Dog training aids involve more than just a simple collar and leash and over the years have seen good improvements in the range and availability of these training tools. If you are taking on the task of training your own dog then there are several advantages you can benefit from by using good dog training aids to assist you in achieving the goals of your training with your dog.
An obvious case of where this is true is whilst teaching your dog to fetch. It simply cant be done without having something to be thrown, collected by the dog and brought back to you. Typically a stick is a good choice, but if you are in a park and there are dozens of similar sticks then your dog may become confused and you wont have the same success.
An alternative to the stick would be something like a training dumb-bell. These can be thrown a good distance without much effort. They are bright and easy to retrieve - even when your dog doesnt and many of these float on water if you are using it on a pond or lake. These are also easy and comfortable for your dog to pick up whereas I have seen sticks cause damage to a dogs mouth and gums over time.
Teaching your dog to heel can be aided by the use of a dog training line. This is essentially a long leash that can be used to indicate, by tugging, that you wish the dog to return to you when you issue the heel command. These training methods do not do away with the need for voice commands but instead make it easier for your dog to understand the desired response you are looking for when you do call to him.
Other training aids can include collars that discourage barking. These collars emit a pungent spray when your dog barks. The smell is not liked by the dog and over time the dog will realise that not barking prevents the release of the spray. The collar can be removed and hopefully the dog will not bark just as often as before.
If you are training your dog for more sporting activities then the use of whistles can be effective. Here you will typically issue a command to the dog like heel or sit and then back this up with a whistle command. The dog will eventually associate the whistle with the desired response. The trainer or owner can now issue the same command to the dog but over a larger distance. This technique is also used extensively by sheep farmers or herding dog owners for the same reason.
Training your own dog can provide lots of rewards and satisfaction, however it does take considerable patience. Good dog training aids can help reduce the amount of time required to reinforce the training and provide positive results. Remember to reward your dog when you see them showing the right response regardless of what training aid is being used.
The author runs a free dog training information site where you can pick up lots of hints and tips on training your dog. There are also some useful free dog training videos that can make the whole process of training your dog much easier to understand. For more advice on dogs please visit http://www.dogtraininghut.com. Training your own dog can be a rewarding and satisfying experience and will help you bond more closely with your dog.
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