Home > Articles

This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

Buying Equipment and Supplies

Preparing for a new dog is similar to planning a baby’s layette. You need to accumulate certain supplies before bringing the new puppy or dog home.

Things You’ll Need

  • Collars, leash, and ID tag

  • Treats, Kongs, and other toys

  • Cleaning supplies for potty accidents

Choosing a Collar and Leash

You will need a basic cotton web, nylon, or leather rolled or flat collar with a buckle or snap-together clasp of the appropriate size for your dog. Collars come in half-inch lengths. If your dog has a lot of hair, the collar should fit under the coat and close to the skin. You should be able to slip one finger between the dog’s skin and collar for small dogs and about two fingers under the collar of larger dogs.

A nylon slip collar, which tightens around the dog’s neck, is effective for certain training exercises in which you really need to get your dog’s attention. Measure the neck and add three inches for proper length. The collar should be just long enough to fit over the dog’s head. To use this type of collar, give it a fast tighten and then just a quick release. If pressure on the neck is contraindicated (dogs with medical conditions affecting the neck), make do with the buckle collar or opt for a head collar or no-pull training harness.

For most situations, a four- or six-foot leather or cotton web leash is sufficient. The snap bolt should be the proper size for your dog. A toy dog dragging around a long leash with a heavy bolt is handicapped; conversely, you will be handicapped if you try to train a huge dog with a flimsy leash with a tiny snap bolt.

Even if your dog has permanent identity data such as a microchip or tattoo, attach an ID tag with your name, telephone number, and address to his collar when he travels outside your home.

Figure 3.3 shows some examples of these basic training supplies.

Selecting Treats

In Chapter 2, "What You Should Know About Training," we discussed using treats and praise or petting as positive reinforcement for encouraging your dog to perform an action. When you use food to persuade a beginner, reinforce the desired behavior each time it occurs. If you are training your puppy to sit on command, you must offer him a treat, such as a tidbit of weenie, and praise/petting each time he performs correctly. After he has mastered the trick, the food reward can be used intermittently and eventually phased out so that the puppy will perform for praise and petting alone.

Figure 3.3

Figure 3.3 You’ll need buckle (1) and training (2) collars, plus leash (3), and ID (4) tag.

When using food as a positive reinforcer, present the smallest amount that will encourage your dog to perform. If the pup is particularly fond of liver snaps, give him a morsel (not the entire cookie) for correct execution of a simple task. This allows for more reinforcements per training session before the dog becomes full. Animal trainer Karen Pryor says that the reward should be based on the difficulty of the task. If your puppy makes a major training breakthrough—he comes when called off leash for the first time—reward him with the jackpot of a whole cookie.

What You Should Know About Toys

Toys should be appropriate to your dog’s size, activity level, and chewing preferences. In general, provide your dog with a variety of toys and rotate them weekly by offering only a few of the playthings at a time. Observe toys carefully, removing and destroying any that have become unsafe (due to cracking, unraveling, losing stuffing, and so on).

Items you might consider for your dog’s toy box include

  • Interactive toys such as balls or Frisbees.

  • Objects for safe chewing and carrying around. These include hard, rubber toys such as Nylabone "bones" and Kong products available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

  • Distraction toys include the Kongs and "busy boxes" with hiding places for treats; your dog gets to the goodies by moving or nosing the toy with his paws or muzzle (see Figure 3.4).

  • Rope toys are available in various shapes with knotted ends and can provide a flossing action for teeth.

  • Comfort toys (stuffed toys, for example) might be appropriate for certain dogs.

Figure 3.4

Figure 3.4 Toys stuffed with food treats are great boredom relievers for your pet.

Selecting Cleaning Products for Training Accidents

Dogs can detect elimination odors imperceptible to us and, in many cases, are compelled to reapply urine or feces to the soiled area. In some cases, pet residues have been left by previously-owned pets, and in others the dog is reinforcing his own scent.

Regardless, it is important to neutralize and remove any trace odor of urine and feces so that the puppy or dog is not attracted back to urinate and defecate. After blotting with paper towels, apply a cleaning product containing natural enzymes to completely remove urine or fecal deposits.

Numerous enzymatic cleaners are available for purchase online or at stores. Urine-Off products are available at http://www.urine-off.com and Anti-Icky-Poo at http://www.mistermax.com or by calling (800) 745-1671.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020