Game #4 · Health & Fitness
Indoor Agility Course
Improves physical coordination and trust.
- What you need:
- Couch pillows, a broomstick, two chairs, and a cardboard box.
How to play
- Lay pillows in a line on the floor as "hurdles."
- Rest a broomstick across two low chairs for a jump.
- Open both ends of a large box to make a short tunnel.
- Guide your dog through the course using a treat as a lure.
Coach's notes
- Keep jumps at or below hock height for adults; use ground poles only for puppies under 14 months.
- Non-slip surfaces only — rugs or yoga mats prevent slips into shoulders and hips.
- Fade the food lure by rep 4–5 so your dog is following your body, not your hand.
- Stop while your dog still wants more; boredom breeds sloppy landings.
If your dog loses interest
Quick fixes when engagement drops mid-session.
- Refusing an obstacle? Remove it, praise them for a lap without it, then reintroduce at half the height.
- If they get overwhelmed by 4+ obstacles, cut back to 2 and slowly rebuild the sequence.
- Slippery floors kill confidence — put down a yoga mat or rug under jumps and tunnels.
Why it works
Zink & Van Dyke's canine sports-medicine work shows low-impact obstacle work builds proprioception and joint stability without the injury risk of full-height agility.
References
- [8] Zink, M. C., & Van Dyke, J. B. (Eds.) (2018). Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
Which cognitive muscle is your dog's strongest?
Run the same science-based tasks from Duke in your living room and get your dog's full cognitive profile.