DIY adjustable height PVC cavaletti

I really like this cavaletti set for cavaletti training. It is made of PVC pipes and can be adjusted to five (5) different heights, or even more! It is perfect for dogs of all sizes and skill levels.

Here's how to make a set of four (4) cavaletti poles that can be adjusted to different heights. And if you want, you can easily make more!

A set of 4 cavaletti poles made from white PVCs. The photo is take from the side, we can see that the legs are of different sizes.

What you need

  1. Four (4) PVC poles, each approximately 3 feet long
  2. Eight (8) 5-way PVC connectors
  3. Four (4) sets of PVC "legs"
    • Each set has eight (8) PVC poles that are all the same length
    • E.g.,, I have 8 PVC poles that are 1" long, 8 that are 1.5" long, 8 that are 2" long, and 8 that are 2.5" long.
    • How long should the PVC legs be?

Notes:

  • The length of the poles affects how wide the path is for your dog. A wider path is easier for your dog to walk on and a narrower path is more challenging and requires your dog to focus and balance. Bigger dogs will need a wider path than smaller dogs.

  • The diameter of the poles affects how high the cavaletti will be. Smaller dogs might do better with poles that are thinner, like 1/2" or 3/4". Medium to large dogs might be able to start with poles that are 1" in diameter. The poles I used here are 3/4" in diameter.

  • Remember to get the connectors that match the diameter of your PVC poles! If your poles are 3/4" in diameter, you'll need 3/4" connecters.

The length of the PVC poles will determine how high the cavaletti poles will be off the ground.

If you have a small dog, you can start with 1" legs and increase by 1/4" or 1/2". If your dog is larger, you might start with 1" legs and increase by 1/2" or 3/4 inch".

If you have dogs of different sizes, it is a good idea to have multiple sets of PVC legs so you can change the height of the cavaletti poles. But make sure the cavaletti poles are not higher than your dog's hock height!

A set of 4 PVC poles approximately 3 feet log, and a set of 8 5-way PVC connectors.
Four sets of 8 PVC legs of 1 inch, 1.5 inches, 2 inches, and 2.5 inches.

Step 1

  • Attach the PVC legs to the four sides of the connectors.

  • Connect each connector to PVC legs of 4 different lengths.

  • These connectors will raise the cavaletti poles above the ground.

  • Make sure the legs on each end of the PVC pole are the same. Make 4 sets of connectors with legs that match.

Four sets of PVC connectors connected with legs.

Step 2

A set of 4 PVC cavaletti poles put together, pictured from the top.

  • Attach the PVC connectors to the ends of the PVC poles.

  • Adjust the pieces so they fit together nicely at both ends.

  • Congratulations! You made a set of four (4) cavaletti that can be changed to different heights.

Final product

A set of four white PVC cavaletti poles pictured from the front.

The poles we have here are 3/4” in diameter. We have legs that are 1”, 1.5”, 2”, and 2.5” long. This gives us 4 different heights that are about 2.75”, 3”, 3.25”, and 3.5” tall. We can rotate the poles to change the height.

If the poles are 1” or 1.5” in diameter, the height will be a little bit taller.

Cavaletti-legs-measured.jpeg

The shortest height we can make with these poles is to lay them on the ground.

If we take one leg off and connect the pole to both ends of the connector, the poles will stay on the ground and will not roll around.

A set of four PVC cavaletti poles lying flat on the floor.

Final notes:

If you have a small dog, the measurements described here should be about the right size. But if you have a big dog and you want the poles to be higher off the ground, you can cut longer pieces to use for the legs. For example, you can use legs that are 2.5”, 3”, 3.5”, or 4” long. It is always helpful to have different lengths of legs so you can switch them out and use the right size for the dog you are working with. Just remember that the cavaletti poles should be set at no higher than your dog’s hock height!