(Part 2) Top products from r/OpenDogTraining

Books are a nice option that are generally pretty cheap overall, if not free.

What do you mean by very obedient? Do you plan on doing advanced training in the future? Like in dog sports? Do you want all the basics to just be SUPER DUPER SOLID in all locations? What kind of dog are you planning on?

If you're thinking about sports, I second the FDSA free ebook, but also suggest "Control Unleashed: The Puppy Program", and "The Focused Puppy". Both of these books' audiences are for the enthusiastic trainer who probably has a bit of experience training dogs. There will be a bit more training jargon and the like.

If you're more of a beginner, I really like "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days" or "The Puppy Primer". Then, I also highly suggest "Beyond the Backyard" as that really gets into the ways to get a dog that listens everywhere and not just when you've got a treat in the hand, or just in your house, etc. (Do note this book does assume you have taught the basics and instead goes into the proofing of behaviors in all environments, which is why I suggest that in addition to the puppy books)

Ugh, we tried a martingale without a buckle and it was the worst! (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YICDOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DTN3BbXR8ZJCK)[This] one has held up really well and was pretty inexpensive. I don't think we could have taught Wendy without it because she could so easily slip out of any flat collar and we had to search forever to find a harness that fit her.

I'm no dog trainer by any means (Wendy is my first dog and the farthest I've taken her is passing her cgc test), but I've found that the fastest and least painful way for her to learn is by being really clear on what I want her to do when in a specific situation or when I give a specific command. So when we walk, I generally let her sniff where she wants as long as she's not pulling me. If I notice she's going too fast and will hit the end of her leash, I try calling her to me. If she comes, treat and continue walking. That's what I try to focus on. The negative marker word/stopping is a worst-case scenario that I try to avoid. So walks with her have actually really strengthened her recall as well as her LLW. I also have a command for her to be in a loose/informal heel if I need her to walk by something distracting or I'm in a hurry and need her to keep up with me.

Of course, the downside to that method is that the human has to be really aware and vigilant about where the dog is in relation to them all the time. I'm totally accustomed to having my attention on Wendy all the time because of her leash reactivity (I taught her an auto-sit when we see dogs coming, which took quite a while lol), but I know it can be hard for some people if they listen to music/podcasts/audiobooks on walks.

Good luck whatever you choose to do! :)

> Ever since then I have been spraying him with a squirt bottle filled with water when he has something in his mouth he shouldn't have, and he lets it go, but I still feel it's not good behavior.

Teach him "drop it." It's a very basic and easy to train command. There are videos on youtube to help you learn how to teach it. Kikopup has a good one.

You do not need to spray your dog with water to get things out of his mouth -- that's how you get him to guard things from you. He will start to be afraid of you. Don't train with fear!

Also play the trade up game. This will teach your dog that when he gives something up, you will give him something even better. Win/win. In time he will begin to offer things to you willingly. Practice this every day.

I would recommend picking up a copy of Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs. It's a fantastic little book that will tell you exactly how to train this away.

> When he bites us I say bad and put him in his crate for a half hour

Sounds like a lack of bite inhibition more than anything. Check out the /r/puppy101 wiki page for articles on how to train a dog to bite softer, and eventually not at all. It takes a few months of consistent training but it will go away.

There's not really too much variety, but I can recommend Herm Sprenger as a reliable, quality brand. One feature to seek out in whatever you choose: in the link below, you'll see that there's a plate right in the middle of the collar. This serves to reverse the direction of the prongs so you get an even distribution of the pressure around the neck. It just works a bit better than the original style with all the links in the same direction. If you need to add or remove links to get the right fit, try to have more or less the same number on either side of the plate.

They also make a quick-release style that has a clip in the chain part so you don't have to undo a link to take it off. I use that type, but it's more convenience than function.

Here's a good collar for your reference:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006L0UGC/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1482773092&sr=8-4&keywords=herm+sprenger+prong+collar+quick+release

> I'd implement a tool to make subtle movements more effective on the dog, such as a prong collar[...]

That's a great way to go. If you don't want to use a metal prong collar just yet, try a Starmark plastic prong collar. Make sure you use a backup collar with it (use the one that's included or you can just combine it with a flat collar).

If your dog plants itself down and lays down refusing to move, you can try sticking your foot (gently) under it's gut to get it to pop up and start moving.

Lastly, check out K9-1's leash ninja video for proper leash handling techniques, along with some gentle but effective corrections to apply once you have a proper training collar on the dog.

I have just follwed what Michael Ellis and the guy from Dog Training by K9-1.com in youtube, say. I've bought some Michael Ellis's DVD from leerburg.com, not cheap but kind of worth it, I've watched them like 10 times each. The other guy from K9-1, his approach and philosophy is spot on, plus he recently uploaded a bunch of videos due to all the misinformation going around about aggressive dogs, so he made them available for free,so there's a ton of them to look for tips and reference. K9-1 has an interesting video about another youtube dog trainer (Zack George) very interesting video.

I've been told that both of them are essentially this book with some added modifications, but that the basics are all in the book.


I just realized that both of this guys are in the "recomended videos" in the side bar.

Just wanted to throw in another trainer suggestion: Larry Krohn

He also has a book out that details how he uses and conditions the e-collar: Everything you need to know about E Collar Training

(I still highly suggest you have a trainer to help guide you in person. They can spot mistakes you're making that you're not aware of, they can help you make adjustments depending on how your dog is responding, etc. An e-collar is a great tool, but also one that is very easy to mess up if you don't know what you're doing.)

I also recommend Koehler's methods

The Koehler Method of Dog Training: Certified Techniques by Movieland's Most Experienced Dog Trainer https://www.amazon.com/dp/0876056575/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_G6S18aT6j8xe


this is the collar I recommend https://www.amazon.com/Herm-Sprenger-German-Prong-Collar/dp/B0006L2N2G/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1380138142&sr=8-8&keywords=herm+sprenger+prong+collar

They should but since i'm not in Canada I can't say for sure. I own a prong from Petco and i've had it slip off multiple times before so I recommend not buying from Petco.

Here's a Herm Sprenger on Amazon Canada this is the type people recommend (with the little flat piece in the middle)

I use a squirrel dude. Theyre made specifically for dry kibble, and have rubber prongs in the opening that makes the kibble tricky to get out. You can cut the prongs shorter with scissors to lower the difficulty.