PetSafe Treat and Train Remote Reward Dog Trainer, Treat Dispending Dog Training System, Positive Reinforcement, Includes Training DVD, Target Wand & Remote, white, 16 x 7 x 8 inches

I just received my Manners Minder yesterday. I've wanted one since I first stumbled upon Dr. Yins web site and youtube feed following a behavior seminar at CSU where a few of Dr. Yins videos were used to demonstrate desensitization/ operant conditioning vs dominance based training. Even though a few of the components seem a bit dated in the spectrum of consumer electronics, I was not disappointed with my purchase. I have trained competition obedience for about 20 years and am a recent cross over to strict positive operant conditioning/ shaping based methods and performance/ entertainment training of my dogs along with attending a professional dog trainer academy/ apprenticeship while attending a vet tech program, eventually hoping to eventually have a CVT behavioral specialty.My dog who I planed on using this product with initially has never had the issues demonstrated in this videos, she loves strangers at the door and quietly runs to the crate when the door bell rings and eagerly waits for her invitation to be let out when she sees a friendly face. My disclaimer, I have only used this product for less than 24hrs, my intention when I ordered this product was to allow me to mark and treat at a distance, my girl likes to perform ques right at my feet, and this item acts like a nonhuman assistant allowing me to mark and treat having her get up and walk only 3 steps instead of 10. From the start, I did not plan on following the guides and DVD but instead plan on pulling the applicable ideas from them and building on my girls trainers, my mentors and personal plan for my dog. I personally prefer her not fixate on the machine waiting for the next treat (as demonstrated in a few of the product clips), so I started marking when she walks 3-5 feet away from the machine then started adding ques only when she gave some distance and focuses on me. I felt if I used this machine to luring mode for her downs and stays, we would be taking major back steps in her work. As expected I found this system was a very easy transition from her previous clicker foundation work and the clicker still has not lost it's value, this is just an additional mark to add to the toolbox.My impression of the product it's self, I was impressed with the packaging but the remote/ battery placement seemed easy to miss in the excitement of opening everything and I was happy it didn't fall on the floor or down the sink drain. The build seems to be strong and I like the manual controls and number of variables and flexibility of settings allowed. I was surprised how large the fob is, it almost looks like a life-alert pendant or something, I would suggest making the "Down Stay" button smaller, at it's current size- it is a bit too easy to hit by accident. With current technologies, I think that they would be able to fit the current controls plus some into the size and ergonomics of a Starmark clicker case. Assembly was pretty much done except swapping out the sifter disc to dispense my girls kibble. On initial introduction, my girl was startled by the motor and possibly the sound of the kibble getting sifted, I think in the next generation of this product- Dr. Yin and Premiere should consider a quieter motor. When it was time to turn on the beeps, my girl would jump about 2 feet every time the tone would go off, even in the lowest setting-I'm thinking the lack of any visual ques might increase the surprise for her. She gets startled then quickly goes for the kibble as soon as the initial startle was over and has almost turned into a game for her. She has gotten over her startle response and I think the fact that I have her working a couple feet away from the device helps. She quickly associated the tone to treat to positive reward despite the volume of the tone and it took less than 1 evening, she treated this like her targeting stick the first night and fell asleep cuddling and watching it as she fell asleep. I have had her kibble jam the machine but that has been a rare occurrence and was expected since Orijen comes in irregular shapes and sizes, I plan on loading up Zukes Minis on the next load. The main caution I have is to owners in multi dog households which I experienced is the potential this item has as a resource to guard. My second dog, knows how to diffuse situations where my girl Presley sees something as a resource- he might be curious but still sees the magic treat dispenser as hers and would rather not challenge her position; he keeps his distance and I do not think I would ever be able to use this tool with him- even if I got a second one. I dog sat a relative stranger dog today, he saw and smelled the food and quickly claimed this resource as his even before the owner left. When I brought Presley in the room she split him from her treat dispenser saying, "hey, that's mine" and thing quickly erupted into a full blown fight. Once I removed the item of contention, everything became happy and as serene as a house with 3 dogs including a young border collie and basset hound could be.

The machine works perfectly.The section on operation modes in the manual was somewhat difficult/confusing to understand, and required several re-readings. I seem to recall terminology and dialog as being the problem.The machine comes with two discs, one with smaller holes in it, and one with larger holes. You install the disc with holes larger than the size of the treats you're using.There was a short list of suggested treats to give you an idea of the type and size.We had a rather odd problem.We used "Zuke's Mini's" treats. They worked perfectly in the machine from the latter part of the first day. The following day they jammed in the disc, straining the machine, and not dispensing.Somehow overnight they had swelled up. I think it was probably moisture in the air but the weather hadn't been humid. I changed to the disc with larger holes and it solved the issue.Since treats apparently have the ability to change size, I suggest not use the smaller disc if the treats are close to the size of the holes in that disc disc, use the larger disc. As well, if the treats are close to size of the holes in the larger disc, than don't use that treat, find another treat.I'm in no way saying that the machine is fussy about treats that work in it. It's not. You just have to buy treats that are clearly smaller than the holes in either of the two discs, and I would add don't buy treats that are mushy.Take the discs with you when shopping for treats, as having those with you is confirmation of the holes.Two things you need before the machine arrives. Treats and Batteries.-Zuke's Mini's work perfectly with the larger disc.-Four (4) D-size batteries.The machine comes with a battery for the remote.The batteries that run the machine are going to be in it for a long time, so I would avoid Duracell batteries as they're known to leak. I can't stand that Energizer Bunny. Ray-O-Vac makes good batteries.The volume of the beep that the machine makes upon dispensing is adjustable, and can also be turned-off.The sound of that frightened my dog so I turned it off, because he was frightened by the sound of the machine too. I let him get used to the machine first, then turned it to the lowest volume so he could hear it from other rooms. It all worked out fine, but bear in mind that the machine is going to be useless if your dog is afraid of it. Go easy and don't force your dog to like it. Allow your dog the time and space needed.