101 Uses of Barriers!

Just kidding, we only have 60 uses for our barriers. We made barriers for our classes over winter break and used them for the first time in class this week! The barriers are made of corrugated plastic cardboard and duct tape, and are extremely versatile. (See www.posidog.org/barriers for instructions on how to make your own.) We first started using them at dog camp last year, and are continually amazed by how many uses they have! Here are the uses we have come up with, do you have any of your own?

1. Divide the classroom into multiple stations
2. Manage reactive dogs
3. Manage reactive handlers!
4. Provide a visual barrier for reactive dogs
5. Work on out of sight stays
6. Take a nap where the campers can’t see you!
7. Teach recalls with two dogs running side by side at one time
8. Build A MAZE!
9. Make heeling patterns
10. Perfect your out of sight recall
11. Make bedrooms for campers
12. Recall with handler hiding
13. Corral enthusiastic teenagers
14. Build forts
15. Make boxes so treiball doesn’t run away
16. Build part of an obstacle course
17. Make a spectator area (spectators WANDER)
18. Corral tennis balls
19. Safe place for shy/ fearful dog
20. Keep trainers safe from people aggressive dogs
21. Make sure people stay where you put them
22. Observe dogs without interfering with dog/ handler
23. Cover crates
24. Make dividers between crates
25. Keep dogs from extracting nearby items into their crates
26. Separate dogs with food toys
27. Allow multiple dogs and handlers to work off leash with less visual stimuli
28. Teach straight backing up
29. Make a flyball lane
30. Teach go around
31. Blind retrieves
32. JUMPS (accidently)
33. Whiteboards you can only KIND of erase
34. Doors
35. “Junk pile” hiding (otherwise known as supplies)
36. Mat behavior
37. Napping
38. Rain protection
39. Frosting fights protection
40. Dog painting surface
41. Decorations
42. Riot Gear (if the rioters were armed with water and frosting)
43. Sunshade
44. A very sad stage
45. Backdrops for pictures
46. Movie Props
47. Barricades for launched ammunition (dumbbells, dog treats, cupcakes)
48. Biggest book ever!
49. Time out area
50. Hiding place
51. Hide and Seek
52. Doorway block
53. Ducks in a row
54. Herding cats
55. Window Block
56. Playpen for rats!
57. Place to put your leash
58. Coat hanger
59. Separating crazy playing shelties!(or any breed)
60. Doggie racetrack!