Field Guide · The Kit
Training equipment
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Front-clip no-pull harness (Freedom-style)
The front clip gives you steering without pressure on a dog's throat, which is why we start most pullers here. The 2 Hounds Freedom set is well made and holds up, made in the USA.
Basket muzzle (Baskerville-style)
A conditioned basket muzzle lets a dog pant, drink, and take treats, so it's a safety tool, not a punishment. We use it for reactive dogs in public and any dog still learning to be handled at the vet.
Slip lead
Quick on, quick off, handy for a first session before a dog is fitted for anything else. Sized right and used gently, it's a simple management tool.
Martingale collar
For dogs who back out of a flat collar, it tightens just enough to stay on without choking. Good for walks where an escape would put a dog in the road.
15ft training long line
What makes a decompression walk possible: freedom to sniff and move with a safety net still in your hand. We reach for one constantly in recall and reactive work.
Treat pouch (clip-on)
You can't reward fast enough digging in a pocket. A pouch you open one-handed changes your timing, and this one has a magnetic close plus a built-in clicker.
Clicker
A clear, consistent marker your dog learns to trust. One click means "yes, that, a treat is coming," which sharpens your timing on everything else.
Target stick
Teaches a dog to follow and touch a target, so you can shape movement without a hand full of food. The telescoping one collapses into a bag.
Waist leash / hands-free leash
Frees both hands for treats and clicker, which matters when you're managing a reactive dog and rewarding at the same time.
Tab leash (short handle-less leash)
A short, handle-less leash that stays on around the house, so you can guide a dog gently without grabbing a collar. Handy through adolescence and for new rescues settling in.
"In training / reactive" leash ID patch
Tells the world to give your dog space before they get too close. We recommend one for any dog who needs distance, reactive or just in training.
High-value freeze-dried training treats
The paycheck. For reactive work the reward has to beat the trigger, so we keep these tiny, soft, and genuinely exciting, not everyday biscuits.
Potty training doorbells
Gives a puppy a clear way to say they need out, so you can reward the ask. Loud enough to hear from the next room.
Soft training treats
Small, soft and swallowed in one, which is the whole point. A pattern game or a Look At That rep falls apart if your dog is still crunching when the next one is due, so these are what we reach for over anything that has to be chewed.
Everyday biscuit treats
A bulk tub for general rewarding, not for training reps. Too big and too crunchy for fast repetitions, which is exactly why it is a separate line from the soft training treats above.
Low-calorie training treats
Training runs on rate of reinforcement, and a high rate is where the calories quietly get away from you. A single six-inch bully stick is roughly 88 calories, which is 8% of a 44lb dog's whole day in one chew. These are small enough to pay a dog often without the day's total running away.
Training platform
A rigid, non-slip platform that gives a dog one clear place to be. The raised edges do the teaching for you: a dog knows when they are on it, so "go to place" stops being a judgment call.
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