Dog accessories

Today's video goes over some basic dog accessories you can get for your dog including, leashes, collars, harnesses, head collars, dog backpacks, swimwear, muzzles, and a treat pouch.



Related Blog Articles:

Come when Called:  Off Leash
Puppy Supply Check List
Choosing an Anti-Bark Collar
Trainer Tips:  Dog Care Essentials
Trainer Tips:  Puppy Potty Pads
Shock Collars
Trainer Tips:  Alternatives to Shock Collars
Chewing Deterrents
Dog Crates & Kennels
Retractable Leash
Slip Collar
Prong & Pinch Collar
Head Collars

Trainer Tips--Dog Care Essentials

Dog Care Essentials

1.  Identify your dog

External Identification:  Be sure to place an ID tag on your dog's collar that includes your dog's name and phone number.  It is often helpful to add your address and/or other household member's phone numbers as well.  This is the easiest way to quickly identify your pet.  

Microchip Identification:  Take the extra step and have your dog microchipped by your vet.  Many shelters and human societies will automatically do this before adoption or when you spay/neuter your pet.  Take advantage of this.  The microchip is an extra easy way to identify your pet when lost.  Although only a professional with the proper equipment will be able to scan your pet's chip, its a great way to be sure your pup comes back to you if they are turned into animal control or your local shelter.

2.  Follow your local dog licensing laws

Check with your local humane society or shelter for information on how to license your pet.  This is required by law.  Don't worry though, it's usually not that expensive.

3.  When you are out, keep your dog on leash

Respect your community and the people around you by keeping your dog on-leash when not in your own yard.  Not only will this help keep your dog safe, but your neighbors will appreciate you controlling your dog.

4.  Take your dog to the Vet for regular check-ups

This is SO important.  Many people don't realize the many vaccinations your dog should receive, not to mention monthly things such as Heartworm pills and flea prevention.  Regular vet trips will keep your dog in top health and actually save you money down the line.

Read about Monthly Reminders and giving a self Dog Exam.

5.  Spay or neuter your dog

I can not stress this enough!  Please, please, PLEASE spay or neuter your pet!  The pet over-population problem across the United States grows worse each year.  On average, there are around 1-2 million dogs that are euthanized each year.  By spaying or neutering your pet, you are doing your part to help control the pet population by not adding to the problem.  Your local shelter may offer Spay/Neuter clinics at low or no-cost to the owner. Maui Humane Society has such offers several times each year. 

Read Why Spay or Neuter your pet

6.  Feed your dog a quality food

Many owners try and save money by feeding cheap foods that seem "okay" for their dog.  This is a mistake.  Many times feeding poor-quality pet food can actually cause your dog to have problems, forcing owners to take them to the vet and pay costly vet bills.  By feeding a good quality food, your pet will be healthy and happy and live a much longer life loving you.

Read How to Pick a Dog Food.

7.  Enroll your dog in training

Positive reinforcement training will allow you to train your pal in a way that is pleasant for both owner and pet.  Training will also help you maintain balance, set proper rules and boundaries for your pet, and build an even stronger bond.  I can stress enough how important it is to train your dog!

Read about Proper Leadership.

Read Training Terms Help.

8.  Give your dog BOTH physical exercise AND mental activity

Although giving your dog plenty of regular daily physical exercise is very important, mental activity is equally if not more important for your dog.  Again, TRAIN your dog!  Engaging your dog in activities that make him use his brain will not help give your dog structure, but help wear them out as well.  Remember the old saying, "A tired dog is a happy dog."  This is still true, but make sure he's both physically AND mentally satisfied.

9.  Be patient

I can not stress this point enough.  The best thing you can bring to train your dog is a LOT of patience.  Training takes time and dog's feed off our emotions.  It is important to be calm but firm when training your dog.  When you get frustrated, take a deep breath, relax, and then try again.  Or come back to the training after you have had time to calm down.

