training supplies

Looking for supplies for your dog, but not sure what to get?

Here are my favorites of everything!

 

Supplies by category

Treats dogs love

High value:

Steve’s Real Food: https://amzn.to/3Mpe9no

Why I love it: treats hold their shape well, are nutritionally balanced, break easily, and dogs love them

Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers: https://amzn.to/3Mpe9no

Why I love it: treats hold their shape well, are nutritionally balanced, break easily, and dogs love them

Medium or high value:

Real Meat treats: https://amzn.to/3SShDAV

Why I love it: treats are moist, are nutritionally balanced, break easily, and dogs love them

Ziwi Peak treats: https://amzn.to/3g0naXR

Why I love it: treats are small so the bag lasts a long time, are nutritionally balanced, and dogs love them

Walking supplies

Harnesses:

Ruffwear Front Range harness: https://amzn.to/3AzpjC1

Why I love it: fits most dogs comfortably, extremely durable, great colors, has both a front clip and a back clip, easy to put on

Collars:

Ruffwear signature collar: https://amzn.to/3ap2XbC

Why I love it: extremely durable, great colors, reliable brand, easy to wash, easy to adjust, quick release buckle

Biothane collar: https://amzn.to/3c1abTE

Why I love it: no stink, great colors, reflective

Leashes:

Nylon long line: https://amzn.to/3PcmgUo

Why I love it: lightweight, comes in fun colors and many lengths

Biothane long line: https://amzn.to/3NUuteT

Why I love it: no stink, doesn’t get muddy or soggy, doesn’t pick up stickers or plant debris

Puzzles and activities

Brain toys:

Orbee Tuff Snoop: https://amzn.to/3PkC4Vf

Why I love it: comes in a small and large size, easy to clean, quiet, difficulty level can be adjusted

Bob-a-lot: https://amzn.to/3RknTBl

Why I love it: adjustable skill level, movement keeps dogs interested

Stuffables:

West Paw Toppl: https://amzn.to/3avr0ph

Why I love it: comes in a small and large size, easy to clean, quiet, can be stuffed with a wide variety of ingredients, easier to solve than a Kong

Kong: https://amzn.to/3PcRRW3

Why I love it: less expensive than a Toppl, quiet, comes in MANY sizes and strengths, can be used for stuffing or as a fetch toy

Stuffing options:

The Honest Kitchen dehydrated: https://amzn.to/3uDzSQN

Why I love it: many flavor options, dehydrated so takes less counter space than cans, dogs love it, very long shelf life

Nulo canned food: https://amzn.to/3fONPqk

Why I love it: many flavor options, very moist and flavorful, can be mixed with water to change texture, pate texture is easy to work with

Tasty, healthy chews

Edible chews:

Bully sticks: https://amzn.to/3NUTJSe

Why I love it: fully digestible, single ingredient, good for teeth and gums, comes in many sizes

Beef cheek roll: https://amzn.to/3DrHiKv

Why I love it: fully digestible, single ingredient, good for teeth and gums, very very long lasting

Beef trachea: https://amzn.to/3RlaFUW

Why I love it: fully digestible, single ingredient, good for teeth and gums, comes in many sizes, less expensive than bully sticks, can be stuffed and frozen

Water buffalo horn: https://amzn.to/3anQHbz

Why I love it: extremely long lasting, helps clean teeth, can be stuffed and frozen

Books to boost your training

Books for all dogs:

The Other End of the Leash: https://amzn.to/3WVWicd 

Why I love it: easy to read, personable way to understand why our dogs feel the way they do

The Culture Clash: https://amzn.to/3IhWvlc 

Why I love it: great breakdown of why miscommunications happen between humans and dogs, and how to communicate and understand your dog more clearly

Don’t Shoot the Dog: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1860542387/ 

Why I love it: very clear system for determining the best approach to solving any behavior problem

Control Unleashed: https://amzn.to/3Gc0qNT 

Why I love it: full of excellent games and training exercises to teach your dog to focus on you no matter what

Puppy-specific:

