# Anyone use a fanny pack for training?



## maubarbder (6 mo ago)

anyone use a fanny pack for carrying things on walks? MY niece came to a grad party yesterday with the cutest fanny pack with her dog all over it. I was thinking it might be good for walking but does anyone use them??


----------



## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

My trainer friend always has her fanny pack - it has tons of pockets for treats and poop bags and extra leashes, her phone, and who knows what all else.


----------



## BennieJets (Oct 10, 2021)

I totally do. I figured it’s a newbie thing to do, given how much I rely on treats and LAT. But I also tend to wear tights or items without pockets in the warmer weather so the reality is, I need to have SOMEwhere to put the poop bags, treats and whatever else, like my phone.

My partner makes fun of me for it but it works for me!

I also have a fun tie dye fanny pack that I use in lieu of a purse when I don’t feel like lugging one around. Toss my photo ID, keys, kids’ Epi pens, phone, and I’m good to go.


----------



## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

I've used one in the past instead of a treat pouch when i attended training. I tucked small items such as the clicker and a roll of poop bags in the exterior pocket. Now I generally prefer a vest with lots of pockets (fishing/gardening/photography.) If I have to pick up poop I prefer to double bag it and tuck it into the rear pocket of my vest, separate from treats and anything else I don't want smelling like waste bag. I'd probably still use a waist pack if I did a lot of walking in parks with a convenient number of trash cans.


----------



## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

All the time.

How else do you balance treats, phone, keys, poop bags... Plus it reduces the number of times that excess treats in jeans pockets go through the wash, or clever poodle teeth chew holes in my coat pockets. 

If you can find one, look for one with 3 compartments and/or an internal ring you can clip keys to so they don't fall onto the ground and get lost when you pull out a bag.


----------



## EJStevenP (Oct 27, 2021)

I wear a smock for walks and training. It's got two pockets on the front that are separated by stitching. I feel like a real goof walking around in it but I love being able to store my keys, phone, poop bags, treats, and whatever else so I can have free hands.


----------



## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

I have a leather one that I use as a purse. If I want to put training treats in it, I use a snack-sized ziplock bag. Otherwise I clip a treat pouch to the strap.


----------



## I_love_dogs (May 30, 2021)

My trainer recommended a simple two pocket nail holder. They are cheap and machine washable. That worked until Loki decided that a fun game was going behind me and pulling in the strings causing it to fall to the ground. I switched to a fanny pack. I keep the treats in a snack size Stasher so I can take it out and wash it. I felt silly when I started, but Loki actually behaves better when I have it because he knows he might get a treat. It is also an obvious sign to people that the dog is in training so they don't crowd or let their dogs or children approach without permission.


----------



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Yes, I use a Fanny pack when walking at the park. Room for phone, credit cards, keys and dog treats.

For serious dog training I wear a fishing vest or depend on pockets in my clothes, or my treats are on a chair nearby. I never wear a training pouch, nail pocket holder or fanny pack because in competition you can’t wear those items and you can’t have food on you. Same in many situations where you want your dog to behave In public when you don’t have treats. If you wear an obvious treat holder your dog may learn to obey you when you are wearing them and ignore you when you aren’t and don’t have treats. Poodles are smart.


----------



## Spottytoes (Jul 28, 2020)

I have used a fanny pack, for sure. Last winter I started using a sling bag. It works great for me. I carry a lot of things….poop bags, wipes, a couple toys, citronella spray, flashlight, keys, phone and depending on where we are going sometimes my wallet, water dish and a bottle of water and more. My sling bag accommodates it all! 🤣 Its quite comfortable as it has a wide strap that crosses over my shoulder. I especially like it when I have to wear fall/winter jackets as I can easily put it on right on over that. I didn’t like the fanny pack over winter wear and I hate having to keep track of stuff in my pockets. My bag is always well stocked and ready to go with the basics for our regular walks. 😉


----------



## TX_DUKE (7 mo ago)

Yes I do! It’s not really a”Fanny” pack. It’s more of a side hip pack, but it holds everything thing I need and I wouldn’t be without it now, especially when training out on walks. I put treats in a baggie inside one of the pouches which helps to keep it cleaner from treat crumbs.


----------



## Kukla the Tpoo (11 mo ago)

Yes, I do. I have the RuffWear Home Trail Hip Pack (Home Trail™ Hip Pack | Ruffwear). It's washable (I wash it in my front loading clothes washer) and has 3 different pockets. On one side there are loops that can be used for attaching items. The pack is perfect for carrying a variety of treats as well as a few personal items like your phone. It's a bit expensive, but for me, well worth the money.


----------



## Heartland2022 (8 mo ago)

It's a possibilities bag ! 🤣 I already got enough people making fun of me.😁


----------



## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

I'm way too old to care about fashion, so I use a fanny pack any time I am walking the dogs or training or at trials. I tried probably ever "training pouch" on the market prior to this and they all sucked royally--too uncomfortable, treats fell out, couldn't hold enough of my stuff, etc.


