equipment

DOG TRAINING EQUIPMENT
Making Sense Of It All

I don't have to tell you that there are many, many options out there for dog training equipment. What equipment works? What
doesn't? What is right for YOUR dog? It is complicated for many dog owners to navigate the world of equipment - so I am sharing
my personal opinions and preferences in hopes of helping clients find answers. I do not require that you use any particular
equipment in my classes, but I can make recommendations of what works and what is generally a miserable failure.

COLLARS
Let's just right to the meat of the issue - collars. There are so many types: buckle/flat collars, Martingale/check choke collars,
harnesses, Halti/Gentle Leader/head halters, pinch/prong/pressure collars, choke chain/slip collars, citronella collars, and
e-collar/shock collar. Ask people and you'll get a ton of recommendations for and against all of these collars. As an experienced
trainer that has used all of them on hundreds of dogs, I will share my personal opinion and you can decide for yourself what you
wish to use on your own dog.

Buckle/Flat Collar
This is a typical collar, worn by nearly every dog for purposes of identification. They come in adjustable nylon varieties with lovely
colors and prints. Traditionalists prefer the high quality leather flat collars with a sturdy metal buckle - and these are the best flat
collars for strong dogs. The quick release plastic catches on many nylon collars can break under pressure from a strong pulling
dog. For smaller breeds, the plastic quick-release nylon collars work well.

Trainer's note: This is the collar that represents the ultimate goal of control for a well-mannered dog. However, it is usually not
the ideal collar to teach good behavior, especially if your dog is already learning to lean into the collar (noted by gagging and
choking as he drags you down the street). The more a dog learns to lean into collars of any sort, the more insensitive his neck
becomes. The goal is to STOP that behavior by making the dog responsible for holding a proper position at the handler's side.
Good training provides that skill.

Martingale/Check Choke Collar
Originally used for dogs with thin necks and heads, such as Greyhounds and Whippets, to protect their necks and prevent them
from slipping their heads backwards out of the collar, the Martingale has been somewhat re-designed for everyday use.
Frequently you can find them with a nylon body and a small section of chain that looks similar to a choke chain. Sometimes they
are made of a nylon body and a nylon "check" section.

Trainer's note: This is one of my FAVORITE collars for training stable, gentle dogs. There is a slight correction afforded by the
chain section, but the collar cannot constrict completely. This collar can be used in place of a Buckle collar and is preferred for
any dog that tends to fight the collar and try to back out of it to escape. Smooth headed dogs are notorious for this.

Snap Choke Collar
This collar works like a choke chain, but offers some important benefits. The collar can be properly sized and fitted to the dog's
neck because it wraps around the neck rather than slips over the head which provides greater control. Additionally, because
these collars are not made of heavy chain, they are much more likely to remain in place where they are most effective - high on the
neck, right behind the ears. These collars are available from sources via the internet, but not widely available in stores.

Trainer's Note: Among some trainers these have been found to be very useful tools. They do provide a wonderful measure of
control for unruly dogs and can be a good intermediate training collar. I have used them on occasion with good success. They do
need to be properly sized or they lose their effectiveness. Because they are primarily mail ordered, getting the right size can be a
bit of a pain. They are particularly good as a backup collar for a pinch (in case the pinch pops open).

Harnesses
Usually nylon, these harnesses vary in configuration but are primarily worn around the body. Often owners of small dogs choose
this option believing that the collar is too damaging to the dogs' throat - especially when their small dog pulls on the leash.

Trainer's note: If I had a dollar for every small dog owner that insisted on using a harness. This is a symptom of a bigger
problem in the relationship and tells me immediately that the owner is worried about making the dog responsible for his behavior.
Small dogs, just like their larger cousins, CAN learn to walk properly on a leash and collar. Harnesses do nothing to train the dog
as to the correct position to walk, it merely restrains them. In most cases, it makes pulling worse - that is why they use them on
sled dogs! Except in rare cases (for example, when there has been neck trauma or injury) I do not recommend a harness. They
do not teach your dog any responsibility. Unless I was training my dog to pull a sled, cart or act as a service dog in harness - I
would not use this tool.

