle on the body of it. Do this for both canisters.
Step 13:
Carefully cut the traced circle on the canister’s wall using a sharp cutter.
Step 14:
The two big canisters should look like this when the hole is made correctly.
Step 15:
Draw two circles that are vertically aligned on the thin canister. Make sure that the spacing in between the two circles is somewhat approximate of the spacing made on the big canister. Do this for both thin canisters.
Step 16:
Cut the circles carefully in the thin canisters using a sharp cutter.
Step 17:
The two thin canisters should look like this when done.
Step 18:
Turn the big canister upside down on the table and place the thin canister on top of it. Make sure that the thin one is placed on the middle-bottom of the big canister. Generously glue the two canisters together on their aluminum bottoms. One pair of canisters represents one pole of the agility jump. Do this on the remaining pair of canisters to create two poles.
Step 19:
Wrap the ends of the colorful toilet paper roll beam with tape. Do this for both ends to assure that the roll beam is sturdy since it will be inserted into the holes of the two poles.
Step 20:
Try inserting the colorful beam in the hole of the pole. For dogs that are smaller or are just starting out, you can try using the lowest level of the pole, or the hole on the bottom.
Step 21:
Second-level holes are good for dogs with intermediate skills, while the highest hole on the pole is good for dogs with advanced agility skills.
Step 22:
You’re finished! This up-cycled dog agility jump is now ready for use. Have fun!