What are the dog training tools that every owner needs? Leash is one of the tools, which almost every owner has and uses on a daily basis and you could use it to teach you dog how to behave appropriately during walks, to make corrections, and to gain greater control over your dog.
Using a plain leash is appropriate for almost all environments, but a retractable one is particularly suitable if you walk your dog in large open spaces such as parks.
The dog color can be used for identification, but for control too and there are number of training collars available.
You should take the time to learn the differences between slip, flat, prong, shock, martingale, flotation, and wolf colors in order to choose the one that your dog would benefit the most from.
The slip, also known as choke collars are ideal for making a quick correction, the martingale collars are perfect for specific breeds that slip out of regular collars easily, and prong collars are designed to discourage the dog from pulling.
If you are unsure which type to buy, you can visit a local supplies' store and ask the owner for advice or get online and post your question on the various forums and interest groups.
Head collars or halters are special type of collars, which although more often used in other animals, could be used as dog training tools as well.
Often a muzzle could be attached to the halter in order to prevent an aggressive dog from biting other dogs or people.
The halters are perfect for using in larger breeds or over energetic dogs and give the owner better control over the animal's direction and could be used without harming or causing pain to the dog.
It could take two or more weeks for your pet to get used to a new halter, but you might be able to shorten this time by using treats and other forms of positive reinforcement.
Whistles could be used for calling a dog or teaching it various commands, while clickers are used as a positive reinforcement.
The clicker comes in handy when teaching your dog new behavior and each time it does it does it right, you reward it by pressing the clicker.
One of the greatest advantages of using a clicker comes from the fact that the owner can introduce an immediate reward, while patting the dog or even using words could be too slow for the dog, which might have trouble linking the reward to its behavior.
Treats, deterrents, muzzles, game bird equipment, bait bags, balls, and bite wedges are also often used by many owners.
However, the best tool, which you would ever need are your own skills - training a puppy or an adult dog could take months and years and requires persistence and patience.
Start by reading a few books, learning more about your pet's breed, talking to other dog owners, and visiting a few websites.
Then, purchase a few dog training tools, learn how to use them properly, and try working with the dog's natural instincts and urges rather than against them!