I absolutely love these positive reinforcement dog training technology products. I've used them all personally, and every student who I've recommended them to has found them immensely helpful in reaching their dog training goals. I've been professionally training since 2003, and in that short period of time I've seen some amazing positive dog training products come out. Now it's 2016, and boy is it great to have good positive reinforcement training technology on your side!

decrease barking without punishment

The Auto Trainer by Petsafe is absolutely fabulous. Your dog wears a collar that detects whether or not your dog barks. Instead of hurting your dog when they bark, it quickly teaches your dog that only silence will earn them a small piece of dog food or treat. This thing works wonders on dogs who bark from boredom when left home alone. It can also help with many situations in which your dog barks to demand attention. It is designed to work with your normal dog food and can spread a food ration out for up to a normal 8-hour work day! No more annoyed neighbors!

keep your dog busy while you're at work

The Foobler is possibly the best-imagined food-puzzle toy ever. It has 6 partitions inside, which can hold up to two cups of food or treats. You set a timer to determine when one of those partitions is accessible to your dog. It can go off every 15-90 mins, with a little bell that lets your dog know it is playtime! When a partition is open, your dog can roll and bat the toy around to get the food/treats to slowly dispense. Genius! It's great for crate training, separation anxiety, and dogs who need to be kept busy during human downtime. It's also lovely when your dog just needs something fun to do in the middle of your workday.

AN EXTRA HAND WHEN VISITORS ARE AT THE DOOR

The Treat and Train was among the first to venture into this positive dog training technology field, and it's still a classic standby. It comes with a fool-proof training protocol to easily teach your dog to hold a rock-solid down-stay on their mat when visitors arrive. The late Dr Sophia Yin really knew her stuff and combined science and an approachable teaching style to help dogs and their people be successful. The protocol is step-by-step and the Treat and Train helps you reward your dog even though there are distractions and you're at the door. Since the remote works up to 100 feet away, it can be used to teach dogs distance behaviors as well, making it is a popular choice among agility dog handlers and pet owners alike.

be in two places at once

The Pet Tutor is the hard-working overachiever of this group. It can automatically dispense food/treats at any time interval you set. It can dispense immediately at the push of a remote or the detection of a loud sound. It has two different motion-sensor settings and can even dispense a treat for you when it hears a training marker like a clicker or "yes!" The possibilities are endless with this one!! Terra absolutely loves hers; I use it mostly for enrichment and exercises activities while I'm at the computer or away from the house.