Although there is a variety of tools available for training a dog, the best choice is usually a dog training collar. For the do-it-yourself dog trainer, there's really nothing better. These aren't just the ordinary leather or stretch-mesh dog collars that don't do much more than hold an ID tag and clip to a leash. Let's look at two possibilities.

A training collar is definitely going to cost you more than an ordinary collar. Be prepared for that. Dog training collars are usually made from very fine materials, designed to outlast years of wear and tear. In addition, these training collars may come equipped with various unique add-ons that help you encourage your dog to cooperate with the training.

Probably the least expensive dog training collars you can find are the various Canny collars. These Scottish-designed collars are manually operated, consisting of a conventional collar with a buckle fastening for security, and a leash that attaches to a soft, strong slip line that fits over the dog's nose. Its effective pressure-and-release system makes your dog realize pretty quickly that when he pulls ahead of you it puts pressure on the bridge of his nose, while walking sedately beside you relieves that pressure. To discourage other undesirable behaviors, you can pull back yourself and exert the pressure on the dog's nose.

One of the good things about Canny collars is that there is virtually no risk of choking the dog, since the leash attaches from behind to the slip line around the nose. But you need to understand that this training device is really only focused on correcting your dog's behavior when he's being walked on a leash. It won't do anything about other behaviors, like barking, digging, or jumping up on people.

A very successful training device is the electronic dog training collar. This provides a very low electric shock on the back of the dog's neck when the dog does not respond correctly to a command. The shock is only about the same intensity as the static-electricity shock you get on a carpet in the winter, so there is absolutely no danger of harming the dog. It's more of an irritation than a pain. These collars can be quite expensive, however, depending on the features. The cheapest can run at more than $100. The popularity among professional dog trainers of this type of training device attests to its quality, so you might think of it as an investment. And you can be certain it will give you a well-trained dog, with no risk to his safety.

Whatever way you decide to train your dog, either by doing it yourself or by using a dog trainer you will need training tools.