05 May 2014

Positive Pet Training #5 - These are a few of my favorite things

Welcome to the fifth Positive Pet Training Hop that I'm co-hosting along with Cascadian Nomads and Dachshund Nola. This month's theme is favorite training tools so I'm sharing my favorites.

Louisana Alligator Jerky: We go through a lot of treats because we're always training something. I rotate different flavors and type of treats but Mr. N's current "crack" is alligator jerky. How I Adopted Your Brother gave Mr. N some when we were in Michigan and he was hooked and kept asking for more.They're small and easy to break up but be warned, they do smell.

Starmark Clicker: I've tried three or four different types of clickers and this one is my favorite. It fits comfortably in my hand and is sturdily built. It's a little on the loud side which I prefer but it may be too much for sound sensitive dogs. Clicker training has reduced the time spent learning tricks considerably for Mr. N. 

Control Unleashed: Discovering the "Look at That" game made a huge difference with Mr. N's leash reactivity. Basically how it works is you teach them to look at something they don't like/fear (dogs, skateboards, men with beards etc.) and reward them for looking calmly at it. 


101 Dog Tricks: This is the book I usually recommend to people who want to teach their dog tricks. The directions are clear with step by step explanations (and photos!) and suggestions to try if your dog is confused. Some of the advanced tricks are prop-heavy and it's geared more towards bigger dogs. But with 101 dog tricks, you can find tricks that will work for your dog.

Long Lead: I like having a long lead to train for recall. Mr. N's recall is pretty good but he still has moments where he's like I must say hi to this person and darts off. Most of the time I let him drag the long lead around. It's a safety net. We currently have a cotton one but I really want a biothane one because the cotton one gets wet and dirty and I have to wash it frequently. 

What are your favorite training tools? Please share. Next month's theme is "favorite trick."

11 comments:

  1. Great tips and tools, I'll have to bookmark this. Say, when do you announce the topic for your monthly Hop? I'll try to join next month.

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    1. We usually try to announce the month before but Bethany is traveling so things are slightly off-kilter. June's theme is favorite trick. Hope you join us!

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  2. Love that clicker! I actually don't loose mine; I have it on a wrist band and hang it on the collar rack when I'm not using it. I don't take it out of the house/yard though. I use my voice for public training.
    DM

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  3. I've trained my skittish dog Lilah to Touch it With Your Nose when she's nervous about something. It's a great way to calm her.

    --Wags (and purrs) from Life with Dogs and Cats

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  4. Oh there are so many awesome tools in this post! I've been looking for a new long lead so that one looks great. We also play the Look at ME game so a variation of this one which also works well for Sherm. AND what is this jerky you found, must try it the next time I see you!

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  5. 101 dog tricks - that could be fun. Monte has ONE toy he loves. One. The rest he couldn't care less. But Moby? Moby has to sleep with us, travel with us... it's kinda cute.

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  6. Great items and ideas! I love the focus on positive training instead of punishment.

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  7. Control Unleashed is fantastic, and I have used the Look at That game with several clients. Long lines are an often overlooked but super useful tool as well!

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  8. Positive training FTW! <3 I use most of these things and am very happy with them! But I don't have that book and will definitely look into it! Sounds amazing!

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  9. Oh, I'm gonna look for that book! It's always nice to teach your dog a new trick during rainy days!! <3

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