Preston, we have very heavy-duty folding tables that will -- and have -- held firm with a mature Rottie standing on them. Of course, we're usually dealing with Rotties with a fair amount of show experience and they are used to standing on podiums for some of their win shots. Pets are not used to being off the floor and tend to get a bit anxious the higher you put them. I have used those tables for a bunch of shows involving smaller breeds from Toys to Shelties and simply draped them. I've also used grooming tables which are made to hold fairly substantial animals.



Again, show dogs can handle tables and podiums. Pets and puppies can't always. And you need to make sure you have some sort of non-slip surface on the table whether you drape it or use the natural rubber of a grooming table. When I drape a table, and I'm posing a dog stacked, I spray the surface with some Tacky Paw so they don't slip.

Jim

Any ideas on a folding table that is portable enough to drag to homes? When I do the dog show, I create a set - but it is not practical for home usage. It is not big enough nor light enough. As a result, I wind up making things as I go along in the homes....and of course, it is just not as good as shooting off a well designed platform.

James

James,
I built two styles of tables myself. I bought folding legs (Home Depot,I believe) and mounted them on a piece of 3/4" plywood. (It's 30"W x 42"L) It's handled up to 200 lbs. On the top, used a rubber/vinyl matting I bought from a restaurant supply. Total cost under $75.

I also made an 18"-24" table again with 3/4" plywood mounted on a 2"x4" frame. The corners are framed so I can slip either 18" or 24" legs inside that are also 2x4's. For added safety, I drilled a 1/2" hole through the frame and the leg so I could slip a bolt through both and secure with a washer and nut. I use this at my studio mostly. (I'm at home. Sorry no pictures.) I am not "carpentry inclined" and I pulled this off.

Doug

Just a footnote about the lightweight tables. I'm actually using a couple of NFL tailgating tables that are 2x4 or two Lifetime folding tables that are 2x4. And I do either brace them or bungee cord them together, and I weight them down with my travel case or whatever heavy I can find. So, yes, if you don't do that they are kind of scary tables.

In my studio, I have 4x4x2'H platforms (on wheels) in each room ... on the road, portrait booth, shows etc I use any combination of 1 to 3 - 2x4' tables that go to 3 heights (knee, normal table & buffet) ... these, when the legs are stretched out, have minimal to no wobble ... when I don't know what the next dog will be, I keep the tables at knee height, if I'm doing a small dog breed show, they're up to buffet height

to stop the slickness of the tables, I have a fuzzy, stretchy black fabric that I clamp down securely, then toss the color de jour over that for my photos