Halti/Gentle Leader/Head Halter
Nylon halter that is worn on the face, much like a halter on a horse. The concept is that if you control the head, you control the
body. These are promoted by many veterinarians and positive-only trainers as kinder and gentler methods of training.

Trainer's note: These are really quite awful gimmicks that have come out of the "positive only" training movement. They work,
similar to the harness, by restraining the dog from moving forward. They do not teach the dog anything. Once the head halter is
off, the dog's bad behavior returns. What's more, I have never seen a dog that is happy to be wearing one of these devices. I find
it hard to imagine how this can be seen as "kinder and gentler". The dog will constantly paw at the thing to remove it and more
upsetting, the dogs always appear emotionally distraught and even depressed when wearing them. These contraptions manage to
cause whiplash-like injury when the dog's head is quickly snapped around from either the dog suddenly running off and hitting the
end of a leash or the owner yanking the dog around. Personally, I think that these devices tend to have a detrimental
psychological effect on a dog. They are not horses (ie., prey animals) and their noses and muzzles are keenly important to them.
Placing this device on their face, in my opinion, is upsetting because we are messing with their primitive livelihood. It is just a bad
device, in my opinion. I have used them and I own a couple - but I very rarely recommend them. It would have to be an extreme
situation where there is no other alternative.

Pinch/Prong/Pressure Collars
These collars are made of interlocking links of metal with prongs protruding from the links. The collar is adjusted by removing or
adding links.

Trainer's note: As sinister as these devices look, used correctly these are - by far - the most effective and humane means of
training a strong, unruly dog. I have used these collars to corral several wild adolescent pups. They are outstanding tools for
those with large, powerful breeds and wonderful tools for woman and the elderly who need a bit of assistance to gain control over
their strong dog. The prongs are spaced such that they replicate a mother dog's disciplinary bite - usually delivered to the necks
of wayward pups. The prongs do not break the skin or cause pain when used properly. It should be noted that these are
TRAINING TOOLS, not permanent solutions. The goal is to move the dog from a training collar (such as this) to a more
conventional collar (such as a Martingale or Buckle collar). When these tools are left on too long, the dog may become insensitive
to the correction and they will no longer be effective.

Choke Chain/Slip Collar
This collar is also made of metal links that form a collar that can be easily tightened and released for an effective correction.

Trainer's note: While I do use these on occasion, they are not my favorite training tool. I don't often recommend them to pet
owners because so many people use them incorrectly. They ARE directional and you can put them on "backwards" causing pain
and discomfort for your dog. I have seen far too many dogs leaning into choke chains, possibly damaging their own trachea. The
collar concentrates a lot of pressure along a narrow band making this probably one of the worst choices for a strong puller. Also,
there is no limit on the choke...you can close that loop indefinitely. In the hands of a trainer that gets angry or emotional with their
dog, it is a completely unfair tool. I tend to use these only as reminder tools once the dog knows where he/she is supposed to be.
This is not a primary training collar for me personally, although I do show my dogs on them after they have been properly trained.

Citronella Spray Collar
Previous models have been designed to control unwanted, excessive barking only. These collars are affordable, widely available
and work on barking control even when the owner is not present. Recently, a new model has come out that allows the handler to
control the spray remotely. This opens a much wider field for the use of control of unwanted behaviors. These collars are
approved by the ASPCA.

Trainer's note: I like these collars for the elimination of barking and have used them for the past 10 years or so. In my
experience, they work on about 70-80% of dogs. Others just don't seem to care. The new remote collar is interesting and I
recently purchased one to test. This collar is an effective tool for correcting problems such as raiding the garbage, digging, eating
out of the cat box, sibling rivalry squabbles and the like. Like many of the collars here, this is a special collar that would be used in
special circumstances.

