The Doggie Bag

As a mother, I hung up the diaper bag more than 20 years ago, but now oddly enough, I'm toting around a doggie bag. That is to say, a canvas tote filled with all Reacher's and Vega's gear. It's what I need for training whether we're heading to a lesson or practicing on our own at the park.

My doggie bag contains two choke collars and two prong collars in addition to two four-foot leather leashes for walking and other basic obedience work. There's a 15-foot long line for practicing recalls ("here!"), long sits or downs and for early off-Ieash obedience lessons.

Vega doublechecks the bag and we're ready to go!

I also pack another bag inside the doggie bag. Reacher uses it to work on the "place" command. That is, I send him from a distance to the target bag where he lies down. It's quite  useful when I want to get him out from under my feet.

But the bag's still not fully loaded. Got to add the protection training gear. That includes a six-foot leather leash and a harness. A tennis ball attached to a rope is for developing prey drive and a bite pillow is for practicing bite and grip. 

Then it's into the van. It's handicapped accessible with a ramp for easy entry and no middle seat. It's roomy, kind of like a dog-sized apartment that easily accommodates a large crate (Vega's favorite way to travel) with plenty of room to spare.

There is no diaper bag, juice boxes or Happy Meal wrappers inside. They've been replaced by a dog dish, a jug of water, a tennis ball or two and always, the doggie bag.


If you're looking for leather leashes, collars and other prossional training equipment for your dogs, shop where Reacher and Vega do: www.ProK9Equipment.com.