Dog Training Treat Pouch
Your dog training treat pouch is definitely one of the most important tools you'll need when you start your dog training. It's crucial to your dog's learning that you start reinforcing good behavior early on and thats where your treat pouch comes in handy! They make various styles and sizes but it's a good idea to get one thats easy to open and comfortable to where because you'll be wanting to have quick access to treats and to take it everywhere with you. We recommend ones with a magnetic closure or easy snap closure so you can get in and out quickly.
When using your dog training treat pouch you'll want to also keep in mind that whats inside is just as important. Think of your dog treats as currency. If someone asked you to sit for a penny would you do it? How about a hundred bucks? It's exactly the same with dogs. They are willing to put in much more work depending on the type of payment they'll receive. In the beginning, when you're teaching behaviors you'll be using lots of treats that you'll want to be high value. As they learn and grow up you'll start to phase out the amount of treats you give until you'll mostly use praise as your reinforcer.
Slow Feeding Toys
Slow feeding toys are your best friend for those busy mornings when you need to shower and get ready but also feed the puppy. The reason these are our go to methods for feeding is because they turn meal time into an activity that's going to provide your dog with mental stimulation while they eat. This helps to tire out your pup and help make your job much easier! They make all different kinds of puzzle toys but getting one that can have the hardness adjusted is key. That way as your puppy grows, the difficulty of the game can increase as well. They also make toys that move around which we highly recommend to help with physical exercise as well as mental stimulation.
Your Dog Training Voice
Your dog training voice is without a doubt the most important training tool you naturally possess. It's something thats easily overlooked by many because of just how simple it is. But regardless of the simplicity you'd be surprised at how many new puppy owners get this one wrong. Like for instance, if someone said in an angry tone to you "get over here," how would you respond? Would you hurry up to get over to that person? Probably not. Yet we forget simple things like this when training.
When using your voice to train your dog, you want to do your very best to keep it positive and upbeat. Studies have actually proven that dog's respond better when the person is using a higher pitched voice. Women naturally have higher voices so this can come more natural to them. However, men sometimes have a really tough time getting their happy voice on. Remember, it's all for the well being of your pup! It's the same idea when trying to discourage a behavior, use the tone that matches the implication you're trying to communicate. A firm "AH-AH" is likely you're best bet for discourage a behavior. But the positive voice is going to be used much more than the negative so it's crucial that you focus on making that voice a voice that you'd want to listen to.
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