How to Make a Safe Dog Hoop

So you want to train your dog to jump through a dog hoop? In this article, I am going to show you how to make a dog hoop that is SAFE for your dog.

When a dog jumps through a dog hoop, there is always the possibility of the dog injuring himself by accidentally hitting the dog hoop with his legs. So below, I will take you on a step-by-step guide to building your own safe dog hoop.

Equipment required:

2 small plastic hoops (approximately 22″ in diameter). You can find some very cheap ones at your local dollar store (my two hoops cost me a total of $2).

4 disc plastic magnets (half an inch in diameter or small enough to fit in the hole of the hoop). You could use any type of magnets really, but for the hoop to work well, you should use magnets that fits perfectly in the hole of the hoop. I purchased my magnets at www.kjmagnetics.com for $4 (+ shipping).

Tools Required:

1 Metal saw to cut the hoops. You could use anything really, since it is only plastic. But I don’t recommend that you use a knife or scissors as you might injure yourself.

1 Hot glue gun with sticks. You could also use crazy glue or silicone, but the adhesive that you use must be strong enough to keep the magnets in place.

Guide:

The first thing that you must do is separate the hoops. There is a union somewhere on the hoops that is hidden by a piece of tape. Remove the tape and take out the small piece of tubing that is holding the hoop together.

As soon as you detach the hoops, you will notice that they will expand. Place the hoops on the ground and pull each side gently until the hoops are completely loose.

Then place them one on top of each other, as to make one big hoop. Position both hoops so that the big hoop is round.

Draw a line where you will need to cut the hoop. In the picture, I have to cut the orange hoop.

Once the hoop has been cut, your next task is to glue the magnet inside each ends of the hoops. One very important thing to do before you glue them, is to check the polarity of each magnet. Each magnet has a north pole and a south pole, and one side can only attract the opposite.

For example, a north pole can only attract a south pole. So before you glue the magnets, I recommend that you mark down with a marker which sides are what.

Pour the glue from the hot glue gun into the hole of the hoop. Push the magnet inside and then put a piece of tape to hold the magnet. Then hang it upside down until the glue is dry.

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Once you’ve done this for all four ends, remove the tape and tada!

Conclusion:

That is pretty much it! Remember that if you’ve never trained your dog to jump through a dog hoop, make sure that you start LOW and to gradually increase the height. Keep it fun and enjoy your training!