Straight Cavaletti

 
 
 
 
straight-cavaletti-5poles

Straight line cavaletti, as the name implies, refers to a set of cavaletti poles set in a straight line, with equal distance between poles.

This setup is the foundation of all cavaletti exercises, as it promotes body awareness, improves shoulder and hips flexibility, activates and strengthens the core muscles, and encourages focus forward.

Straight line cavaletti is designed for trotting purposes.


What you need:

  • A set of cavaletti: 4-6 poles with cones/blocks (Want to make your own adjustable cavaletti?)
  • A relatively flat and non-slippery surface
  • A handful of yummy treats
  • A dog
  • Optional: Two "anchor" objects (e.g., traffic cones, rubber feeder bowls, platforms, raised beds, flat targets)

The setup:

  • The distance between two poles should start at about the height of your dog’s withers (or ~2 times elbow height if you have a short-legged breed)
  • For example, if the dog measures 24” at the withers, I will set the poles to be 24” apart to begin with
  • If I have a Pembroke Welsh Corgi that measures 6” from the ground to the elbow, I will set the poles to be 12'“ (i.e., 6 x 2 = 12) apart to begin with

  • Aim for feet landing about mid-point between two poles

    • Adjust the distance depending on your dog’s stride length and size
    • If you hear your dog’s feet keep hitting the poles, the distance may be off and need to be adjusted
    • For some dogs, you may need to shorten the distance until they learn how to maneuver across them

  • Start with the poles on the ground and slowly increase the height, but the height of the poles should be no higher than your dog’s hock height ( Why not higher than hock height? )

  • Tip the cavaletti cones to the side can set the poles lower than the lowest hole on the cone
  • When the poles are on the ground, secure them sandbags, bricks, or PVC connectors so they will not roll

withers height

Withers height refers to the distance from the highest point of the shoulder blade to the ground.

elbow height

Elbow height refers to the distance from the elbow joint to the ground.

hock height

Hock height is the distance from the top of the hock joint to the ground.

The presence of the cavaletti poles is to help the dog to be more mindful about picking up each foot as they move across the setup. As the goal of cavaletti is to encourage the dog to trot through the poles, setting the poles at lower than hock height will allow them to move through the setup with correct form. When the poles are set higher than hock height, the setting will be more likely to encourage the dog to hop or skip over the poles due to the increased height. As a result, the dog would be less likely to be able to trot through the poles, but rather hopping, skipping or jumping over the poles, which is not the goal of the straight line cavaletti.

Similarly, long back dogs (e.g., corgis, dashunds, basset hounds) and small dogs may never need to raise the poles off the ground in order to keep the poles lower than hock height.

nomial-straight-cavaletti-front.jpg

The major goals:

  • Trot across the poles

  • Aim for focus forward (i.e., head looking straight)

  • Aim to have your dog’s feet land approximately midway between two poles (video is truly your best friend here)

Evaluating progress:

  • One repetition (i.e., 1 rep) refers to the dog trotting across the cavaletti setup once (e.g., trot across 5 poles set in a straight line). What is a trot?

  • In the beginning, reward after each rep (i.e., dog trots across cavaletti setup -> mark + reward)

  • Once a dog understands how to trot across the poles, focusing forward, with feet landing about mid-point between two poles, I will usually start doing 4-6 reps in a session. At this point, the dog is doing 1 set of 4-6 reps.

  • Slowly increase the number of reps in the set. How to increase the number of reps?

  • Once a dog can reliably do number of reps in 1 set, slowly increase the number of sets. I typically reduce the number of reps when increasing the number of sets to help my dogs succeed. How to increase the number of sets?

  • Until the dog can reliably do the increased number of reps without fatigue, I will not progress further with the exercise.

  • As cavaletti is a relatively repetitive exercise, I typically do no more than a total of 30 reps

  • Need some help tracking cavaletti progress? Download our FREE cavaletti tracker! (Printable version or Online version)

A "rep" refers to a repetition. For straight line and curved cavaletti setups, one repetition (1 rep) refers to when a dog trots across the cavaletti setup once.

