Walk down any pet shop's training aisle and it's easy to feel like you need a trolley full of kit before you've even taught your dog to sit. Clickers, anti-bark boxes, calming sprays, a dozen types of lead... It's a lot, and most of it is optional.
Here's the truth we tell every customer who asks us this in-store: good dog training relies far more on consistency and timing than it does on equipment. A treat pouch, a well-fitted harness or collar, a decent training line, and some good treats will see you through almost anything. A few other bits are worth having in the right circumstances. And a small handful of products on the market we genuinely wouldn't recommend, for welfare reasons we'll explain properly below.
This guide walks through all of it honestly; What's worth buying, what to skip, and why. The same way our team would if you popped in and asked us.
Quick Answer
Worth buying for almost every dog:
- A treat pouch (keeps rewards handy and training consistent)
- A well-fitted collar and harness
- A 5–10m training line for recall practice
- Small, soft, high-value training treats
Worth buying if it suits your situation:
- A clicker (some owners and dogs love it, others don't need it)
- A slip lead for vet visits or emergencies (not for daily walking)
- Puppy pads, but only for the early weeks
Rarely worth it, and sometimes harmful:
- Shock, prong, or citronella "correction" collars
- Ultrasonic anti-bark devices
- Vibrating or spray collars marketed as "gentle alternatives" to shock collars
What Do You Actually Need to Start Training a Dog?
You need surprisingly little. Training is mostly about consistency, timing, and good rewards not equipment.
The core kit: treats, a pouch, and a line
Training treats. Not your dog's usual dinner kibble something small, soft, and smelly enough to compete with every other distraction in the park. Look for treats you can break into pea-sized pieces, since size matters more than flavour for keeping a dog motivated across a 10-minute session.
A treat pouch. This sounds like a gimmick until you've tried training without one. Fumbling in a pocket for treats slows your timing right down, and timing is the single most important thing in dog training. A pouch that clips to your waistband and opens with one hand is a genuinely small investment that improves every session.
A training line (long line). A 5–10 metre lightweight line is essential for teaching reliable recall in open spaces without risking your dog running off. It's one of the few pieces of "specialist" kit we'd call non-negotiable for recall work.
What you don't need on day one
You don't need a clicker, a whistle, an agility set, or any electronic training aid to teach a dog to sit, stay, walk nicely, or come back. Plenty of professional trainers work with nothing more than treats, a lead, and good timing.
Collars, Harnesses and Leads: What's Worth the Money?
This is where owners often overspend on the wrong thing, or underspend on the thing that matters.
Collar vs harness for training
For most dogs, a harness is the better default for walking and training, particularly for puppies, small breeds, brachycephalic breeds (flat-faced, like Pugs and Bulldogs), and any dog that pulls. A well-fitted harness spreads pressure across the chest and shoulders rather than the neck, which matters for both comfort and safety.
A collar is still worth having — for ID tags (a legal requirement in the UK), and for dogs who are already walking calmly on a harness and ready to progress.
What to avoid
Steer clear of collars or harnesses that rely on discomfort to work. This includes prong collars, choke chains, and shock collars. We'll cover the welfare reasoning in detail further down, but in short: they can suppress the visible signs of a problem without addressing the cause, and they carry a real risk of physical and psychological harm.
Realistic cost comparison
| Item | Budget option | Mid-range | Premium | Worth upgrading? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harness | £8–£15 | £18–£30 | £35–£60 | Yes, if your dog pulls hard or has a sensitive throat/trachea — a well-padded, correctly fitted harness is worth the extra cost |
| Collar | £5–£10 | £12–£20 | £25+ | Rarely — a basic, correctly sized collar does the job for ID purposes |
| Standard lead | £5–£12 | £15–£25 | £30+ | Only if you want extra length, reflective stitching, or a hands-free option for running |
| Training/long line | £8–£15 | £15–£25 | — | No need to go premium here; a simple lightweight line works fine |
Where to save money: the lead itself. A simple, well-stitched nylon or biothane lead does exactly the same job as a £40 leather one. Where not to save money: the harness fit. A cheap harness that rubs or slips can actively undermine your training by making walks unpleasant for your dog.
Common Mistakes Owners Make When Buying Training Products
Buying the "correction" product before trying reward-based training. It's tempting to reach for something that promises a quick fix, but most behaviour issues respond better — and more permanently — to reward-based methods paired with consistency.