10. Properly Socialize your dog

Proper socialization can be tricky.  Properly socializing your dog is very important, but many people do not understand what that actually means.  Proper socialization is not only exposing your dog to as many situations, people, and other dogs as possible, but more importantly, making all of these experiences positive ones so that your dog becomes comfortable no matter what happens.

Also see a VIDEO of some dog socialization (and more information).

Read:  Trainer Tips--What your dog really wants to do.

Challenge Accepted

I have been working with a nice couple in Kihei and their puppy, Bala, a Coton de Tulear.  He is a very sweet little pup and an amazingly quick learner.  I am extremely happy with the amount of work his family has put into training him!  Good job guys!

I have been working with Bala and his family for about 2 months now.  We have covered all the Basic Manners Obedience training and will soon be moving into more specialized training for Service Dogs.  In our most recent appointment this week, the owners wanted to focus on the walk.  Upon deciding to go over some Loose Leash Walking skills, I discovered that the owners have been unable to attach the leash to his collar and walk him that way, they have always used his harness.  The owners said he would NOT walk if the leash was attached to his collar.

Well, as a trainer, I always love a challenge, so I accepted this one.  Although Bala did initially have a negative reaction to the leash being attached to his collar, I worked with the dog and the owners on how to overcome this problem.  At some point, for whatever reason, Bala had a negative experience with someone attaching a leash to his collar (this most likely happened before the current owners got the dog).  To overcome this negative association, we must build a new, positive association with the leash being attached to the collar.  So I repeated the exercise of slowly and calmly attaching the leash to his collar and paid with his favorite cheese every time Bala relaxed a little bit.  After about 5 times of repeating this exercise, Bala became much more comfortable with the leash attached directly to his collar.

Then the next step...although we worked on building the positive association with attaching the leash, Bala still, of course, was reluctant to follow us out for a walk.  This was to be expected.  To overcome this problem we simple keep building the positive association with his favorite thing, cheese.  After about 30 seconds of some simple coaxing, Bala began to walk on the leash (attached to his collar instead of the harness) very well.  His family was very surprised and amazed that he did so.

This serves as a helpful reminder:  No matter what issue you may be having with your dog, no matter how difficult it may seem to overcome, there is always a way to get the dog to do what you want.  And that way is positive reinforcement!  :)

Trainer Tips--Pulling towards an object on Leash

The best way to teach your dog to walk properly on the leash without pulling is to teach your dog Loose Leash Walking (see previous post).  Properly walking a dog on a leash means the dog does not pull you; that the leash is loose.

A helpful tip to go along with this is...never let your dog pull you over to anything.  If a dog really wants to get to this tree over here and pulls you over to the tree, you just rewarded your dog for pulling.  When meeting a new dog, do not let your dog pull you over to greet.  The owner must take leadership over the dog.  We must communicate to our dogs in a way they understand.  Letting your dog pull you over to anything is rewarding them for pulling.  Don't do it!

You can see the dog pulling to get to the tree.

Notice how tight the leash is.  You do not want this!

Foster--Chandler, Day 4

Unfortunately it is not always easy to match schedules with other people.  I was unable to walk Chandler for a few days, and it showed.  Although I had taken both of Chandler's foster parents on a walk with him (without my dogs of course) and showed them the proper techniques for keeping him from pulling on the leash, people do not always remember to follow instructions.

I say again, it is HARD WORK to properly train a dog.  If you are unable or unwilling to put in the time and effort it takes, you will not achieve the goals you set out too.

BE CONSISTENT!!!  Being consistent in dog training is one of the most important things.  Think about it...if it's ok to get on the couch when dad is home, but not when mom is home, you are not being consistent.  The dog will be confused and may get yelled at by mom because she was not aware dad let the dog on the couch.  This is a simple example, but holds true.

Foster--Chandler, Day 3

By the time our third walk with Chandler came around, I could see real improvement.  Chandler began walking very well on the leash today and rarely pulled.  When he did pull he stopped, backed up (to release the tension on the leash), and looked at me.  I was amazed.  This dog has come such a long way in a very short time.  It just really goes to show that if you put the work in, you can see the results almost immediately.

