Training Supplies
Below is a list of things that I found to be very useful in training:
Collar
Our dogs wear blaze orange collars that are made of TufFlex, which is made of PVC that is reinforced with nylon webbing. This material is very durable and easily wipes clean. We got our from Gun Dog Supply. Leash
I prefer using jaeger leads when walking the dogs. Jaeger leads allow us to keep the dogs under control while keeping our hands free. Long Lead (Check Cord)
A long lead is crucial to training a puppy. It provides the pup a lot of freedom while still allowing us to maintain control. The come in a variety of materials. We prefer the TufFlex type of material (Biothane, Durasoft, etc.) as it doesn't get hung up while being dragged, doesn't knot easily, and wipes clean very easily. Dog Whistle
We prefer double whistles as it allows twice the number of signals due to having two tones. E-Collar
We use the Garmin Pro 550 when in the field with our dogs. It is very reliable is expandable for use with up to 3 dogs. With 21 stimulation levels and a range of 1 mile, we never have to worry about our dogs not being responsive to us. Training Bumpers
We like the Avery Hexabumper as they are soft and are very durable. Despite the durability, puppies should NOT be permitted to chew on them. They, like mst bumpers, come in 3 colors; white, orange, and black/white.
White is the standard color as it is visible in most backgrounds. Black/white bumpers flash when thrown and are great for marked retrieves. Orange bumpers are used for blind retrieves as dogs cannot discern this color. We also use Dokken Dead Fowl training birds quite frequently. They mimic the look and size of real birds and can be injected with scent for drags or water retrieves. The hard plastic head is tethered to the body with a durable rope which allows the head to flop around like a real bird.