Training Resources

Training Library

Every dog’s friend should have a training library to help them understand their dog better and to help them find the best ways to deal with issues as they come up. Here are a few titles which we recommend for your reference.

Resources for Veterinarians and Their Clients

American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviorists (AVSAB)

Preferred Local Pet Businesses

Pet Sitting & Walking

  • Town and Country Pet Sitting: The staff at T&C strive to keep your pets happy and well cared for when you are away. The management of T&C has always shown a keen interest in training their staff to use gentle and effective methods to handle and care for your pet. They are who we use when we need someone to care for our pets when we’re away.

Pet Supply Stores

  • Personal Beast (8119 SE Stark Street): Formerly Salty’s Dog & Cat Shop. One of the best selections of interactive toys, yummy treats, gentle training tools and quality pet foods in Portland
  • Tré Bone (8326 North Lombard Street): Wonderful products…friendly people…great service…what else can we say?

Web Resources

Clicker Solutions (www.clickersolutions.com) has a great collection of clicker training articles, ranging from how to start clicker training to exercises for the advanced trainer. This site also has a pretty comprehensive resource list

Susan Garrett (www.clickerdogs.com) has written a number of useful training articles. We especially like “Make a Motivating Toy”, “Perfect Recall Account”, “Distractions for your Recall”, “List of Reinforcers” and “Training Reminders”.

If your dog is sensitive about having her nails trimmed, you might wanty to try using a dremel tool to grind them instead. Here is a website, by Dawn S. Garrett, at which you can find out how to get your dog used to nail-grinding and also how to do it more safely. Click on the quick link on the left for “How to Dremel Dog Nails” once you get there (www.DoberDawn.com).

Check out the website of our favorite television show trainer, Victoria Stillwell of “It’s me or the dog” fame. Her positive training approach fits well with our training philosophy.

Training Aides

For most dogs who are moderate to heavy pullers, front clip harnesses (such as Sensible® and Easy-Walk®) are a great way to control their pulling and redirect their motion. Giving you this control lets you concentrate on training your dog to walk with you without worrying about falling down.

For dogs who are heavy-duty pullers, head-halters (such as Comfort Trainer® and Gentle Leader®) are gentle, humane tools that can help control pulling, lunging and aggression. Other head-halters attach behind the head, such as the Newtrix Easyway collar.  This can be a handy tool for dogs that are bad pullers and dogs that like to chew on the leash.

To help provide safety during training experiences, we sometimes recommend the use of a basket muzzle. These tools are a great way to more safely train but should not be used as a “free pass” to put your dog in situations which they are not ready to handle yet. We recommend the Jafco Comfortable Muzzle which (in the Clear Vinyl option) allows you to see your dogs mouth (body language), is flexible and soft and can be modified to allow for easy treat delivery.

Tug Toys for Training

Playing tug can be a very rewarding activity for your dog. It can increase your dog’s attention towards you, as well as her excitement towards training. If you choose to use a tug toy, however, your dog should consistantly drop it when you ask her to.

A great tug toy for a food-motivated dog who doesn’t know how to tug is the Power Paws Tug ‘N Treat.

Here is an excellent article by trainer Susan Garrett about how to make a toy motivating for your dog.

Interactive Toys

Kongs (www.kongcompany.com) — be sure to check our their section on how to use the Kong; it has some great Kong-stuffing recipes. Kong also sells a product called “Kong Time”, which delivers a pre-stuffed Kong toy at different times during the day.

Buster Cube (www.bustercube.com) is a great interactive toy. Not only does it give your dog something to do but it works on intermittent reinforcement principles we use in class!

Premier’s Busy Buddy line of toys, particularly the Kibble Nibble, Tug-A-Jug, Squirrel Dude (similar to the Kong) and the Bristle Bone are also favorites of ours.

Contact Us

Please feel free to contact us for more details about how we can help you to train your dog towards better behavior.

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