Recommended gear
Every piece of gear on this page is something I either use with Murphy or recommend to clients during sessions. No filler, no "buy because affiliate." If it isn't here, I don't think it's worth the money.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only link to gear I'd recommend regardless of commission.
PLAY is full engagement between you and your dog. Tug, chase, food games. Different dogs respond to different toys, so the right kit depends on what drives your dog.
A long pole with a rope and toy on the end. You sweep it in arcs across the floor and the dog chases.
Built for dogs with a strong chase instinct. Lets them express prey drive inside a structured PLAY session with you, instead of practising the same impulse on the cat or on cars. Burns real physical energy in a small space.
Buy on Amazon
A weighted, irregular-shaped tug toy that mimics moving prey when dragged.
For dogs whose prey drive runs the show. Channels the impulse into PLAY with you, which builds bond. Tug-friendly once the chase ends.
Buy on Amazon
A foam-filled fabric pillow with handles, built for full-mouth tugging.
Strong tuggers go through ordinary rope toys in days. A bite pillow lets the dog really commit, which is what makes tug satisfying for them and bond-building for both of you.
Buy on Amazon
A soft-sided treat pouch with a magnetic snap closure. Silicone-lined for easy cleaning.
Food PLAY needs fast, one-handed access. A magnetic close opens in a flick, no zip fumbling. The silicone lining means you can use fresh food in it and rinse the pouch out clean.
Buy on AmazonCALM is rest, on your terms. The crate, the chew, the lick toy are how you set the dog up to switch off.
Hollow rubber chew toy, dishwasher safe. Comes in multiple sizes. Select the right one for your dog before adding to cart.
Stuff with wet food and freeze. Twenty to forty minutes of licking, which is regulating not arousing. The right tool for crate time and for recovery after anything stimulating.
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A natural goat horn for chewing.
Chewing is decompressing. A long-lasting natural chew during CALM lets the dog wind down on something physical without you needing to be involved. Goat horn lasts longer than most alternatives and doesn't splinter the way bones can.
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Wire crate for small dogs and puppies under six months.
Snug enough that the dog can stand and turn around, nothing more. Bigger isn't better in CALM. A close fit is what reads as a den.
Buy on Amazon
Wire crate for medium adult dogs.
Same logic. Size to your dog as an adult. A close fit is what reads as a den.
Buy on Amazon
A soft blanket layered at the base of the crate.
Don't use a bed. Dogs self-settle by "making their own bed" out of a blanket. It's the same impulse as a person fluffing a pillow before sleep. A pre-shaped bed takes that away. A blanket lets them set themselves up.
Buy on AmazonWhat I bring to private sessions. Items marked "only used as directed" need an introduction in person before you buy them.
A long leash for EXPLORE mode.
Gives the dog room to potter and sniff while you keep an end on it. Long enough for real EXPLORE without becoming a tangle.
Buy at Anaconda
Y-front design with two clip points at chest and back. Comes in multiple sizes. Measure your dog and pick the right size before adding to cart.
The Y-front doesn't restrict the shoulder. Dual clips let you switch between EXPLORE (back clip, low engagement) and ANCHOR (front clip, structured walking) without changing harness. One harness, both modes.
Buy on Amazon
A slip lead. Only used as directed.
I bring this out for specific cases in sessions. If I've recommended it to you by name, this is the exact one. Otherwise it isn't a starter tool.
Buy on Amazon
A face harness that gives the handler steering at the head.
Only used as directed. I fit and introduce these in sessions because the wrong fit and the wrong introduction make it counterproductive. Don't buy without my guidance.
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A collar that delivers a vibration cue. Not a shock collar.
Only used as directed. I use this for dogs where verbal cues don't reach them through arousal. Wrong tool in the wrong hands becomes a problem. Right tool with the right introduction is a clean way to interrupt a state.
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A compressed-air canister that emits a short hiss.
Only used as directed. Interrupts unwanted behaviour at the point of arousal so the dog can re-orient. Like everything in the "as directed" group, the timing and the introduction are what makes it work.
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A dog-fitted backpack with weighted side pouches. Only used as directed.
Some dogs need a job on a walk. A weighted backpack gives them a focus task and lowers arousal. Wrong fit or wrong weight makes things worse, not better, which is why I introduce these in sessions.
Buy on Amazon
A bowl with built-in ridges that force slow eating.
For the gobblers. A slow feeder turns mealtime into a low-arousal task rather than a thirty-second swallow. Helpful for digestion. Helpful for any dog who needs the brake pedal generally.
Buy on Amazon
A water bowl with a slosh-resistant insert that keeps water from spilling.
For the dribblers. The slosh-resistant insert keeps the water in the bowl instead of all over the floor.
Buy on AmazonA flat tag with engraved details that sits flush against the collar.
ID is required by law in Victoria. A silent tag is a safety thing. It sits flat against the collar so it doesn't get caught on furniture, fences, or another dog's teeth the way a hanging tag does. Engraved tags also can't fall off the way clip-on tags do.
Buy on AmazonGear is the easy part. Knowing what to do with it for your dog is the rest. Private sessions cover both.
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