The Puppy Primer: https://amzn.to/3VI7JT4 

Why I love it: this is the how-to manual that I wish came with every puppy! Makes the process of raising a puppy clear, predictable, and easy

Social, Civil, and Savvy: https://amzn.to/3G3hqG4 

Why I love it: socialization is one of the easiest things to miss with puppies… but the most important things to having a well adjusted adult dog! This book makes the socialization process a breeze

Fearful dogs:

The Cautious Canine: https://amzn.to/3IiSjlt 

Why I love it: breaks down fear in dogs and how to address it

Reactive dogs:

Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out: https://amzn.to/3vxDC6l 

Why I love it: excellent guide to what reactivity is, what your dog is feeling, and how to change those feelings

Control Unleashed – Reactive to Relaxed: https://amzn.to/3vxDC6l 

Why I love it: clear guide to getting a calmer, more focused dog around triggers

Grooming supplies for all coats

Nail care for all dogs:

Miller’s Forge clippers: https://amzn.to/3jRoTRa 

Why I love it: super sharp, cuts nails on tiny dogs to giant dogs like butter, inexpensive

Dremel 7300: https://amzn.to/3IqmaIC 

Why I love it: adjustable speeds, relatively quiet, inexpensive

Medium to long rough coats:

Examples of coat type: Australian Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Bernese Mountain Dog, Great Pyrenees

Greyhound comb: https://amzn.to/3GjOZUv 

What to do: use this to line comb, which helps release dead coat, reduce shedding in the house, and prevent impaction 

Kong zoom groom: https://amzn.to/3i6Zp1O 

What to do: rub on your dog’s fur in circles, as well as “brushing” like normal. Helps release loose/dead coat

Pin brush: https://amzn.to/3X6otEN 

What to do: use this over the whole body, especially on longer areas of the coat, to catch and remove shed fur

Isle of Dogs volume shampoo: https://amzn.to/3VN7LcD 

What to do: helps medium to long coats look shiny and luxurious, and smell/feel clean for weeks

Brush coats and longer smooth coats:

Examples of coat type: Siberian Huskies, Shiba Inus, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds

Kong zoom groom: https://amzn.to/3i6Zp1O 

What to do: rub on your dog’s fur in circles, as well as “brushing” like normal. Helps release loose/dead coat

Curly low- or non-shed coats:

Examples of coat type: Poodles, Portuguese Water Dogs, Doodles

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Supplies by dog

New puppy essentials

Training treats for puppies:

Wellness Soft Puppy Bites: https://amzn.to/3CcYZxs

Why I love it: soft texture is easy to chew, tears easily into different sizes depending on the size of your puppy

Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers: https://amzn.to/3Mpe9no

Why I love it: can be torn into smaller sizes easily (especially the beef, chicken, and duck flavors), are nutritionally balanced, break easily, and dogs love them

Ziwi Peak treats: https://amzn.to/3g0naXR

Why I love it: treats are small so great puppy size, are nutritionally balanced, and break easily into smaller sizes 

Tug toys for pups:

Floppy fleece: https://amzn.to/3VGmm9r 

Why I love it: lots of exciting floppy bits for puppies to bite, bungee to provide fun feedback for pups while tugging

Real fur: https://amzn.to/3WRe0wU 

Why I love it: real fur smells and looks enticing to puppies and gives a good outlet for prey drive, bungee to provide fun feedback for pups while tugging

Fake fur: https://amzn.to/3G40b7z 

Why I love it: fake fur looks enticing to puppies and gives a good outlet for prey drive, bungee to provide fun feedback for pups while tugging

Keep your pup busy:

West Paw Toppl: https://amzn.to/3avr0ph

Why I love it: comes in multiple sizes, easy enough for puppies to solve with minimal frustration

Kong: https://amzn.to/3PcRRW3

Why I love it: less expensive than a Toppl, quiet, comes in MANY sizes and strengths, can be used for stuffing or as a fetch toy

Nap time success:

2 door crate: https://amzn.to/3vegslh

Why I love it: wire crates are easy to fold and transport when needed, and come with a divider to expand space as your puppy grows. Two doors can make room configurations easier, plus can help make training go faster

Exercise pen (xpen): https://amzn.to/3WDqRmg

Why I love it: xpens provide more space than crates, which is great for when you want your puppy contained but they aren’t ready for a nap. Can be used as a pen, or as a way to block off rooms/areas of the house

Edible chews:

Bully sticks: https://amzn.to/3NUTJSe

Why I love it: fully digestible, single ingredient, good for teeth and gums, comes in many sizes

No hide sticks: https://amzn.to/3HY69JN

Why I love it: puppy sized, super tasty, easy to chew. Appropriate for puppies under 20 lbs

Books:

The Puppy Primer: https://amzn.to/3VI7JT4 

Why I love it: this is the how-to manual that I wish came with every puppy! Makes the process of raising a puppy clear, predictable, and easy

Social, Civil, and Savvy: https://amzn.to/3G3hqG4 

Why I love it: socialization is one of the easiest things to miss with puppies… but the most important things to having a well adjusted adult dog! This book makes the socialization process a breeze

Control Unleashed – Puppy Version: https://amzn.to/3GBla3c 

Why I love it: easy puppy-friendly exercises to make focusing and listening around distractions a breeze

Power chewers & destructo dogs

Tug toys:

West Paw Bumi: https://amzn.to/3hXw9Kv

Why I love it: durable, has some spring to cushion during tug

Kong tug: https://amzn.to/3VuUncS

Why I love it: durable, inexpensive

Edible chews:

Beef cheek roll: https://amzn.to/3DrHiKv

Why I love it: fully digestible, single ingredient, good for teeth and gums, very very long lasting

Water buffalo horn: https://amzn.to/3anQHbz

Why I love it: extremely long lasting, helps clean teeth, can be stuffed and frozen

Stuffable toys:

Black Kong: https://amzn.to/3PY3VMy 

Why I love it: more durable than a standard kong, comes in many sizes, can use as a fetch toy or fill with canned food and freeze for entertainment

West Paw Tux: https://amzn.to/3HZCTSZ

Why I love it: more durable than the WP Toppl but still can be stuffed and frozen for a long lasting treat

West Paw Qwizl: https://amzn.to/3Wtmg6s

Why I love it: more durable than the WP Toppl but still can be stuffed and frozen for a long lasting treat

Reactive rovers

High value snacks:

Steve’s Real Food: https://amzn.to/3Mpe9no

Why I love it: treats hold their shape well, are nutritionally balanced, break easily, and dogs love them

Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers: https://amzn.to/3Mpe9no

Why I love it: treats hold their shape well, are nutritionally balanced, break easily, and dogs love them

Treat pouches:

Smaller pouch: https://amzn.to/3hRKKHm 

Why I love it: clips onto waistband or threads through a belt, lightweight, magnetic closure for easy access while keeping prying noses out, won’t pull down sweatpants/yoga pants

Larger pouch: https://amzn.to/3WZHQQ3 

Why I love it: clips onto waistband or threads through a belt, magnetic closure for easy access while keeping prying noses out, can hold keys and poop bags plus tons of treats

Comfortable harnesses:

Ruffwear Front Range harness: https://amzn.to/3AzpjC1

Why I love it: fits most dogs comfortably, extremely durable, great colors, has both a front clip and a back clip, easy to put on

Ruffwear Webmaster harness: https://amzn.to/3hJCN7m 

Why I love it: fits most dogs comfortably, extremely durable, difficult to escape, handle on the back for extra control

Training props:

Fake dog: https://amzn.to/3i2Dski 

Why I love it: a handy trigger dog that can be set up anywhere, won’t do anything unexpected, and has a perfect stay

Books:

Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out: https://amzn.to/3vxDC6l 

Why I love it: excellent guide to what reactivity is, what your dog is feeling, and how to change those feelings

Control Unleashed – Reactive to Relaxed: https://amzn.to/3vxDC6l 

Why I love it: clear guide to getting a calmer, more focused dog around triggers