A set is the number of repetitions (i.e., reps) a dog completes before taking a break. For example, 1 set of 5 reps means that the dog trots across a cavaletti setup 5 times before taking a break.

The reasonable number of reps to aim for depends on your dog’s age, physical condition, experience, and other factors (e.g., weather, the amount of distraction).

With healthy adult dogs with no pre-existing conditions, I usually start with 4-6 reps a session, then slowly work up to 1 set of 10 reps of a beginner/intermediate level exercise before progressing.

Click here for more information.

I typically reduce the number of reps when increasing the number of sets to help my dogs succeed. For example, a dog can comfortably complete 1 set of 10 reps. My next goal is to increase to 2 sets of 10 reps = a total of 20 reps. I may ask for 2 sets of 6 reps (a total of 12 reps), or 2 sets of 8 reps (a total of 16 reps).

I will not ask for 2 sets 10 reps (a total of 20 reps) until the dog can complete less than or equal to 20 reps in any rep/set combination.

Click here for more information.

A trot is a 2-beat gait where a dog moves their diagnoal front and rear legs (left front + right rear; right front + left rear) forward and land on the ground at the same time. After a diagonal pair od legs lift off, there is a short moment of suspension before the other diagonal pair lands on the ground. This is typically considered the most efficient gait for dogs.

Click here for an animation demonstrating different types of canine gaits.

straight-cavaletti-cody.jpg

Signs of fatigue:

  • Panting/drooling

  • Knocking/kicking poles

  • Tripping/bumping into “anchor” objects

  • Unable to maintain trotting gait (e.g., jumping over poles when they could trot consistently a few reps before)

  • Poor form and posture (e.g., head dropping, excessive bouncing, back twisting instead of maintaining straight, limbs swinging out)

  • Common stress signals (e.g., scratching, yawning, sniffing, head shaking, checking out)

 
 

Beginner

Who is it for?

Start here if your dog is new to cavaletti. However, the beginner level is appropriate for dogs of all ages, including puppies and seniors, and/or dogs who need to re-learn cavaletti.

Goals

There are two main goals in the beginner level:

  1. Learn to trot through the cavaletti independently

  2. Maintain forward focus across 4-5 poles

Ex 2.1 >> 2 poles with anchors

Ex 2.2a >> 3 poles with anchors

Ex 2.2b >> 3 poles with bowls

Ex 2.3 >> one rep

Bonus 2.1 >> Correct distance vs. poles too far apart

Bonus 2.2 >> Correct distance vs. poles too close together

Progress checkpoint | Beginner

  1. Is your dog able to trot through the cavaletti poles setup?

  2. Is your dog able to focus forward (i.e., head looking forward, not looking on the ground and/or at you/other places) as they trot through the setup?

  3. Is your dog able to have their feet land approximately mid-point between two poles most of the times?

    • As sometimes dogs have to adjust their stride as they approach the cavaletti setup, the landing between the 1st and 2nd pole may not be perfect. With practice, they should be able to adjust accordingly and land with their feet about midway between two poles.

  4. Is your dog able to clear the poles (i.e., not kick/trip/knock on the poles) consistently throughout a session (e.g., 1 set of 10 reps)?

  5. Upon watching a video of your cavaletti session, does your dog appear to trot at ease across the cavaletti setup?

    • Does your dog appear to move with balance and ease?

    • Does your dog move with relatively little bounce (i.e., up and down) of their back?

    • Do your dog’s legs move comfortably, or do they move in sort of a choppy way?

  6. Is your dog able to complete your set goal of sets and reps (e.g., 1 set of 10 reps)?

 

Intermediate

Who is it for?

The intermediate level is appropriate for dogs who can confidently and independently trot through a set of 4-6 cavaletti poles. It is best if the dog can achieve at least 2 sets of 10 reps in one session.

