Coachi

About

Coachi is the training range from Company of Animals, and it is a kit for reward-based training rather than a set of corrective tools. Nothing here trains a dog on its own - the gear only helps if the timing and the reward are right - but the right marker, line and treat bag make good timing a lot easier to achieve. Markers: clicker or whistle Start with one marker and stick to it. A clicker - the Multi-Clicker or the WhizzClick - suits close-quarters work: shaping a behaviour indoors, teaching a new position, anything within a few metres. A whistle carries much further and does not depend on your voice holding up, which makes it the better choice for recall in a paddock or on a beach. There are three: the Training Whistle , the Two-Tone Whistle and the Professional Whistle . Whichever you choose, charge it properly first - the sound has to mean something before it can call a dog off a rabbit. Training lines: pick by distance, not by dog Line length is about how much room you want the dog to have, not how big the dog is. The 2.5m Puppy Training Line is for the house, the yard and the first weeks of recall. The Training Line at 5m covers general practice, and at 10m gives a dog real distance to be called back from. The 10m Waterproof Training Line is worth the extra for beach, creek and wet paddock work, because a wet fabric line gets heavy, holds mud and is unpleasant to handle. One safety point that matters more than the length: a long line belongs on a harness , never on a collar. A dog hitting the end of 10m at full speed should not be taking that through its neck. Keep long lines for open ground, and keep the slack off the ground where you can. Treat bags, bells and target sticks The Train & Treat Bag is the compact everyday option; the Pro Train & Treat Bag is the larger one for long sessions or for carrying more than one grade of reward. Both matter more than they sound - fumbling in a pocket is the most common reason a reward arrives too late to mean