Recommended Products
I recommend that clients purchase a clicker to use a marker signal in their training. The i-click that Karen Pryor Clicker Training sells is quieter and much easier to use than the old-fashioned box clickers of the past. I also recommend that dog guardians utilize a "bait bag" or "treat pouch" in their training. Not only will it help to have a place to keep your reinforcement, but training without food in your hand will help reduce the risk of an animal only performing learned behaviors when food is visible. The Terry Ryan treat pouches are well-made, dishwasher safe, easily snap into open or closed position. They are affordable to begin with but you can get an extra 20% off if you use the link on my page to shop in the store. Terry Ryan also makes a "click stick" that is perfect for training cats and is a common tool I introduce in cat consultations. The target stick and clicker are combined into one tool making it easy to hold during training. The sound of the click on the click stick is even quieter than the i-click making it perfect for sensitive cat ears.
I provide my clients with articles and specific training exercises to complete as homework as a part of their curriculum but some guardians are hungry for additional reading and I cannot recommend the book catalog at KPCT highly enough.
The Puppy Start Right book is a must-have for new puppy guardians: