Dogs are some of the best pets you can get, and it says a lot that they have been our domesticated companions of choice for thousands of years. Although modern dogs are easy to handle and trainable, there are learning curves that can vary a lot from one dog to another. Every breed has some character traits that are generally associated with them and every dog has its own personality. Some dogs can be harder to deal with, making it difficult for us to discipline them. Luckily, there are mechanisms and tools we can use to keep our dogs in their best behavior, and below we will tell you all about 5 of the most effective ones you can use with your pup.

Use bark collars to keep barking to a minimum

Excessive barking can be a real nuisance, particularly with smaller dog breeds that tend to bark a lot. Many times there are no options left to dissuade these dogs from barking other than using a bark collar. Some owners might be against this practice, but they need to know that most collars allow for shock intensity regulation and are perfectly safe to use. You might want to try one of these bark collars, for example.

Wireless fences can give your dog more freedom

Leaving dogs to roam free in your front or backyard can be a headache if you don’t own a fence. However, we all know that a fence is not always viable depending on community rules. In these cases, installing a wireless fence for your dog may be the best course of action. These fences work by keeping your dog within the range you establish for it by sending a correction signal to their collar that tells them not to go past a certain limit.

Use a clicker to contain unwanted behavior

Sometimes, your dog may develop habits that can wreak havoc at home or be detrimental to their own health. For example, they can chew on furniture and other household items, or lick their paws excessively causing skin irritation. To curb these seemingly uncontrollable habits, you can use a clicker to let your dog know that what they are doing is wrong. It’s less harsh than a correction collar and can give great results.

Make your dog stay calm with its own mat

Dogs are naturally active animals, and even if they are more mellow in nature, you just need them to sit and stay in one place in some situations. You can train your dog to do this with much more ease if you get them their own mat. By associating the mat with their designated resting place, you can keep it on you at all times to make them stay calm at their place when you need them to.

Treats are always a last-resort bargaining chip

Giving treats to your dog can be a double-edged sword, for they might get conditioned to behave well only when given treats. You can use treats to instill good habits and teach things to your dog, but make sure to remove them from the equation once your dog has learned. Keep some treats on you just in case of emergency or strictly for the times when you want to spoil your puppy.