5 Best Dog Agility Courses

Filed in Dog Training by on February 2, 2022

dog agility course

Are you looking to get started with dog agility?

Agility is one of the most exciting things that you can do with your dog. It’s a great way to wear out high-energy dogs and teach structure to impulsive dogs.

If you’re interested in getting started, an at-home agility kit is a great idea. Agility training equipment can inexpensively allow you and your dog to get the feel for agility before you invest more time and money.

In this blog post, I’ll review my top picks for the best dog agility course.

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My Top Picks for Best Dog Agility Course

1. PAWISE Canine Obstacle Exercise Training Equipment — Finest Overall Pick

$89.99
Amazon.com
as of August 17, 2024 1:58 am

This dog agility course comes with all the training equipment that you’ll need to equip your dog to get started with agility.

The obstacles are made of a sturdy polyester material that holds up well to wear and tear. The jump is fully adjustable so that you can start at a low level as your dog gets the hang of it and then progressively move to higher levels.

This course comes with a carrying case so that you can easily take it with you if you’d like to travel with it.

The weave poles and jumps are held into the ground with sturdy stakes so that they’re difficult to knock over but won’t hurt if your dog runs into them.

Two attachment points for the tunnel keep it in place so that it won’t fall over while your dog is running through it. If you’d like more equipment, you can also buy a jump ring separately and purchase additional hurdles as well.

Pros

  • Sturdy materials hold up well to wear and tear
  • Easy to put together
  • Comes with storage bag and measuring rope

Cons

  • Poles may bend if your dog hits them hard enough
  • Some people find that not all of the parts were included that should have been

2. Sowsun Canine Obstacle Equipment — Optimal Outdoor Obstacle Set for Larger Canines

$59.99
Amazon.com
as of August 17, 2024 1:58 am

This portable dog agility course is very easy to set up, transport, and store. The tunnel is made of a highly durable Oxford cloth material that is waterproof, so you can leave it outside even if it rains if you’d like to.

Two grommets on either side of the tunnel and table attach it to the ground so that it won’t move when your dog goes through it. The jump is completely adjustable so that you can make it the ideal height for your dog as they learn.

The obstacles work well for dogs up to 90lbs, making this a good option for even larger dogs. The weave poles are two separate colors, which makes it easier for you to direct your dog through them.

All of the training equipment in this kit conveniently fit into carrying cases to be transported or stored.

Pros

  • Works well for dogs up to 90 lb, making it one of the best portable agility courses for larger dogs
  • Waterproof tunnel means this kit can be left outside in the rain

Cons

  • The tunnel may rip with vigorous use
  • Tie-downs for the tunnel and pause square are a bit flimsy and may break

3. Outward Hound Interactive Canine Training Toys and Obstacle Kits — Top Indoor Canine Obstacle Training

$30.99
$17.89
3 new from $17.89
1 used from $17.14
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of August 17, 2024 1:58 am

Outward Hound makes one of the best dog agility courses for indoors. It’s a fantastic option if you want some rainy day entertainment for your dog or you’d like to train them to do agility without having to go outside.

It’s easy to set up and break down and fits into a simple traveling case so it’s easy to store and travel with between uses.

These obstacles are great for dogs that are just getting started with agility. The adjustable jump can be set very low so that dogs who are just learning how to go over a jump won’t have any trouble.

The jump can be taken apart and used as two more weave poles. The weave poles are sturdy enough that your dog probably won’t knock them over as they’re learning, but not so sturdy that they’ll hurt your dog if they bump into them.

As your dog gets faster going through the poles, it’s more likely that they’ll knock down the poles every now and then.

The tunnel is open all the way through, which is great for helping dogs to build their confidence. If you’d like to make it more challenging, you can easily drape a blanket over one end.

This training equipment also comes with a training booklet with useful tips to help you and your dog get started.

Pros

  • Inexpensive enough that it isn’t a big investment
  • Fits into a small, lightweight case that’s easy to store and travel with
  • Jump breaks down into two additional weave poles

Cons

  • Weave poles can be accidentally knocked over
  • Poles for jumps easily fall off the support
  • Not a good choice for very large dogs

4. DEStar Canine Obstacle Equipment — Leading Portable Outdoor Obstacle Training Equipment

Amazon.com
as of August 17, 2024 1:58 am

If you’re looking for a sturdy agility kit that works well outdoors and folds down for convenient storage, this may be the one for you. It’s quite durable. The tunnel is made of 190 T tear-resistant polyester.

The training poles are made of ABS, which is resistant to impact and will not tend to collect moisture. All nails used in the equipment are stainless steel so that they won’t rust. You can feel good about using these materials which are odorless and non-toxic.

This kit features a tunnel of a very good length that will better replicate tunnels used in an actual agility course. The weave poles feature ground nails so that they won’t tend to fall over as your dog is running through them.

There are two additional webbing straps on the tunnel so that it won’t slip when your dog runs through it. This is important since having the tunnel collapse on your dog could make them fearful of going through a tunnel in the future.

Pros

  • Long tunnel is 55.12in to better replicate the conditions in an actual agility course
  • Weave poles with stainless steel nails are less likely than other options to fall down when your dog runs through them, but still have enough give that they won’t hurt your dog if they run into them
  • Comes with a convenient storage bag that collapses to a small size so that you can bring it with you if you travel

Cons

  • Must be used outside because of the nails, but not sturdy enough to be left outside permanently
  • The tunnel may tend to catch the wind and blow away in a strong breeze

5. CHEERING PET Canine Obstacle Training Equipment — Portable Outdoor Canine Obstacle Training With Convenient Extras Included

$59.99
2 new from $59.99
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of August 17, 2024 1:58 am

This is a handy portable dog agility course with all the obstacles you’d expect as well as a couple of handy extras. A substantial tunnel 58.5in long does a good job of replicating the length you might expect from a real agility course.

The jump is completely adjustable so that you can start out with your dog at a very low level as they gain confidence and then adjust it to an appropriate height for the size of your dog.

The weave poles fit into the ground using stakes so they’re unlikely to fall over, but they also have enough give that it won’t hurt if your dog runs into them.

All of the training equipment in this kit fits conveniently into the included travel bags so that you can bring them with you anywhere.

This dog agility course also includes a couple of extra features that are very convenient for training your dog in agility:

  • The rope toy allows you to reward your dog as the professionals do. Using a rope toy as a reward is a good way to get your dog hyped up and urge them to do the obstacles without having to use food rewards every time.
  • A whistle is also included you keep your dog’s attention and mark when they’ve done something right.

Pros

  • Comes with a whistle and a rope toy as well as all of the typical obstacles that you would expect
  • Easy to fold up and transport or store in the carrying bag
  • Colored weave poles make it easier for you to direct your dog

Cons

  • Whistle tends not to work very well
  • Not durable enough to be left outside but can’t be used inside because it depends on stakes
  • Instructions about how to put things together aren’t very thorough

Conclusion

If you’d like to try agility with your dog but don’t want to make a huge initial investment, one of these home agility courses may be the perfect solution.

Whether you want to practice indoors or outside, you can help your dog to get the hang of agility and see if you both enjoy the activity before you spend more money for advanced training.

By the way, if you’re looking for some dog agility training tips, I have another post on the topic.

Please let me know your comments below.

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