AKC Teeter Board Specifications
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. This club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs such as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the National Dog Show and the AKC/Eukanuba National Competition. These competitions include an evaluation of the agility of the entrants. One of the agility tests is how the entrants handle the teeter board.
Construction Specifications
An American Kennel Club competition agility dog teeter or seesaw can be manufactured from wood or fabricated materials. All teeters must have a 1 inch tolerance and measure 12 feet in length and 1 foot in width. The base must extend 2 inches past the sides of the plank with a gap not to exceed 4 inches. The height of the teeter measured to the pivot point is 22 to 26 inches. The top surface of the plank must be finished with a non-slip surface. The contact zones on either end of the plank must measure 42 inches long and be identified with a 1/4 inch tolerance.
Performance Specifications
A plank must be balanced so that it hits the ground in less than three seconds when a 3-pound weight is placed 12 inches from the raised end. The American Kennel Club is responsible for providing an accurate weight and stopwatch at all competitions to ensure that teeters meet specifications. Padding can be added to the underside of the plank to prevent startling competitors, but performance specifications must still be maintained to meet competition requirements.
Training Goals
The American Kennel Club has determined that entrants utilizing the teeter board or seesaw must demonstrate certain abilities to be judged accurately. Entrants must ascend the plank and touch the up contact zone with any part of at least one foot which causes the plank to pivot. A part of at least one foot must touch the down contact zone after the plank has touched the ground prior to the entrant's exiting the obstacle. The obstacle is considered complete when all four paws touch the ground.
Training Considerations
The teeter board or seesaw can be a challenge for many dogs because the noise and movement may be startling. Many dogs will try to jump off the board prematurely. Trainers should start slow and practice until the dog becomes comfortable with the movement. Many trainers have found it beneficial to walk the dog immediately past the fulcrum and then wait for the teeter to hit the ground before proceeding.
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