Recommended Equipment
I often get questions about what I would recommend when it comes to equipment. Often, there are many different options that will work, however, there are some situations in which I really find some products or some features really helpful. I recommend shopping locally if possible. I've put this resource together so that you can have a picture in your mind of the recommended products in your mind when you go shopping. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Disclosure: The examples may contain amazon affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
Disclosure: The examples may contain amazon affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
Collars
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Flat Collar Example
Flat collar just means that no part of it tightens. I've used this brand for years and have found them to be well made and durable.
https://amzn.to/4jl6hn0
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Martingale collar
A martingale or sighthound collar has a small loop that tightens when the leash does. They were originally designed to prevent dogs from backing out of a collar. When properly fitted (left) they tighten snuggly to the dog's neck then stop. When improperly fitted (right), the ends of the flat collar don't meet, and the collar creates a constricting, choking feeling on the dog's neck as it tries to close. Properly fitted, they can allow the collar to sit more loosely while still preventing escape and are fine for class. We don't want to fit them to choke a dog.
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Leash & Long Line
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Leash Example
For most training, I like a 5-6' leather, fabric or biothane leash. This generally allows for some slack and freedom while limiting how far away your dog can get. Great for close situations like class or the vet clinic.
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Tip: If you hate wet and dirty leashes, check out biothane leashes/long lines. Easy to wipe clean. You can find them made locally
Harnesses
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For young puppies I like a simple H style harness for maximum freedom of movement and minimum stress on their neck if they take a sudden dart and hit the end. The TTouch harness sold at Gus & Gigi's in Huntsville works well.
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If you are going to be using a back attachment point on an adult or for scent detection then there are a wide variety of options that would work well. I still recommend the H style vs the step in style for maximum freedom of movement. I do not however recommend you use the front attachment point if they have one, it's usually too low.
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For dogs that pull, a front clip harness can help give you a leverage advantage, making it easier to stand your ground and stay upright without causing pain or discomfort to your dog. However, it is very important that they be fitted well, and any restriction of your dog's normal front leg movement be minimal (ideally no restriction). To date the only harnesses I've found that meet this criteria are the TTouch sold at Gus & Gigi's and the Blue K9 Balance harness sold online here
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Treat Pouch
When it comes to treat pouches, there are some features that are a must have for me. The primary one being a spring or magnetic closure. I find drawstrings impossible to close with one hand (which is often all I have free if leash walking) and inevitably spill. I also want a waist belt so that I can put my treat pouch on regardless of what I'm wearing, even over my coat for wet/chilly walks. A pocket big enough to carry my cellphone securely is also nice. The treat pouch I currently use in class is no longer available on Amazon, but here are some similar ones to give you an idea. The third one is the one I use at home and I got it because in addition to meeting the above criteria, it had two treat compartments, allowing me to carry kibble and high value treats to set up differential reward scenarios while working on yard manners with my young dog. I've used it for quite a while and it's held up well.
Treats
When it comes to treats you want something your dog will work for. At home, that could be their regular kibble. In more challenging places it may be something soft like Tricky Trainers or Zuke's Minis. For very difficult environments or skills, it may be a treat containing tripe, or real meat or cheese. The downside of meat or cheese is that they don't tolerate being left in a treat pouch very long without becoming gross, so I prefer to use tripe treats or dehydrated meat.
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Calming food toys
Sometimes it is helpful to have a calming activity to engage your dog in. Sniffing, licking and eating are calming so things that promote that can help dogs rehearse calmness - great evening activity for puppies.
  This can have soft food, peanut butter, pumkin (no spice), etc. spread around inside, and even be frozen. *Size appropriately, or one size up. They come in Classic (Red), Xtreme (Black), Puppy (Blue) and Senior (Purple).
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Chews
I have found that Bullysticks make a good chew for my dogs when I want to occupy them for a bit, and while I usually buy 6" bully sticks in bulk from Bullysticks.ca for my beagles, larger dogs may do better with the 12" size. I was buying the Monster size to increase the length of time a chew would last, however I was concerned about the potential choking hazard as my dogs got down to a little stub and often traded them for it at that time and disposed of it. While looking for a way to secure that last little bit, I found a very handy holder by Bonivet that would hold a variety of sizes from Thin to Jumbo. I've used it a few times with the smaller of my Monster sticks (the larger ended ones were too big to fit) and it worked really well. It also held in a standard sized stick, even when Tilly tried to pull it out! I just had to make sure I got it secured correctly and that it didn't slide off to one side when I put it in the holder.
Food dispensing toys
These tend to be a bit more active, and I tend to further categorize them into toys I could leave in a crate and toys that need to be given outside a crate, and while this can vary from dog to dog, as a rule anything that rolls around needs a bit more space.
  These have held up really well to regular use in my house. They are very similar to a classic Kong but they have little projections into the opening that keep the kibble from falling out too easily.
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  Another one that has held up well to almost daily use. The X in the ends of the cylinder is where the kibble will fall out.
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  This toy will dispense treats/kibble as it bobs back and forth. It may/may not be a good choice for a crate toy depending on your dog and their crate space.
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  This dimpled ball has one hole, pour the kibble in there, then it will fall out as your dog roles the ball around. Since there is no way to adjust the hole size, if your puppy/dog is eating tiny kibble, you may be better off with a Snoop &
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  The Snoop can be used as is, or with a Nook for added challenge as the treat dispensing opening becomes smaller.
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