Yellow Brick Dogs  Richmond, VA

Equipment

With so many options for doggie equipment, it can hard to figure out what to choose. It can also be tempting to "try" a lot of different things. A good idea is to get advice from a good trainer you trust and to stick with it. Dogs can need desensitisation to certain pieces of equipments (especially head collars), and some types of collars or harnesses can actually be dangerous.

My general rule in *training* is:

What this means, is that every time you add a piece of equipment, you're going to either have to wean off of it later, or use it forever (or until your dog is old like mine and very easy to handle). If you're willing to do either of those, that's fine, and using things like Gentle Leaders is fine. The weaning process can take a long time, and dogs can easily become dependent of the Gentle Leader. Dogs are often great heelers and can have great attention while wearing their Gentle Leader, but as soon as it comes off, they go back to their wild behavior. So, you can't just take it off one day and start living your life "GL-free"

Equipment is usually a great way to manage your dog's behavior, but it doesn't usually teach them anything. Training and rewarding teaches your dog correct behavior, and some equipment can make it easier for you to find those rewardable moments. Working with a trainer will help you decide what is best for your dog and how best to use that equipment (and also will help you devise a plan for weaning off of it).

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