When you adopt a new dog, you're bringing home a new family member. It's your duty to make sure your furry friend is well-behaved and gets along well with the other family members and pets. That's where training comes in. But since dogs don't have speech like humans, you need specialized training tools. In this guide, we'll walk you through the most essential training tools every dog owner must have.
9 Must-Have Dog Training Tools - Essentials for Every Dog Owner
Training forms the base of the relationship between you and your furry friend. You can't have confidence, and you won't enjoy going for walks and hikes with an unpredictable dog. A dog that you aren't sure whether it'll attack people and other dogs on the trails or not. The same happens at home.
You won't have peace, especially if you have small children when the dog is ill-behaved. You'll also have lots of messes to clean and frequent apologies to make to neighbors and friends. Training makes life less stressful for you and your furry friend by keeping the dog's behaviors under control.
You'll also create a stronger bond with your furry friend, as you'll be spending time together during the training sessions. The good news is that you don't need to enroll your dog in training classes or hire a dog trainer. Here are 9 tools that will help you train your dog at home.
Tool #1: Leashes
Dogs are natural explorers, regardless of the breed. Even the small Yorkshire Terriers will wander off to smell new scents. These are wolves' descendants, and exploration is in their DNA. If you don't keep your furry friend under control, chances are that he'll wander off and get lost or stolen.
According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, around 1 million pets get lost in Canada every year. 7 out of 10 of those missing pets are dogs. Another problem is the bites and diseases your dog can get from wildlife when it wanders off the hiking trails and gets into the bushes.
A leash is what will help keep your dog under control during these outdoor walks and explorations. It's also worth mentioning that a leash is a must have in some places. For example, the Dog Owners' Liability Act and Animal Bylaw in Toronto states that the dog must be on leash when in public places.
The only exception is when the dog gets into the designated dog park. Otherwise, you'll be fined up to $365 if your dog is found off-leash in roadways, beaches, school yards, sidewalks, and parks. The same thing is in the US. All the states have outlawed dogs getting into public places off-leash, which they refer to as dogs at large.
However, Pennsylvania and Michigan have more specific laws addressing the leashing issues. All in all, the takeaway is that a leash is a must. We suggest you order a leash here, the ones that we have tested and confirmed to be of superb quality.
Tool #2: Collars
Collars are what give you the physical connection between the dog and the leash. So, these two go hand in hand. This automatically makes collars a must-have. But not all collars are the same. Some are designed for training, and others for everyday use. Let's break down the two main categories you'll need.
Martingale Training Collars
These are the collars you need when leash training a large breed dog. For instance, dogs like the Huskies were bred for sledding. They can pull a load of about 85 pounds at a speed of around 10-14 mph. This pulling force can easily drag you or break the leash. But martingales don't work like standard collars.
These collars come with two loops. One of the loops is for adjusting the size of the collar when fitting it on the dog's neck, just like a standard collar. The second loop tightens itself when the dog pulls on a leash. This pressure is what discourages the dog from pulling.
Note that the tightening is to some degree, and the collar can't go all the way to choke the dog. The collar is also comfortable and won't hurt your dog's neck. Note that we're talking about the safety and comfort features of the martingale collars we have tested.
Something worth mentioning is that these are training collars, and your furry friend should only wear them during the training sessions. There are other training collars like choke collars and prong collars. We don't recommend these designs as they tend to hurt dogs. It's also a punitive way of training.
Standard Collars
Standard collars are those designed for all day wear. Since your furry friend needs to be on leash all the time, a standard collar is a must. Because this is something that the dog will probably wear from morning to evening, 7 days a week, except during the training session, we suggest you prioritize comfort.
You don't want a collar that will cause chafing, irritations and hair loss around your dog's neck. Again, we recommend the standard collars we have tried, the Alpine Dog Luxe Collars. They are lined with neoprene, the comfortable and moisture wicking swimsuit material.
Tool #3: Treat Pouches
We'll look at why you need treats later, but let's first focus on the treat pouches. As the name suggests, these are like small bags for carrying the treats. During training sessions, you'll probably be holding the leash with one hand.
Remember, there can be tugs, especially if you're leash training. This makes it impossible to hold the treats with the free hand. Another issue of having the treats in your hand is that your furry friend will see them, and his focus will be to eat all of them at once. Pockets won't work either.
For instance, it's hard to find pockets large enough to fit treats, poop bags, and water bottles and still fit your things like credit cards, keys, and phones. That's why a treat pouch is a must-have for every dog owner.
The good thing with most treat pouches is that they have multiple compartments. This allows you to carry the treats, water bottles, and poop bags separately. Then the biggest advantage is that you just strap the bag around your waist. Your hands are now free to help with the training.
