Getting a new pooch in your family is incredibly exciting. Having chosen the best pooch to suit you and your family, it is now time to ensure that you train them so they will be a family member you can be proud of and they are happy, relaxed and confident as they understand what is expected of them. A good solid foundation of basic commands are a must and must never be skipped over. Here are some basic tools of the trade.
1 Puppy collar or Harness
You need a collar or harness that fits well to ensure they are comfy and do not object to wearing it. Do not forget it is law to wear a name tag any time your dog is out.
2 Anti Pulling Aids
Start as you mean to go on. You can get head collars and harnesses that are designed to prevent pulling. Not only for you but also to prevent throat damage to your dog.
3 Metal Chain Lead
Many puppies and even adult dogs chew their leads. Using a metal chain lead stops this before it becomes a habit.
4 Puppy Training Line
A long line so that you can practice the all-important recall without the fear that they will run away.
5 Squeaker insert (backed up with
squeaky toys at home)
Most dogs love the squeaker noise, and it can be used to your advantage while out if you need them to look at you quickly while training. Ensure you let them have squeaky toys that you play with at home to reinforce the fun (even if you feel the need hide them most of the time as the squeak is driving you craaaazzzzy)
6 Ragger toy
This is not a toy that should be used to “win” but only to play, as you do not want to encourage your dog to try and beat you at a game.
7 Ball
A bouncy ball, a football, a tennis ball, a rubber ball, the world is your oyster
8 Treat Pouch
You never want to run out of amazing treats. Just the sight of this will make them take notice.
9 Puppy Treats
Mix and match suitable puppy treats. If feeding dry food, take some of this out of their allowance and use as the staple treats, add some variation such as carrots then add some high value treats such as small cubes of cheese, chicken pieces and liver bits, see which are the favourites and keep them for the extra special rewards.
10 Clicker
If you are organised enough to remember where you put it and keep it with you all the time, clicker training works really well. The basic is you mark a desirable behaviour immediately with a clicker and then reward. They hear the click and know the exact moment they did the desired thing and know you will reward them for it in a moment. It has proven to be extremely effective in training dogs.