Assuming an expensive harness is automatically a better fit. Fit matters far more than price. A £12 harness that's correctly measured will outperform a £50 one that's the wrong shape for your dog. If you're unsure of sizing, bring your dog into store and we're always happy to fit one properly.
Treating gadgets as a substitute for time. No product replaces consistent, short, regular training sessions. Five minutes a day, several times a day, beats one long session with all the "right" kit.
Overbuying treats that are too big or too rich. Large or fatty treats fill a dog up fast, reduce motivation, and can contribute to weight gain. Small and low-calorie is almost always better for training purposes.
Myths and Misconceptions
"My dog needs a shock collar because nothing else has worked." In most cases this means the underlying cause hasn't been identified yet, not that aversive tools are the only option. A behaviourist consultation is almost always more effective long-term.
"Puppy pads make house-training take longer." Not necessarily used correctly and phased out early, they don't slow down house-training. The confusion tends to happen when pads are left down for months rather than weeks.
"A harness will make my dog pull more." This is a common worry, but it's not backed by evidence. Pulling is about training and reinforcement history, not the equipment itself though a front-clip harness can genuinely help manage existing pulling while you train a loose-lead walk.
Hidden and Ongoing Costs to Budget For
Training itself doesn't have huge ongoing costs, but a few things catch owners out:
- Treats add up. A dog in regular training can get through a bag or more a week during intensive periods (like puppyhood or reactivity work).
- Replacement kit. Puppies grow out of harnesses and collars quickly budget for at least one, sometimes two, replacements in the first year.
- Professional training classes. Group puppy classes typically run £80–£150 for a course; one-to-one behaviourist sessions are more, often £60–£100+ per session, but are money well spent for anything beyond basic obedience.
When Should I Get Professional Help Rather Than Buying a Product?
If you're facing reactivity, aggression, severe anxiety, or a behaviour that isn't improving with consistent reward-based training, that's a sign to bring in a qualified trainer or clinical behaviourist rather than looking for a product to solve it. Persistent behavioural changes can also occasionally have a medical cause, so it's worth mentioning any sudden changes to your vet, particularly if they're out of character. Online advice — including this article — is a helpful starting point, but it isn't a substitute for a professional assessment of your individual dog.
Our Recommendations, Summarised
| Product | Our verdict |
|---|---|
| Treat pouch | Worth it — improves every session |
| Well-fitted harness | Worth it — prioritise fit over price |
| Training/long line | Worth it — essential for recall |
| Small, soft treats | Worth it — buy in bulk to save money |
| Clicker | Optional — nice to have, not essential |
| Puppy pads | Worth it short-term only |
| Slip lead | Situational — vet visits/emergencies, not daily walking |
| Shock/prong/spray collars | Not recommended |
| Ultrasonic bark deterrents | Not recommended |
How long does it take to see results from reward-based training?
Most owners notice a difference within one to two weeks of consistent, short daily sessions, though full reliability on things like recall can take several months of practice in different environments.
Can I use the same training products for an older dog learning new commands?
Yes treats, a pouch, and a long line work just as well for adult and senior dogs. Older dogs often learn just as quickly as puppies, though sessions may need to be shorter if mobility or stamina is limited.
Is it worth buying a training kit bundle rather than individual items?
Sometimes, if the bundle contains items you'll genuinely use. Check the contents carefully some bundles pad out the price with items like whistles or clickers you may never touch
Do I need different products for different breeds?
Mostly no, though very small or brachycephalic breeds usually do better with a harness over a collar, and giant breeds benefit from a sturdier, wider harness to distribute pressure comfortably.
What should I do with old training equipment I no longer need?
If it's in good condition (and isn't an aversive device), consider donating it to a local rescue centre. Most are glad of spare harnesses, leads, and collars for dogs in their care!
Conclusion: What to Buy First
If you're starting from scratch, here's the order we'd suggest: a well-fitted harness and collar, a treat pouch, a bag of small soft treats, and a training line. That's genuinely enough to begin teaching recall, loose-lead walking, and basic obedience. Add a clicker if you find it helps, and steer well clear of anything that relies on discomfort to "correct" behaviour.
If you'd like a hand choosing the right fit or size, pop into your local Smith's Pets store we're always happy to fit a harness properly and talk through what will suit your dog.