Goals

The main goal in the intermediate level is to increase stamina by:

  1. Increasing the number of reps before reward/rest

  2. Increasing the number of cavaletti poles

while still maintaining the trotting gait with forward focus across the cavaletti

 

Ex 2.4 >> multiple reps with cones

Ex 2.5 >> 7 poles, one rep

Ex 2.6 >> 5 poles, increase height

Ex 2.7 >> 5 poles, low/high height comparison

 
 

Progress checkpoint | Intermediate

  1. Consult the Progress checkpoint | Beginner, does your dog meet all the criteria for the intermediate level exercises?

  2. Is your dog able to, consistently, complete your intended goal of Intermediate level exercises in one session?

  • Keep in mind that we do not necessarily transfer the intended goals from beginner level to intermediate level. The introduction of multiple reps and/or poles constitute an increase in difficulty. As we increase difficulty in one aspect (i.e., the number of reps/poles), we decrease the difficulty in other aspects (i.e., the number of sets/reps)

  • For example, your dog was able to complete 2 sets of 10 reps (a total of 20 reps) in Ex 2.3 (Beginner level). Your goal for Ex 2.5 (Advanced level) may be to complete 2 sets of 6 reps (a total of 12 reps).

 
 
 

Advanced

Who is it for?

The advanced level is for dogs who have mastered the basic and intermediate levels of straight cavaletti. Ideally, the dog can achieve 2-3 sets of 5 reps of intermediate level exercises in one session.

Goals

The main goal in the advanced level is to further improve body awareness by asking the dog to adjust stride length and height across the cavaletti, while still maintaining the trotting gait with forward focus across the cavaletti.

Notice that as I increase the difficulty of the exercise (e.g., by changing heights), I reduce the number of poles for the exercise. Keep in mind that as we increase the difficulty of one aspect (e.g., height), we lower difficulty of other aspects (e.g., number of poles, reps/sets). Only until the dog is able to achieve the same amount of fluency of ONE new challenge do we increase the difficulty of another aspect.

*It is important to note that as we adjust the height of the poles, the height of the cavaletti poles SHOULD NOT BE HIGHER THAN YOUR DOG’S HOCK HEIGHT. (Why not higher than hock height?)

hock height

Hock height is the distance from the top of the hock joint to the ground.

The presence of the cavaletti poles is to help the dog to be more mindful about picking up each foot as they move across the setup. As the goal of cavaletti is to encourage the dog to trot through the poles, setting the poles at lower than hock height will allow them to move through the setup with correct form. When the poles are set higher than hock height, the setting will be more likely to encourage the dog to hop or skip over the poles due to the increased height. As a result, the dog would be less likely to be able to trot through the poles, but rather hopping, skipping or jumping over the poles, which is not the goal of the straight line cavaletti.

Similarly, long back dogs (e.g., corgis, dashunds, basset hounds) and small dogs may never need to raise the poles off the ground in order to keep the poles lower than hock height.

Ex 2.8 >> alternate heights version 1

Bonus 2.3 >> comparison between same/alternate heights

Ex 2.9 >> alternate heights version 2

Ex 2.10 >> higher middle poles

Progress checkpoint | Advanced

  1. Consult the Progress checkpoint | Beginner, does your dog meet all the criteria for the Advanced level exercises?

  2. Is your dog able to, consistently, complete your intended goal of Advanced level exercises in one session?

  • Keep in mind that we do not necessarily transfer the intended goals from beginner level to intermediate/advanced level. The variation of height poses a challenge to the cavaletti exercise the dog is used to. As we increase difficulty in one aspect (i.e., vary the height), we decrease the difficulty in other aspects (i.e., the number of sets/reps)

  • For example, your dog was able to complete 2 sets of 8 reps (a total of 16 reps) in Ex 2.5 (Intermediate level). Your goal for Ex 2.8 may be to complete 2 sets of 5 reps (a total of 10 reps).

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