During this walk I added the "Wait" cue at street crossings.  Although we had always paused at these places in our previous walks, I waited until Chandler picked up the behavior before adding the cue.  When training any dog it is important not to try too much too fast.  This can confuse a dog and set back progress.

Foster--Chandler, Day 2

So I decided it would be best to try and take Chandler for some more leash training as soon as possible.  So they next day sounded perfect.

While training Chandler to Loose-Leash-Walk today I also added in a few extra cues.  One of these was, Watch Me.  During Loose Leash Training, once a dog picks up on the idea that he can't pull and continue walking forward, I like to up the anti a little and wait for the dog to not only stop and relax the tension in the leash, but also to look at me.  Teaching a dog the "Watch Me" or "Look" cue is one of the best commands to learn that will greatly benefit both you and your pet.  Dogs who are conscious of their owners and who look to their owners for permission and cues are much better behaved.  Plus, you can't train a dog that is not focused on you.

Foster--Chandler

A few days ago I met a neighbor of mine who is fostering a dog for MARS (Midwest Animal Rescue & Services).  I chatted with them for a bit and asked if they were in need of any help.  They expressed interested in having their foster leash trained.

So today while taking my own two dogs for a walk, I also got to take Chandler.  Chandler had met my dogs previously when I had first spoken to the neighbor, so there were no "doggy introductions."  We went to their house, picked up Chandler, and continued on our usual walk.

Although adding a dog to your pack who is not leash trained is anything but a usual walk.  When leash-training any dog it is always important to have patients.  To really train a dog properly can take a long time in the very beginning, and so it did with Chandler.

Loose Leash Walking

What is loose leash walking?  Basic this means walking with your dog nicely, where the leash is loose.  This means there is no tension on the leash; that the dog is not pulling you.

Now, loose leash walking (LLW) is not the same thing as heel.  LLW means the dog is walking nicely on the leash, but in no specific place.  Heel is when a dog walks next to you, directly at your side.  Heel is a step up from LLW.  Teaching a dog heel is like going to college, but before we can go to higher education, we must first start in Kindergarden with Loose Leash Walking.

Teaching a dog to properly walk on a leash is actually quite easy, but requires a LOT of patience!  Patience is the most important tool you can bring when teaching this to your dog.

Its quite simple really.  To begin, go out for a walk using a regular 4-6 foot leash (NEVER use an extenda-leash), and a buckle collar properly fitted to your dog's neck (so they cannot slip out).  As you begin your walk, as soon as your dog pulls, stop directly in your tracks.  Do not pull on the leash, just freeze yourself and wait for your dog to release the tension on the leash.  Once s/he does, mark that behavior with a calm "good" or "yes," and continue on your walk.  When the dog pulls again, stop, wait, when the dog releases the tension, say your "good," and continue on.  Like I said, very simple but requires an immense amount of patience!!!

A spin off of this technique for LLW is the turn.  Instead of stopping and waiting, when the dog pulls, say "let's go" and make a sharp turn in the opposite direction.  You can also start with the first option, then move into the second.  For example:  you went out on your walk and your dog pulled, so you stopped and waited.  You have now been waiting for 5 minutes.  You can move right into the second option, say "Let's Go," and move off in the opposite direction.

I highly recommend starting with the first option.  Using this technique, dog's tend to have better success in the long run.  Keep at it!  It takes SO much patience!  Practice, Practice, Practice!

If you take the time to get your dog walking properly on a leash, your walks will be so much more enjoyable and you and your dog can enjoy your time together the way it was meant to be.  Many people do not walk their dogs because they are so bad on leash.  Please don't become one of them.

We have all heard the old saying, "A tired dog is a good dog."  Your dog needs exercise every day just like you do.  Remember to get your pup out for a good walk EVERY DAY!!

Have you walked your dog yet today?