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DIY Cavaletti Course For Dogs

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Building a Dog Cavaletti Course at Home

Build Dog Cavaletti
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Cavaletti is a fun exercise that teaches dogs to walk over poles at various heights or across different surfaces. Most pet owners have watched horses complete cavaletti courses with some obstacles featuring fallen logs or low jumps.

Cavaletti is an excellent way to improve your dog’s balance, help him rebuild muscle after surgery, lengthen his stride for the show ring and regain range of motion after an injury. Plus, cavaletti courses are a great form of exercise that also builds confidence in dogs.

With your veterinarian’s permission, have your dog practice cavaletti for 10 minutes a day. Below are tips for building a dog cavaletti course at home.

DIY Cavaletti Equipment Ideas

With a bit of imagination and a non-skid surface, you could create a DIY cavaletti set from things lying around your home.

  • Use broomsticks or mop handles as cavaletti poles, and place horizontally on the ground.
  • Place 2×4 boards about 2-3 feet apart with the flat part (widest part) on the ground.
  • For small dogs, place a ladder horizontally flat on the ground.
  • If you have a large dog, create a ladder out of 1-inch PVC pipes.
  • Use large fallen branches as poles. Place 2-3 feet apart in your backyard.
  • To increase the height, place broomstick ends inside holes of a laundry basket.

Purchasing Cavaletti Sets Online

If you’re not crafty, and would rather purchase a cavaletti set, there are several options online. By far, the most popular cavaletti set is made by FitPaws and costs $60. FitPaws offers a set of 3 poles and 6 cones with several height adjustment levels. There are other brands available, but they don’t offer the adjustability that FitPaws offers with their cavaletti set. Plus, FitPaws’ equipment is yellow, blue and green, which are colors easily seen by dogs. With moderate use, this cavaletti set will last years.

A Few Cavaletti Tips

Slow controlled movements are best. Set up your cavaletti set on a non-skid surface, such as grass, rug or rubber. If it’s too warm outside, practice indoors on a thick rug. Remember to lure your dog over each pole slowly. If your dog jumps or hops over any pole, you’re moving the lure too quickly. For dogs that leap in the air around treats, practice loose leash walking across the bars.

Show us pictures of your DIY cavaletti course! Post below. 🙂

WATCH: DIY Cavaletti Equipment Ideas For Dogs

How To Teach Your Dog Cavaletti

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Cavaletti for Dogs

Cavaletti for Dogs
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Cavaletti training teaches dogs to walk over poles and different surfaces placed on the ground. It is a form of exercise that focuses on slow controlled movements. As a dog approaches and steps over each pole, she must lift up each leg carefully to prevent stepping on or bumping the pole. While this seems easy, it’s really challenging, especially when dogs have altered their gait due to injury.

Benefits of Cavaletti for Dogs

During a cavaletti exercise, dogs relearn how to maintain their balance as they carefully place one paw down over a pole while raising their other paw up. Cavaletti increases a dog’s range of motion and teaches her to put equal amount of weight on each limb.

Cavaletti courses are fun exercises for all dogs even for those without injuries. It’s a great way to build a dog’s confidence, lengthen her stride, and keep her fit both mentally and physically. Plus, you can place cavaletti equipment anywhere.

RELATED: Barn Hunt: The Nose Sport Your Dog Needs to Try

How to Set Up a Cavaletti Course

On a non-skid surface, place cavaletti poles horizontally and flat on the ground. For large dogs, place poles 3 feet apart and, for smaller dogs, 1-2 feet apart.

Lure your dog over each pole slowly with a yummy treat. If your dog hops or jumps over the poles, you’re moving too quickly. Sometimes, dogs get a bit nervous when poles roll around under their feet, so secure them by stepping on a pole as your dog crosses over it. Bumping and tapping poles are normal at first. After some practice, your dog will precisely pick up and place her feet between each pole! If your dog becomes super excited around treats, practice loose leash walking across poles first. Remember, slow controlled movements are key.

Making It More Difficult

Slow controlled movement builds muscle and teaches dogs how to balance around obstacles. Once your dog learns to carefully step over each pole, move the poles closer together. Now, she will have to step over several poles at one time, which is extremely challenging, so move slowly. For larger dogs, slightly increase the height of poles, so they must pick up each leg.

Has your dog tried cavaletti yet? Post your pictures below!

WATCH: How To Teach Your Dog Cavaletti

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