By Gordon Simmons-Moake Comments This is the best design I have seen for weave poles. It easily flexes at the base to provide the give required for large dogs to weave properly and safely, but it does not have so much give that dogs can plow through without weaving properly. The flex is provided by a heavy-duty spring, and it is limited by a bolt, which is inserted into the bottom of the base. When the pole hits the bolt, further flex can only be obtained by bending the pole. Plastic tubing is placed over the bolt, primarily to keep the pole from rattling. You have a choice in the number of weave poles and the spacing between the centers of the weave poles. Long sets of weave poles are usually assembled from two or more smaller sets. This design is for two sets of 6 with 20-inch spacing, a very common arrangement. One set of six can be used for Novice Jumpers with Weaves, and the two sets can be combined for the maximum number allowed in the other classes. This could be complimented by two sets of four, which would allow combinations of 6, 8, 10, or 12. (If you are hosting trials, your Open exhibitors will appreciate your giving the judge an opportunity to use fewer than the maximum number of poles.) To modify this design, all you have to do is change the length of the base and the scale the number of hardware pieces to the number of poles you will have. The length of the base for a section is simply the number of poles in the section times the desired spacing. This design can be modified to make offset training poles. Just replace the 1x4 base with a 1x6, and place the poles one and a half inches off center, alternating the off-center side from pole to pole. The position of the first pole from the end is important, since the dogs must enter from a specific side. (See the drawing in step 6.) For that reason, use an even number of poles (e.g. 6 per set) so that the dogs can enter correctly from either end. Also, make the PVC poles 30 inches high instead of 39 inches.
Materials The following materials are required for two sets of 6 weave poles with 20-inch spacing between centers.