Tool #4: Clickers
Clickers do exactly that: clicking. It's worth mentioning that clickers and treats are the ones that get you into the heart of training. The clicker produces a short, consistent noise. For deaf dogs, the signal can be visual.
The idea is to make the dog associate the clicking noise with a reward. That's why clickers work hand in hand with treats. It's advisable to get a clicker with a wrist strap, so you'll still be able to hold the leash.
When getting started, click the clicker, and then give the dog some treats. That way, your furry friend will associate the sound of the clicker with rewards. A clicker works better than giving the treats directly in two ways:
Anticipation
Dogs' brains work just like humans' brains. So, the same way we get more excited when anticipating an event than when the actual event is happening is the same for dogs. The clicker makes the dog anticipate the treats, which increases the magnitude of the reward.
Timing
It takes time to retrieve treats from your pouch bag. By the time you're giving the treats, your furry friend is already doing something else. So, the dog thinks it's a reward for the latter. Another problem is the dog learning that you fetch the treats from the pouch. For instance, imagine you're training the Sit command.
When the dog obeys and sits, and then it sees you reaching out to the pouch, it might stand up and start coming towards you. When you give the treats, it won't know it's reward for the Sit command. But with the clicker, you activate it that very moment it sits. So, the dog knows the exact reason for the reward.
Tool #5: Target Sticks
Target sticks help you train advanced commands and complex tricks. For example, you can use the target stick to move the dog from place to place. It's just like how you can direct a visitor not only to sit but also on which couch. Usually, target sticks are extendable and have rubber balls at the end.
You'll use the same method of introduction, like the clicker until the dog associates the rubber ball with rewards. For example, when getting started, place the stick rubber ball near your body. When the dog touches it with the nose, reward it.
Overtime, the dog will learn that touching the ball brings rewards. That way, you can direct it somewhere, and once it's there and touches the ball, give the Sit command. Once it obeys, activate the clicker and then give treats.
Tool #6: Long Lines
After training your dog, it's time to start giving it some freedom to explore. The standard leash is usually 6 feet long. That's a very small area for a dog to explore, especially the giant breeds. Long lines are just extra long leashes, with or without handles.
They allow your furry friend to explore, without risking having him off leash. If he's attached to the environment and ignores the recall commands, you just put pressure on the line. We recommend those ones without handles to reduce the chances of stucking.
It's also advisable to go for long lines made of Biothane material as they're easy to clean. Another advantage of Biothane is that it's waterproof and resistant to fraying. Remember, the dog will be dragging the lead on the ground, so expect dust, mud, scratches from rocks, and everything.
Tool #7: E-Collars
E-collars are simply electronic collars. They look like the standard collars above, but they have a receiver and remote transmitter. The receiver delivers a mild electric shock, sound, or vibration when activated. Although they are not related by design, E-collars work like long lines.
They give you control over your furry friend from long distances. But instead of a physical connection with a leash, you'll be activating the shock, vibration, or sound to discourage the bad behavior. The biggest advantage of E-collars is that you can use them to correct behaviors that a leash can't.
For instance, you can make the collar produce a high-frequency sound that distracts the dog when it starts barking destructively. This discourages barking behavior. In the same way, you can make the collar deliver a mild shock whenever the dog tries to jump over the fence and escape.
Tool #8: Training Mats
Dogs are like kids. You need to teach them everything, including time to stop playing and rest. The work of training mats is to train your dog to recognize its designated place. So, the dog will be going and lying on the mat when you say Go to Mat.
The dog should stay on the mat until you release it. The reason training mats are a must is that they make your dog self-controlled, regardless of what is happening around you.
That means you can go to restaurants, place your furry friend's mat under the table, and he'll enjoy his meal and chill there. Or when you're on public transit without a crate, your furry friend will have learned to travel quietly on his mat. Make sure you go for a mat with a slip-free bottom, so your dog doesn't slip and get hurt.
Tool #9: Training Treats
Training treats are the backbone of dog training. Remember, you still need to bond with your furry friend during training sessions. So, you have to use positive reinforcement training, not aversive methods. That means you reward the dog for doing what is right, but you don't punish it when it does wrong.
One fact about dogs is that they have strong appetites, and food is their biggest motivator. That's why treats are a must when using positive reinforcement training. Something to note: dogs are prone to obesity.
So, you'll want to make sure your furry friend maintains a healthy weight. The best thing to do is to consider the recommended daily calorie intake for your dog, and balance calories from the treats with calories in the daily portions. Generally, calories from treats shouldn't be more than 10 percent of the total calorie intake per day.
Conclusion
Your dog's level of training determines how good your relationship will be. A well-behaved dog is enjoyable to live with, and you'll be comfortable taking it with you on camping trips, hiking, parks, and restaurants. The best way to train your dog and still bond during the process is to get the above tools and then use positive reinforcement training.