|
Man you should see my leash rack--it's got a little bit of everything over the years.
Collars-I like the Lupine brand as they have a 100% guarantee-even if chewed in 1/2. Considering that one of my girls hates collars, I've replaced 4 of her's! Once my guys turn a year old they all get an adjustable one with their own design on it-makes it easier to tell who's collar is who's. It has the safety release and their id tags on it. They only wear them when traveling. Rolled leather collars are great too and I have those for the collies and the toy dogs as they don't mat their hair as badly. I also like Mes Amies collars-usually the kennel leads, for the show dogs. Lots of the golden people in my area use them as they don't create wear patterns on the show coats and are great to use at the shows.
I also have a nice training collar with no tags on it. Variety used here. No chokes at all. Tight fitting flat buckle collar, martingale or grey hound collar or pinch collar. All depends on which dog, what we are training for and their attitude of the day. My rough collie Claire(the one in the photo with the cardigan puppy) uses the lightest show collar I can find, as I really don't need a training collar for her at this age but just need something on her.
Leashes-invest in a nice leather leash. It will last beyond your dog and can be repaired easily if chewed. It's much easier on your dog when training and on you too as it has give that nylon doesn't. 6' or 4'. It might be stiff to begin with but after running it through your hands while watching TV a few nights, it turns into a nice buttery soft texture. Nylon can burn your skin if it's pulled through your hand. Also, once chewed, hard to find someone to repair them.
Flexi-lead-get the real ones as the cheap ones won't last. Use for walking but not for training unless you are working on long sits, long distance recalls.
Crates-my adults sleep in 400 vari kennels, or 36" wire crates. I tend to go big. Albert the 5 mo old puppy is in a 400 vari kennel and is very happy in there. I have an addiction for crates :0) All shapes and sizes. I always crate my dogs when driving and make sure the crate is secured in the truck so that it won't bounce around in case of an accident. After the accident where Marg became the million dollar dog, I don't think harnesses are a wise idea. In the truck I use a smaller crate then what they sleep in so that they don't bounce around.
I also have a special bag for the dog gear. Make sure that you keep it up out of reach as they will get into to it! I've had them get in and find the treats, drape leashes all over the house and then hide the collars in strange places.
I make dog beds for my guys out of old pillowcases-insert a couple layers of poly fill, sew up the end, run a row of stitching down the middle. Cheap, easy to launder, has my smell on it and if they chew it up, no biggy to replace.
|