Whenever I travel for a training class or I head out for a private lesson there are a few items I always carry with me. I order most of my training supplies from Amazon or Chewy since they will deliver right to my door, but I also like some specialty sites like Leerburg.com, Jeffers Pet and That’s my Dog. I will also only purchase e-collars from E-Collar Technologies or Dogtra since I trust their brands and know that the levels are consistent. I like the Pet Botanics bacon treats, Natural Balance rolled dog food, Bil Jac Liver treats, Solid Gold turkey and beef jerky lamb treats. I also use Newman’s Own Dog Jerky for the leave its. I like the old mother Hubbard dog biscuits and the Blue Dog biscuits. If I have a really picky dog I will bring some hot dogs, sandwich meat, cheese or braunschweiger.
There are a variety of brands out there so take the time to read the ingredients and experiment to see what your pet likes the best. It is important to find treats that your dog likes so you can use those to get your dog’s to pay attention to you in distracting environments.
- Variety of treats (I like a mixture of biscuits and moist small stinky treats-usually bacon, liver, lamb and/or chicken)
- Dog jerky to practice leave it
- Training Aversives including a water bottle, shaker can, pet convincer and doggie don’t (to be safe I always carry extra batteries and CO2 cartridges)
- Slip lead (I like the Mendota and Remington brands)
- 6 foot lead (I prefer leather but a nylon one will work).
- Traffic lead (2-3 ft-they make leather and nylon and also have some with a padded handles)
- Long leads (20-30 ft)
- Treat pouch(es)-my friend and colleague, Kay Beard, designed these amazing bags for me with my business card logo on them.
- Training collars, head halters and/or harnesses (herm springer pinch collars-usually size small for the majority of the dogs, Halti’s, step in or freedom harnesses)
- Chew deterrent spray (Bitter apple and/or Fooey)
- Hand sanitizer
- Mellow pet spray
- Ball(s)
- Squeaky toys
- Kong or small puzzle toy
- Pens/paper
- Poop bags
- Business cards
- Nail clippers
- Small roll of paper towels or towel and small natures miracle
- Portable or metal water buckets
- Small first aid kit
- Muzzles and/or e-collars (if needed)
- **They won’t fit in my training bag, but I keep dressage whips and place boards in my vehicle if we are working on socialization or the place command
When clients come to class, the only items they really need to bring are their dog, collar/leash combo and treats. I encourage everyone to bring soft stinky treats to class and bring a variety. Dogs get distracted and/or bored, so we want to make sure that all good things are coming from us to gain their attention. I am always the treat lady since I have a variety of treats in my pocket, so I am sure to have something your pet will like.
When you go to the park or if you go on a trip with your dog I would recommend taking a few first aid kit items with you along with some treats and proper training aids and aversives if needed. The more prepared you are, the more time you can enjoy the outdoors together.
We would love to hear feedback from you. What do you take with you on a walk with your dog, to the dog park or hiking in the park and how do you pack it (backpack, shoulder bag, purse, etc). What training aids have been the most beneficial for you and why?