When you own a dog you need to take on the responsibility of training him or her.  Many people seem happy to try and train their dog, but do not know what type of dog training equipment is needed to train properly.

Just like humans, no two dogs will respond to training in exactly the same way.  So don’t worry about trying more than one method if one is not working for your dog.

Regardless of which method of dog training you use, you will need certain basic dog training equipment to do the job well – this will apply whether you are training your dog at home, or joining a puppy training class.

One of the most important things you will need to have is a leash.  Although some people prefer a choker type leash, it is better to use a standard one.  A dog can wriggle out of their leash and collar, so it is sometimes better to use a harness as well.  You only need to use this for training purposes as it should not be necessary for day to day walking.  Keeping the harness for use only when you will be training helps your dog to know when it is play time and when it is work time.

NEVER tighten the collar to stop the dog from wriggling and pulling.  You need to make sure that the collar fits correctly so that if your dog gets caught up by the collar, he will be able to break free without getting hurt.  Choke collars are not advised as they can make the dog feel that they have somehow done something wrong.

Another absolute essential piece of dog training equipment is treats.  These are used to reward the dog when it does what you require – dogs always respond well when there are treats around!