I get asked all the time about my favorite products so I've finally compiled a list of my favorite things to used a trainer and pack hiker. I truly can't live without most of these things and use them on a daily basis.
Car Organization:
Crash Tested Harness - although I'd prefer to have all of my dogs in crash tested crates, it's just not feasible with my current set up. You absoultely want your dogs secured when your travelling, so using a crash tested harness is the next best thing. These harnesses by Kurgo are great and come highly recommended. They strap right into the seatbelt.
Bench Extender - any brand will do, but I like giving my dogs the extra room and stability to lay down and feel a bit more comfortable.
Travel Elevated Cot - I always keep an extra cot in my car (because it's my job) but this one in particular is my favorite. It folds up really easily and comes with it's own carrying case.
First Aid Kit - this goes without saying, a first aid kit is necessary for every dog owner. I keep this on me at all times.
Tailgate Dumpster - if you've ever gone hiking and there are NO trash cans at the parking lot or trailhead you've been in my shoes... what do you do with your dog's poop. Drive home and smell it the whole time?? The tailgate dumpster attaches to the back of your car via super strong magnets and holds your poop bags - genius. I've been using the same one for about 5 years now without fail.
Training Treats:
I mostly use air or freeze dried food as my training treats. I mix a bunch of bags and lovingly refer to it as my "trail mix". I like giving a variety so the dogs don't know what they're going to get, but there is also usually differently levels of value in the mix depending on the dog. The dog will determine what is valuable to them. Use what works for your dog, but this is typically what I use (depending on what is on sale or found locally to you).
Vital Essentials Mini Nibs - this has a wide variety of protein which can be good for dogs with allergies. The food is crunchy so depending on the dog, some may not be as tempted to take it as a treat. It can always be found on Amazon which is nice because it usually goes on sale during Amazon Prime day and other sale days.
Rawternative - I like using the lamb organ blend. This is soft and easy to break up into smaller pieces. If you're local to Lancaster, I've found this in Keystone Pet Place and That Fish Place. Their website has a Store Locator to find where you can find this locally.
Ziwi Peak - any of their air dried formula I've had success using as training treats, but they do also have treats as well. If you use code COURTNEYD20 you can save 20% off of your order (I do make a commission if you use this code)
Instinct Raw - this only comes in beef and chicken so it's a bit limited if your dog has protein allergies but otherwise dogs seem to really enjoy it and it's fairly inexpensive compared to Ziwi and Rawternative.
Redbarn Air Dried - I really like using their fish formula, mainly for the smell. It's gross but dogs love a good fish smell and it'll get your pup to work for almost anything. You can purchase this on their website, or if you're local to Lancaster I've found this at That Fish Place.
Open Farm - their freeze dried line is pretty great as training treats and they have a wide variety of proteins in case your dog has allergies. I've seen his at Basset and Lab (if you're local) and Pet Supplies Plus, or you can always buy it online. Find your favorite pet influencer becuase they're bound to have a discount code for this or Pet Supplies Plus is always running some great deals if you want to save some money.
Miscellaneous:
Slip Leads - it took me a long time to find a quality slip lead that I didn't hate the feel of the leash and where the tab didn't get loose after a few months of using it. Mountain Dog fits my high standards and their customer service can't be beat.
Biothane Long Lines - I love using long lines for recall and I refuse to wash a long line in my machine because the thought of untangling that would send me into a spiral. Biothane is really easy to clean. You can find a ton of, probably cheaper, options on Amazon, but I like this shop on Etsy because you can customize literally every detail (if you're into that). They have other items aside from long lines, so check them out!
Poopy Loop - okay wait hear me out on this one, I pick up a lot of poop and sometimes im 30 minutes into a hike and there isn't a trash can around and I won't leave it in the middle of the woods either. Enter, the Poopy Loop. You slip the filled poop bags though the Poopy Loop and attach it to the leash or, in my case, my fanny pack, and that way you don't have to carry the filled poop back for the rest of your walk/hike. I love this thing! She makes a lot of really cute designs (and other items as well). It's a life saver honestly.
Fanny Pack - my client got me this for Christmas and it's honestly the best fanny pack for training and hiking ever. It might be a bit too intense for every day training depending on your needs but personally, I'm obessed. it can hold my treats, my poop bags, my keys, my phone, AND SO MUCH MORE!!! I also like throwing my treats in a stasher bag so the treats don't go stale and i can easily clean that, rather than the entire fanny pack.
Wondercide - all of the dogs I hike are on monthly tick preventative, but we're deep in the woods, we're going to encounter ticks. So I spray us all with Wondercide as a secondary precaution. I like the lemongrass scent (although I just ordered peppermint to try that out) and it just gives me the peace of mind that it'll deter most of the ticks. Every once in awhile me or my clients will still spot a tick but it's not usually latched on, just crawling around (still disgusting, but better than the alternative).
Spray Shield - I like having this on me in case of any off-leash dogs I may encounter while working with my dogs. This is a citronella based spray that sprays about 10 feet and clips onto my fanny pack. I don't use it on my own dogs for any corrections, but having it as a safety precaution in case a dog starts to bombard us when we are working makes me feel better when we are hiking or if I'm working a reactive dog.
I hope this helps! Happy shopping :)
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