Remote Training Collar/Shock Collar/ Electronic or E-Collar
This collar provides a mild electrical stimulation to the dog. It may also have features that make sounds or have a pager/vibrate
mode. Traditionally used to train hunting dogs and police K9s, these collars have improved dramatically in the past several years.

Trainer's note: While people may be horrified at the use of these collars, they have saved the lives of many dogs. In my opinion,
they are useful and safe when used appropriately. Dog owners should NEVER use these collars unless they are instructed by a
professional dog trainer that is skilled in their use. I have been experimenting with using the new low-stimulation collars for more
routine training with my own dogs with good success. This tool has it's place, but should never be used by inexperienced
handlers. It is highly advised to use this tool only with guidance from an experienced trainer.

LEASHES
There are fewer options with leashes (or leads) but there are a few important points that need to be mentioned.

Retractable Leashes or Flexi Leads
Retractable leashes (sometimes called Flexi leads) are widely marketed in local pet stores. They work by giving the dog around
15' of line that retracts as the dog is closer and extends as the dog moves away from the handler. There is a button that allows
you to lock the leash in place to work at one length.

Trainer's Note:
Flexi's are not appropriate for most routine training. If a trainer wishes for you to use a retractable lead for certain specialized
types of training, they will request it. This is not a good choice for general walking with your dog in urban areas and will do nothing
for teaching your dog correct position to walk with you. I do use these in certain special circumstances for training (rarely) and I do
use them when travelling with my dogs to give them some exercise and potty breaks at rest areas and dog shows. A word of
caution, the rope portion of the Flexi lead will burn your hands if you grab it when your dog is running away from you. I even know
people that have lost fingers by wrapping the line around their finger in an effort to stop a dog from bolting. Dogs have also
seriously injured their own legs/paws when the cord wraps around their leg and they bolt. If your dog is strong and likely to react in
an uncontrolled manner, this is an entirely inappropriate tool and you could seriously injure yourself using it.

Chain Leash
A length of chain has a snap on one end and a leather or nylon loop at the other. Often used by people with strong breeds.

Trainer's Note:
This is an unsuitable leash for training. The chain is too heavy, creating a pressure on your dog's collar that is counter-productive
to future off-leash training. The chain is not comfortable on your hands and a very strong dog could cause finger amputations if
you got parts caught up in the leash. You cannot give a good correction with this type of leash and you can actually harm the dog
if the leash should snap back and hit the dog in the face. I never use this type of leash in my training or with my dogs. The ONLY
reason I could see to justify using it would be in the case of a dog that quickly can chew through leather or nylon and escape. I
would use it to break that habit and then switch to a more appropriate leash.

Leather Lead
Flat leather or braided, these leashes are by far the ones selected by dog professionals everywhere. A 4-6' leather lead is a
professional trainer's staple - whether training police dogs, service dogs or show dogs - professionals across the board go for
leather. Leather gets more pliable with age, lasts for decades and delivers exactly the type of training correction most
professionals want. These leads can be pricey, but they last much longer than other options.

Trainer's Note:
This is my personal favorite choice. I have a few leashes that I paid $30-50 that I use all the time. Well made, these leads wear
like iron - even with the most demanding dogs. I've had dogs play tug with them for years and they still look as good as new.

Nylon Leash
This is a 4-6' nylon leash with a loop at one end and a snap at the other. The come in varying widths, strengths and colors.

Trainer's Note:
I have many of these leads as well as my leather ones. Most pet owners select this type for the bright colors and patterns. Keep
in mind that the leash is less expensive and will probably not last more than a year or so. They become frayed, especially if the
dog has done any chewing along it's length which will significantly weaken the leash. In most circumstances, this is a perfectly
acceptable training leash. Just watch for "fancy" items that might get in the way of your hands such as jewels, rivets, or beads.