When teaching your dog, there are many types of dog training equipment that you may use. Choosing the proper equipment can increase your chances of successfully training your dog. Here is a simple guide to some of the most commonly used dog training equipment.
COLLAR
Depending on the type of dog you have, you can choose from a number of different collars. Understanding how to train a dog is also recognizing your dog’s behavioral traits. If you have an active dog, you may need to use a collar that offers a measure of control over your dog’s activity. Some training collars, such as chain collars or pinch collars, should only be used on dogs that are “neck insensitive”. For other types of dogs, you may want use a modified choke collar, or a regular nylon collar when training.
LEASH
A leash is a very important dog training tool, especially in the early stages of your training program. Teaching a dog to “heel” requires that you purchase a high-quality, sturdy leash. You may either choose to purchase a retracting leash (of varying length), or a standard length nylon leash. Depending on the size of your dog, you may have many options. Be sure to choose a leash that is strong enough to control your dog during early leash training.
TREATS
Though many dog owners don’t realize it, treats are an extremely important training tool. In the early stages of your dog’s training, treats can be a very useful motivator. As your dog’s training progresses, you can eventually phase out treats as a constant reward, using them instead as a reward for especially good behavior. Be sure to use small treats, especially if you are giving them to your dog on a regular basis. Never use treats that are high in sugar, corn syrup or other corn ingredients, since these may cause digestive problems in your dog.
SPECIAL TRAINING
If you are participating in an agility training program, clicker training or other special training techniques, you will need to purchase specialized training equipment. Be sure that you research your training program so that you purchase the proper equipment. For example, in clicker training, you will need to have a small, handheld clicking device. This device is usually fairly inexpensive, and is sold at many pet care supply stores. For agility training, you may need to purchase or build expensive equipment in order to properly train your dog.