----------



## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

_(Mod note: The OP is a prolific spammer. So I’ve banned them and deleted their replies. But I’ll keep this thread live because it’s a helpful topic.)_


----------



## DogtorDoctor (Mar 20, 2020)

Late but oh well!

I love my "training pouches!" I have a simple one for basic training at home or classes, then my absolute favorite one for hiking or other adventures. It has a locking carabiner for the leash, a place for your water bottle, a separate pouch for poop bags, plus other compartments for literally anything! 10/10 would recommend.


----------



## Footprints&pawmarks (Mar 8, 2021)

I actually use two fanny packs -- no, not both at the same time   .
One is my "walking and training class" pack. It has enough pockets for the several levels of treats that are needed, plus a pocket for poop bags, and a zippered spot in back for car keys. I also include a stopwatch for timing reinforcement delivery.

The second is for nosework practice and class. It has pockets for tins, special used-nowhere-else treats, long leash, bandana, and the usual stuff.

I find that keeping the packs fully loaded makes life easier -- it's just grab and go. 

Dorky? Probably. Who cares!


----------



## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

@Footprints&pawmarks "I also include a stopwatch for timing reinforcement delivery."
Interesting. Can you elaborate on this? Curious.


----------



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Footprints&pawmarks said:


> The second is for nosework practice and class. It has pockets for tins, special used-nowhere-else treats, long leash, bandana, and the usual stuff.


I’m also curious about your stop watch.

Why are you wearing a belly pack with tin scent vessels when training scent work. I never have scent on me during practice, My scent is kept in a waterproof sealed container that I keep away from the search area. 

Why the bandanna? Is your dog very reactive?


----------



## Phaz23 (May 31, 2020)

I use a fanny that I can not recommend enough. It's from a small business called Akra Creations. It has a special pouch for keeping food cool and you can take it out and clean it. I can even use it for raw treats.









Horizontal treat bags


Our new treat bags are made with canvas waterproof material making them extremely durable and resilient. They have a front pocket easily accessible making it very simple to pull out the poop bags from the front slot. The treat bag features two main pockets with zippers to keep your belongings...



akracreations.com


----------



## Footprints&pawmarks (Mar 8, 2021)

Why the stopwatch? I find it "keeps me honest" -- that is, it helps me to keep track of both sets of time intervals when I'm working on a "Stay" command.

I time the length of the stay command. I usually have a goal in mind, and may or may not reach it, but it's good to know where we are.
I also want to make sure I'm gradually increasing the time interval between reinforcements -- from very brief intervals at first (just a few seconds), to gradually increasing ones. I'll drop back to a shorter interval if needed.
Having the stopwatch reminds me that we need to practice more stays.

Skylar, you're probably right about the way you handle the scent. I'm probably cutting a corner here, but it doesn't seem to throw him off at all. The tins in the pack are enclosed in sealed plastic bags, to transport them to whatever location we're using for the day's training. I've observed that he has no problem ignoring any scent that I may carry and turning his full attention to search for the hidden scented tins.

The bandana is for the dog, not a signal to others. It is a "garment" that tells him it is time to shift into working mode. I got the idea from a classmate who has done search and rescue work with her dogs, and always uses a bandana in this way. It goes on just before we start nosework, and comes off at the end of the exercise. I find that multiple cues from different sensory modalities are helpful for him.

I wouldn't call him reactive. Like many young dogs he is easily distracted and his attention span is on the short side. I want to try a variety of tools to help him increase his ability to focus and to enjoy both the learning process as well as the task he is learning. My aim is to make any type of training a thoughtful, fun growth experience for both of us.


----------



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

@Footprints&pawmarks

Ah yes timing sits and downs. I usually use my phone or watch but a stopwatch makes sense. 

As for the scent tins….odor definitely escapes from a plastic bag. It could affect training threshold odor. You can buy small containers that are “waterproof “ sold for people to protect their cellphone and car keys when they are around water. Often they have a strap or handle which makes them easy to carry. Use one to carry your scent to train. Put it in an area a little way from where you set the hides so you have no scent on you.

I haven’t seen anyone use a bandanna in that way. Sounds like a good idea. For my dogs it’s the long line I use only for scent work. Others use a particular harness and special leash.

The reason I ask about the bandanna is one scentwork organization (NACSW) has a policy that very reactive dogs wear a red bandanna to signal that others should keep a significant distance. I compete in 4 organizations and only NACSW recognizes the red bandanna. If you use one, avoid red unless you wat to signal that your dog is very reactive and requires distance.


----------



## Footprints&pawmarks (Mar 8, 2021)




----------



## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

I use a fishing vest. Pockets galore, lightweight from LL Bean.


----------

