How much space do you need for a dog agility course?
If you want to set up a whole course including all obstacles, expect to need at least around 5,000 square feet. This is because it will require some space to put up the weave poles, contact obstacles, tunnels as well as a variety of jumps.
In total, a standard agility course contains:
- 15 or more jumps (these can be simple bar jumps, but also contain a broad jump, tire jump, panel jump, double and triple jump or wall jump)
- 2-4 tunnels and tunnel holders
- 1 set of weave poles
- 1 dogwalk
- 1 teeter totter
- 1 A-frame
- 1 pause table
In order to be safe, you need a minimum distance between jumps and other obstacles. If you put them too close together, your dog will not be able to take off from the right spot and could crash and hurt himself.
If you do not have that much space available, it is actually much smarter to just set up a few obstacles, but with adequate spacing in between them. For a large dog for example, jumps should not be closer than 10-15 feet. Your dog will need this distance to regulate his striding and take off safely.