Is this a good agility set? Also, need gift suggestions

[gritsar]

Now that my DH is back to work and not working with Jax every day, Jax is bored. I want to get Jax an agility set for Christmas. I could set it up in the backyard and work with Jax on it every day. Jax loves agility and tracking, omg! the dog loves tracking.

I often shop at Jefferspet online. They have two different starter sets for agility. One is a brand name, one is Jefferspet brand. Very different prices. I'm trying to decide whether it would be worth it to purchase the more expensive set.

The expensive set:

http://www.jefferspet.com/petsafe-agility-equipment/p/0031776/

The Jeffers set:

http://www.jefferspet.com/jeffers-dog-agility-set/p/0032640/

Which do you think would be the better buy?


Also, I need gift ideas for Kane. Kane is not into agility like Jax. He loves to swim, but I can't really take him to our pond every day in the winter months. Ideas?

 

[chickenwhisperer]

That is a significant difference in price for the kits.
I realize that the more expensive one has 6 pieces instead of 5, but still . . .

Id think you need to read reviews of both products and see if you can find the difference in materials, which is probably where the price difference comes from, tho you may just be paying for the name on it.
.

If it was me, Id buy the cheaper one because whats the point of spending the extra money . . .
But actually, if it was REALLY me, Id build all that stuff myself . . .

I always buy store-brands, they are usually the same exact product but without the name on it, most are even packaged in the same place.

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

Neither of them will be really sturdy - they're both basically play-around sets, and you won't be thrilled with how they hold up.

I think most semi-serious people start with DIY jumps (look up "agility jump cups" and buy those, then cut your own PVC) and a good tunnel like from NTI Global or Clean Run. Once you know what kind of training you really want to do, then you buy a weave set and possibly jumps to go with that. It's honestly better to buy a good tunnel and spend more money on a good intro to agility class than to spend a ton to have them ship the same PVC you can get at the big-box store.

 

[turney31]

I think I would go with the cheaper one. Unless you are wanting to go into competion, then the higher quality one .

 

[Whispering Winds]

He may be like a typical kid too, and want to play with the box . . . I think I would check CL on free and in general just to see if you could work something up yourself, he won't care what it looks like or if its brand new . . .and a hula hoop would work great for the hoop thing . . .but they are neat!!! First one I ever really took time to look at . . .

 

[gritsar]

This is going to be just basically something for Jax to do when his "Daddy" is working. More for play than serious training. Right now Jax's favorite play toy is GS's playset, which has stairs to climb, a platform to jump off of and a slide.
Really both dogs are just farm dogs. With Jax it's a matter of finding things to keep him happy and Jax is happiest when he's got a job to do. Kane is happy just being Kane.

 

[Happy Chooks]

He's a police dog, right?

My best friend does Shi tzen (sp?) training with her German Shepherds. (very similar to police work, lots of tracking) Maybe there's a group in your area that you could join to work with him occasionally?

ETA: Had to add the space, so the bleeper wouldn't bleep it out.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Schutzhund training

Though my DH is a police officer, Jax is not a K9. There are no groups anywhere near us (we've checked). In the rural area where we live there are two types of dogs - hunting dogs and farm dogs.

Jax and Kane were bought for my protection, when DH is working nights. Also, Jax assists me with some things around the house since I am disabled/have mobility issues.

 

[patandchickens]

My understanding is that if you want a tunnel that will hold up, you have to pony up some real $ for it.

Personally, if these are going to be regular playtime or training apparatus, I would be more inclined to spend my money on fewer higher-quality more-durable items, than on a 'complete' set of stuff that is essentially disposable.

A lot of agility stuff is real easy to make yourself. Jumps, tire jumps, pause table, dogwalk, A-frame, weave poles. The tunnel is the big one to buy. What if you buy a =good= tunnel, then see what funds you have leftover and use it towards some pvc or plywood to make some of the other items?

I am not sure it's a good idea to let dogs *play* with the raised agility equipment (dogwalk, A-frame, pause table) though... you really really really don't want them jumping off the top of the A-frame or things like that.


Pat, gradually makeing some agility stuff for Russell

 

[Brindlebtch]

Good tunnels are made from mine ventilation duct work. Sometimes its cheaper getting a tunnel from one of the ventilation companies. Exact same stuff as agility equipment.

Grits, if you just want to get a play set w/o trouble to yourself, I would go with the first set. It looks a little sturdier, so if Jax hits it, it won't break. I know folks with PVC jumps and stuff and they work just fine, except sometimes, after a few years, they get brittle from the sun exposure.