A-frame: slats or no?

[gcv-border]

Some advice please from those who trial in multiple agility venues (since I only trial in one):

 

I just purchased a used A-frame which will have to be entirely resurfaced since it has several holes as a result of rotting wood. (I knew that when I purchased it. Essentially, I knew I was purchasing the aluminum frame only.)

 

I thought that I would make one side slatted, and the other side free of slats to give my dog the 'experience' of both surfaces (both surfaces will be rubber-coated). But now I am wondering if I need to do that after overhearing someone say that 'everybody's going to slatless'. Is that true? Anyone have a crystal ball as to which direction the agility industry is trending?

 

Thanks in advance,

Jovi

[Root Beer]

Some advice please from those who trial in multiple agility venues (since I only trial in one):

 

I just purchased a used A-frame which will have to be entirely resurfaced since it has several holes as a result of rotting wood. (I knew that when I purchased it. Essentially, I knew I was purchasing the aluminum frame only.)

 

I thought that I would make one side slatted, and the other side free of slats to give my dog the 'experience' of both surfaces (both surfaces will be rubber-coated). But now I am wondering if I need to do that after overhearing someone say that 'everybody's going to slatless'. Is that true? Anyone have a crystal ball as to which direction the agility industry is trending?

 

Thanks in advance,

Jovi

 

I've not heard that, but that doesn't mean it's not true. But still, I haven't heard it.

 

I haven't found that my dogs have any trouble with a slatless in competition when they train exclusively on a slatted A-Frame. Granted, that is once a week at class, not several times a week at home, but thus far no issue.

 

I don't know how dogs do going the other way - training on slatless and then performing a slatted.

[Rave]

I've known a few people who have done slatted on one side and non-slatted on the other. It's what I would do if I did multiple venues. I have never heard any rumor at all of "everyone going slatless" and I seriously doubt that would ever happen.

[SecretBC]

Well, now that everyone is going to rubber contacts, slats are more or less pointless. So I can see that "someday" we might see the powers that be getting their heads out of their behinds and admitting this.

 

Would I put wooden slats on a wooden a-frame? Not a chance. Luke, my biggest dog, manages to stub a toe every single time he has seen one of these in his lifetime.

 

The little rubber slats that we see on the rubber contacts are far less intrusive. But again.... Pointless. I would skip the effort, personally.

[mickif]

If you only trial in one venue, I would use whatever is used in that. I originally did the slats on one side, none on the other, as I do venues that use both. I didn't see it interfering with the AFs for whatever venue at trials or elsewhere at practice.

 

I recently added contactacoat and am using slats (wood), what I find is that the rubber chips end up building up the "space" between the slats so that the slats are less defined, even with the chips sprinkled on the slats. Just make sure you round down the slat edges prior to adding. I have yet noticed stubbed toes and many dogs use it.

 

If you have been dependent on listening to your dog's striding in the past, you will have a harder time as mine is now super quiet!

 

Neither of my dogs seem to have issues transferring their AF behavior to other AFs, whether slatted or not, rubber coated or not, and my youngest pup never was on my original with each side different.

[dsmbc]

I agree, you should do what your venue does most often. In the classes I train they use rubber, no slats and my dogs do great, but in the venue around here, it is mostly non-rubber with slats. my dogs don't like the slats. wish I had a way to train them more.