Dog
Training Supplies - Getting a "Lead" on Good
Behavior
If
you've decided to get the family a pooch, and have already
stocked up with food, dishes, and other goodies, don't
neglect to also lay in a few dog training supplies.
Obedience is something that can be taught right from
the time your new puppy comes home, although he/she
won't be eligible for formal classes until after their
last vaccination.
Most
municipalities have leash laws, which makes leash training
your dog, a real necessity for when they need to go
out, or you want to keep them exercised by walking.
So your first purchases are going to be a collar and
lead. If you are planning on formal obedience classes,
or even if you plan to train the puppy yourself, it's
a wise move to buy a second set, to be used solely for
training. Dogs become used to repetition, and will recognize
the difference between a leash and collar used for fun
times, and the ones used for "work".
Young
puppies should never be fitted with a choke collar,
as they can too easily damage an immature skeletal structure.
Choose a leather
or nylon collar, by first measuring the dog's neck
behind the angle of the jaw, and up around behind the
base of the ears. Before drawing the measuring tape
just to the point of meeting, place two fingers flat
against the neck.
Take
the tape measure with you to the store, as many collar
makers measure in different ways, from buckle to tip,
or end of collar to middle of a hole. And remember-
you may be puppy training now, but that puppy is going
to grow. Make sure the collar has two holes left over
after the right fit. Longer collars will end up getting
chewed as the puppy finds something tickling his throat.
Select
a four-foot lead to start out with, either in nylon
or leather. As your dog grows, and perhaps becomes rambunctious,
you may want to re-consider some of the flat nylon leashes
that can burn the hands when they are yanked through
them.
While
you practice your dog training over the next weeks,
check the fit of their collar often. With a puppy's
rapid growth, then can become too tight, before you
know it.
Puppy
training can occasionally be frustrating, especially
when your new companion appears to be as deaf as your
teenagers. But a little persistence, and positive reinforcement
of even the smallest accomplishments, will have you
headed in the right direction for a well-trained pet.
For
more information on related products and services please
choose from the menu below or visit amazon.com
for a complete selection of books on dog obedience training.
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