Menu:
Dog Training Equipment
There is a huge variety of equipment out there for training dogs. Whether you are trying to train your own pet at home or are setting up your own training school, here are some pointers about what kind of tools you could invest in to have well-schooled animals.
Indoors
For basic training in house manners, some owners prefer not to use any equipment at all. However, using some simple tools will make your task a lot simpler. Here are a few worth looking into:
Treats:
While you may not consider treats as conventional “equipment”, they are key ingredients for training your pet. Dogs perform better if there is an incentive and initially, treats will do the trick. After your dog has learnt the lesson, you can replace the treat with gentle praise or play.
Crate:
Training your dog to eliminate in the right place can be achieved successfully with the help of a crate. The basic principle behind the use of this equipment is that dogs do not like to soil their resting area unless under dire circumstances. By confining, your dog to a crate for a short period of time and leading him to the appropriate area when he needs to go, you are likely to see remarkable results.
Clicker:
The clicker is a simple sound-making device. When used, the animal will associate an action with the sound the clicker makes. As soon as the dog gets an action right, the trainer should use the clicker, followed by a treat. This works better than just handing out a reward as it is more specific and easier for your pet to grasp.
Outdoors
Some basic outdoor training is also helpful. Some of the key lessons are:
- When you’re taking him for a walk, you want him to know that you’re leading him instead of the other way round.
- If your pet gets agitated, you need to prevent him from injuring any other people.
- If he were to stray too far away, you would want to have him under control.
For these purposes the following equipments can be used:
- Retractable leash
- Muzzle
- Dog collar
- Retrieving dummies and dumbbells
- Gloves (for your own protection).
Trick training
For those of you who want your dogs to do tricks, specific gear is definitely needed. Whether you want your pooch to jump through hoops or run a rally, here are some must-haves:
a) Agility training
- Agility contact obstacles
- Contact zone training hoops
- Weave poles
- Weave poles training wires
- Open and closed agility tunnels
- Agility start/finish markers
- Numbered heavyweight cones for agility or rally.
b) Obedience jumps
- Wooden portable jumps
- Regulation jumps
- Practijumps Lightweight Vinyl Obedience Jumps.
Just acquiring the gear isn’t enough; you need to be aware of how to use it. Misuse of tools can have adverse effects on the training process. So, make sure to get an expert opinion to ensure you don’t set the bar too high.