Resources

Tools that make your life easier and your dog’s life happier

Puzzle Toys

Food puzzle toys provide your dog with critical mental and physical enrichment as your dog actively problem-solves while engaging their innate hunting and foraging instincts. They encourage quiet, independent, focused activity. Some puzzle toys are considered chew-safe and are therefore excellent tools for alone-time training. They also promote confidence and provide good old-fashioned fun to chase away boredom and promote appropriate chewing habits. Always supervise your dog with every food puzzle toy the first few times you offer it so that you know they’re interacting with it appropriately. Additionally, some puppies and dogs benefit from your guidance in the beginning to help them discover the joys of playing with them and the magic moment when they score a delicious “jackpot”. You’ll have fun discovering the food puzzle toys your dog likes the most!

Kong & Starmark are two companies that produce a wonderful assortment of rubber-type food puzzle toys of different shapes, sizes, colors, movement, and durability. Dogs enjoy variety as much as people, so be sure to provide them with varying activity choices from day to day. 

Nina Ottosson food puzzle toys are the perfect match for eager beaver pups who require additional mental stimulation and challenge. Be sure to supervise your dog at all times with these (and perhaps have a video camera handy the first time to capture the discovery experience).  

CleverPet merged technology with their knowledge of cognition to create a challenging electronic game for the busy bee pups who can’t seem to get enough daily mental stimulation to settle down. Using it in conjunction with a training plan that teaches your dog to settle down at other times ensures your dog’s natural doggy needs are meet and you can get your own down time too.  

iDig is a unique product designed especially for dogs with natural digging tendencies. Sick of your dog trying to dig through your floor or couch? Teach them to redirect their digging habits to the iDig which you can stuff with their favorite toys, chews, and other hidden treats. It’s cheaper than replacing your hardwood floors. Supervision recommended.

Helpful Training Tools

Klimb is a stationing platform that can be used for many different types of training. Set it up as your dog’s greeting place at the front door, use it as a tool for trick training, teach your dog body awareness, or turn it into your dog’s safe place to aid in addressing reactivity.

Baskerville Muzzles are wonderfully flexible allowing a dog to pant, drink, eat, and play comfortably. Muzzles are a critical component of every responsible dog owner’s toolkit. In the event of a natural disaster, medical emergency, or other unexpected high stress situation, having a muzzle your dog is comfortable wearing can make all the difference for safety and security for both of you. For those of you in SF, if you’d like to ride Muni with your pet dog you are required to muzzle them (regardless of your dog’s size/breed). If you have a dog with a bite history, a muzzle can make the difference between positive quality of life and death. For more information about muzzles and super helpful training videos check out the Free Training Information and Free Video Resources below.

Pet Acoustics, Thunderworks, and Adaptil offer a variety of different types of products to help sound-sensitive or anxious dogs during times of stress. Some of these tools seem to work better for some dogs than others so there may be a bit of trial and error to determine which of these products (or which combination of them) will be most beneficial and effective for your pup. Please note: if your dog is displaying behaviors that indicate he/she is experiencing severe and/or continued stress, there may be an underlying medical cause that requires immediate attention. Always consult your primary veterinarian first to ensure there are no medical reasons for your dog’s current stress levels. Once the possibility of medical issues has been fully eliminated, if a combination of positive training and stress-relieving supplemental tools proves ineffective, reaching out to a licensed veterinary behaviorist for help will be an important next step. 

K9 Top Coat offers high quality full-body suits to help protect pups from post-surgery complications, environmental allergens, rain, and even snow. The Comfort Coat, Lycra Bodysuit and stellar customer service meet both functional and personal desires in an array of fun colors.  

Pet Tutor is the top of the line smart training device for reinforcing your dog at a distance. Fantastically helpful for crate training, go to your bed/mat/place/station training, home alone training, quiet training, out of sight training, training multiple dogs, and more!

Harnesses & Head Halters

When choosing equipment it’s important to take into consideration the intended purpose, that it properly fits your dog’s unique body, and any training that may be necessary to ensure your dog is comfortable wearing their new attire.

Easy-Walk and Sensation harnesses are the most commonly available “no-pull” harnesses. Keep in mind that they are management tools that are helpful but meant to be used in conjunction with training your dog to walk on a “loose leash”.

Blue-9’s Balance Harness has a two ring system so that you can attach a leash to either/both the back and the chest providing you with multiple leash configuration possibilities. It is also designed to allow freedom of movement and provide a comprehensively adjustable fit.

Gentle Leader and Halti are head halters appropriate for when you are walking a dog on a short leash and require more physical control than a harness provides. The Gentle Leader may be best for very large, reactive, or aggressive dogs. The Halti is more of a relaxed fit. Please note: not all dogs are immediately comfortable wearing a head halter. If a head halter is required, training should be an included component to ensure the dog is properly acclimated.