Recommended Training Tools & Equipment
Not sure what equipment or training tools you might need?
Leashes
There are many types of leashes out there that you can purchase that vary in size, materials, color, weight, etc. Having multiple leash sizes is very useful for training. I always like to have a 6 ft., 15 ft., 30 ft., and 50 ft. leash. While the type of leash you use comes down to personal preference, my favorite type of leash to use for walking is "twisted" or "braided" leather. It is very important to get a high-quality leash from a reputable source as you never want faulty equipment, especially the clasps to break!
Leather
Last for a long time and are easy on your hands. They have a soft yet strong grip
Tubular Nylon
Strong and durable, great to use especially for long-line work
Soft Grip
Strong and durable, great to use especially for long-line work
Biothane
Water-proof and easy to clean
Slip Lead
Slip leads are great to have on hand.
Treat Pouches
Treat pouches come in a variety of forms. They are very handy to use when training your dog. Types of treat pouches can be: small bags that clip onto your pants, belts, aprons, vests, and heavy & lightweight jackets
Treat Pouch
Treat pouches come in various sizes with single or multiple storage pockets
Treat pouches can be purchased from: Amazon, K9 Tactical Gear, Ray Allen and more
Vest
Vests are great when you want more pocket space and don't want to carry a bag on your hip or when it is hot outside and a jacket would be too heavy. If you don't want a dog brand fishing tackle vests that have pockets work great too.
Brands of dog-specific vests: Arrak Outdoors, IQ Dogsport, Gappay, Raddog are all brands that carry dog specific vests. Fishing tackle vests also work great.
Jacket
Jackets are great to have for times when its cold outside. You can only use it when you are training your dog allowing the jacket to get scratched up and dirty.
Brands of dog specific jackets: Arrak Outdoors, IQ Dogsport, Gappay, Raddog
Apron/Skirt
Any apron from a hardware store such as Home Depot and Lowes that has pocket space is also an option to carry your treats.
Skirts are similar to aprons and dog brands like Hallmark K9, Gappay, etc. sell them
Collars
Prong Collar
Herm Sprenger is the only brand of prong collar I recommend. If you are unable to open the prongs yourself there are a few different options to purchase a buckle clip that replaces the center plate. They come in multiple sizes the most common being 2.25, 3.0 and 3.25
Martingale
Martingale collars come in various styles. They are useful compared to a flat collar since they are considered to be "no-slip" or "limited-slip."
Flat Collar
Flat colors are great for putting ID tags or patches on and are best used to walk with if the dog is not a puller.
Muzzles
Muzzles, while they look scary and intimidating can be a great tool! Muzzles come in all different shapes, sizes, and materials. There are many reasons a muzzle may be used. Here are some examples: some dogs like to scavenge, some are bite risk, they can be used for emergencies or at vet visits/groomer, and used in dog sports. Muzzles can come in plastic, metal, leather, vinyl, fabric, biothane. When picking out a muzzle you must look at several factors, Is your dog bite risk? Is your dog a scavenger? Does it have enough pant space? It is key that you buy a muzzle that fits your dog properly for both the safety and comfortability of the dog. Dogs that wear muzzles for extended periods of time MUST have enough pant room to safely wear them.
Plastic
Baskerville,
Metal
FDT, Dean and Taylor,
Vinyl
Jafco, Trust-Your-Dog, Leerburg
Biothane
Trust-Your-Dog
Plastic
Flat colors are great for putting ID tags or patches on and are best used to walk with if the dog is not a puller.