Broad Jump Guides
The broad jump exercise is more than just jumping straight across some boards on the ground. Ideally, you want the dog to jump straight down the middle, yet not jump super flat. You also do not want the dog to cut the corner before turning to come to front. These guides are the best tool I have come up with to help teach dogs my requirements for the broad jump.
I make these wooden bases and can paint them several different colors. The bases stand approximately 3 1/2" high. The 18" acrylic rod in the center is removable for easy storing and transport. There are moveable rubber rings on the rods to ensure the string stays exactly at the height you want…or remove the string entirely to use just the side guides. Place the guides anywhere you want, depending on your dog.
Guides come with two 5' strings - a purple, blue or dark green piece of paracord (which are colors dogs are supposed to see well) and a piece of 1/8" thick white nylon braided cord. You can also use any type of string or cord of your own, if you want to make it either more or less visible to your dog.
** If you think your dog may have an issue with or be worried about the string, what I use for some dogs is a tiny spring clip attached to each acrylic rod with a wooden dowel or another piece of material laid across the top of the clips. This way, if the dog hits the dowel, it will simply fall off the clips. I often use the clear plastic pieces which are sold for protecting wallpaper corners in the house for the horizontal piece.
I make these wooden bases and can paint them several different colors. The bases stand approximately 3 1/2" high. The 18" acrylic rod in the center is removable for easy storing and transport. There are moveable rubber rings on the rods to ensure the string stays exactly at the height you want…or remove the string entirely to use just the side guides. Place the guides anywhere you want, depending on your dog.
Guides come with two 5' strings - a purple, blue or dark green piece of paracord (which are colors dogs are supposed to see well) and a piece of 1/8" thick white nylon braided cord. You can also use any type of string or cord of your own, if you want to make it either more or less visible to your dog.
** If you think your dog may have an issue with or be worried about the string, what I use for some dogs is a tiny spring clip attached to each acrylic rod with a wooden dowel or another piece of material laid across the top of the clips. This way, if the dog hits the dowel, it will simply fall off the clips. I often use the clear plastic pieces which are sold for protecting wallpaper corners in the house for the horizontal piece.
Where I place the guides most of the time for my dog:
My dog jumps a 40" broad jump with 3 boards. I place the guides between the second and third board, with the string height in a position to prevent my dog from jumping too flat. The guides are placed in from the edges of the boards, to ensure he jumps straight through the middle and doesn't try to cut the corner. Almost EVERY time my dog performs a broad jump exercise, these guides are in place. Perfect practice makes perfect!!
Placement variations:
Smaller dogs - conceal the bases between the boards. Lower the string to the height desired.
String is removed to concentrate on jumping straight through the center. If you left the string on the guides in this position, it should not be positioned as high as when placed in the center of the jump.
The string is removed and the guides are set back from the jump slightly. I would do this if I wanted the dog to travel a little further before turning. Or use only one of the guides for the dog to go past before turning to come to front. These are much less visible than an orange cone!
To see my young dog (10 months old) using the broad jump guides, please click below. In the first two reps, he is only jumping one board and the guides are set at the back edge of the board, with an additional one guide for him to wrap (you can also use a cone or other object here). In the second two reps, he is jumping two boards, with the guides between the two boards. I have the string height set a little lower than where it would be for an adult dog, but still higher than the boards, as he is relatively new to the broad jump.
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