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Dog Training Devices Simple Tools Or SubstitutesThe Resource for Everything About Dogs |
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Dog Training Devices Simple Tools Or Substitutesby Darren Lintern
The inventiveness of trainers and those that provide them with additional tools is never ending. To the casual or novice trainer there seems to be a dizzying assortment of devices. Although, many are highly useful, they should never be viewed as alternatives for basic training experience. Prior to using any of the devices mentioned below, be certain that your dog is in good health. Even the gentlest of training regimes or collars are capable of doing harm if the dog has a twisted dew claw or a skin sore. Clickers - Ideal for getting the attention of your pet, the clicker is a plastic and metal hand held unit that emits a noisy click clack effect when squeezed and released. It can save on the trainer needing to shout frequently, and is extremely audible, even against heavy background noises. Leashes and Collars - These is such as variety of leashes, ranging in scale from a two foot control collar, typically nylon or leather, to the 35 foot retractable nylon cord style. For close work, such as instructing 'sit' or 'stay' (for example, 'don't chase after the cat') the two to five foot collar is an ideal accessory. The extendable leash is handy for those trainers that want to obey their pet. The human (either male or female) needs to always be the 'alpha male' of the group, and the alpha will always lead. Leashes are available in several buckle, nylon, snap, leather combination. As long as the nylon and snaps are of sufficient quality they can be entirely suited for even the larger breeds. They need to be carefully adjusted, though, to ensure they don't slide off easily. The spike collars is generally opposed by many trainers, as they could easily injure a smaller dog, and seem to prompt fear in even the larger ones. In a similar way, choke collars are not encouraged. Although dogs do have powerful neck muscles, a sharp jerk on the front of the throat has the potential to bruise or even collapse a trachea. Vests - In a similar way to the leashes, a full vest or chest halter leash can aid in strengthen the dog handlers advantage while at the same time preventing undue pressure on the pets throat. A possible downside to these leashes is that the dog will not experience any discomfort from being pulled, so this can limit training entirely to positive reinforcement. Intended originally as an aid for seeing-eye and other support dogs, the chest halter can promote tugging - the reverse of the usual objective. However, for those that require additional control over an unruly dog or when the standard leash and collars won't serve they're priceless. Muzzles - For interim biting and barking control muzzles can often be useful or even essential. The flipside to using one is that the dog will not learn through other means to curb barking. The muzzle can turn into a replacement for the more complex, long term answer of obeying 'no bark' directions. There are a variety of other dog-related items: chemical sprays, electric fences, no-bark collars, head collars, etc. But these are essentially control devices as opposed to training tools. Finally, of course, there are the training devices that continue to be extremely effective and everlasting favourites: love and respect. Treat your dog with great respect and it will certainly be much simpler to achieve the desired behaviour results.
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