This entry was posted on Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 12:20 pm and is filed under Tip of the month, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
Having taken puppy and dog training classes for many years, I have seen dog owners turn up in a variety of outfits to train their dogs. Unfortunately there have been too many instances when fashion has won over practicality and common sense, so I thought it would be a good idea to give some pointers on what to wear to class!
1. Sensible shoes: This is probably the most important item. Lace-up running shoes or hiking boots are best as they are comfortable, have excellent grip and assist with balance. They also protect your feet from sharp dog claws. Sandals and slip-slops are useless for training. They always come off during heelwork and owners end up tripping and falling on their dogs!
2. Long trousers or shorts: These allow you to move around freely. Long trousers also protect your legs against being scratched if a dog jumps up at you. Long skirts, dresses and wraps are the worst possible training clothes - you will trip over them or be constantly trying to readjust them.
3. T-shirts, shirts, sweat-shirts and jackets: All of these are fine for training. Always dress in layers so that you can cool down or warm up as the lesson goes on or the weather changes. Jackets with lots of pockets are excellent as you can keep a variety of dog toys and treats on your person easily.
4. Sun hat: This is crucial during summer when it can get really hot in class.
All of the above is really just common sense; however, it is amazing how many people have turned up at training over the years in mini skirts, strapless tops and high heels! Basically, when dressing for training, always ask these questions about what you are about to put on: Can I run in it and can I bend over in it (without it falling down, coming off or revealing things it shouldn’t!)