Training Tools

Dog Training Tools are very important when you've decided to train your dog or puppy. Just a few things that are very important and must haves when training. The basics include leashes, collars, and treats.

No harnesses.
No flexi/retractible leads.
No pinch collars.
No choke chains.
No large treats.

Make sure you wear training appropriate clothing. When training, you move around a lot. You also, want to be weary of your shoes; it is possible to slip out of your shoes while training or get your toes stepped on.

No skin tight pants.
No belly shirts.
No low cut shirts.
No flipflops.
No sandals of any kind.

Training Your Dog

The oldest training method is the technique of punishment. But using Punishment as a Training Method you can encounter many problems and big concerns. Whereas, using Reinforcement Training, you come across fewer problems. Reinforcement training is the quickest and most effective way to train ANY dog.

When Training a Dog always think about the dog first. Configure your training method around the dog's personality. You do not want to be as forceful with a passive dog as you would with a more dominant dog.

Have fun when training your dog. It's a great bonding experience.

Clicker Training

Have any of you heard of Clicker Training? I find that it is one of the better techniques towards training dogs. I have found the quickest results when using a clicker than without. I began training my new puppy without the clicker, and she basically understood what I wanted, but as soon as I picked up my old clicker and began using it when training with her, she began catching on quicker and quicker. It is pretty simple to clicker train. You can use your voice as a sharp 'yes' when the desired behavior was reached; the sharp 'yes' is in place of the clicer as we all have our voice with us at all times, but maybe not a clicker. This is what I started with when training my new puppy, but I was not getting the results I desired in the time frame I had hoped. When picking up my old Karen Pryor I-Click clicker, MIA quickly began responding to simple cues of 'sit,' 'down,' 'sit/stay,' 'down/stay,' and 'speak.' Many more behaviors are added to her 'behavior glossary,' with every click of the small, hand-held clicker.