How to Make a Canine Rocker Board
If you want your dog to be able to make his way through an obstacle course where he has to walk up and down a teeter-totter, you need to develop or improve his balance first. To improve your dog's balance, build a canine rocker board. It is a simple device that will build balance gradually so that your dog is more comfortable when it comes time to walk up and down a teeter-totter. Before you know it, you'll be watching your pet complete the entire obstacle course.
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Things You'll Need
- Sturdy piece of plywood
- 1 or 2 rubber bath mats
- Glue
- Rubber ball
- Duct tape
- Scissors (optional)
Instructions
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1
Purchase a piece of plywood that is twice the width of your dog and at least eight inches longer than your dog.
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2
Glue a rubber bath mat or another non-slip surface to one side of the plywood. It should cover enough of the plywood for your dog to stand on; if you have a large dog, you may need two rubber mats. If you have a small dog, you may need to trim the rubber mat with scissors to get it to fit on the plywood.
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3
Attach a rubber ball on the base underneath the plywood. For a small dog, a tennis ball will suffice. For a larger dog, you can use a small medicine ball. Attach the rubber ball underneath the plywood with duct tape. The ball should be in the middle of the plywood. Use enough tape so that you can no longer see the ball. The sticky side of the tape should no longer be exposed. Pull the tape tight so that the ball can't shake loose.
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4
Flip the plywood over so that the rubber ball is on the bottom and the non-slip surface is on the top. Set it down on a flat piece of ground.
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Push down on one side of the plywood and make sure that the other side goes up, like a small teeter-totter. Push down on the other side to check for the same thing.
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Tips & Warnings
Try not to purchase a rubber ball for the base of the canine rock board at a store. Experiment with different circular or semi-circular objects found around the house. Many will achieve the task, and you'll save yourself some money.
Do not use the dog to test the canine rocker board out. Push it yourself to test it.
Supervise your dog on the rocker board.
