This is a specific conversation about Dog training — equipment and tools that help — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Small vest pockets and a high-drive Irish Setter — that's a genuinely frustrating combination. Good training tools amplify good technique, they don't replace it, but when your equipment is literally stopping you from delivering a reward fast enough, it undermines the whole process. Before I point you toward something better, tell me: what are you training for specifically — recall, heel work, something else? And what kind of rewards are you using that the pockets can't handle?
Mainly recall and loose-lead walking. He's three, an Irish Setter, absolutely food-obsessed. I use chunks of cooked chicken or cheese — proper high-value stuff — and the pockets on my current vest are just too narrow and shallow. Half the time I'm fumbling around and the timing goes completely.
inparticular.ai
That timing problem is real — with a setter's energy level, a two-second fumble may as well be ten. Chunked chicken and cheese need a wide-mouth opening and decent depth, which most training vests treat as an afterthought. What vest are you using at the moment, and does it have a magnetic or velcro closure? That'll help me understand what's been failing beyond just the pocket size.
It's a basic one I picked up at a dog show — velcro closure, but the pocket opening is maybe three inches wide and barely deep enough to fit my whole hand in. I end up digging around and by the time I get the treat out he's already moved on.
inparticular.ai
Classic problem with show-stall vests — they're built for the look rather than actual working use. For what you're describing, I'd get the Doggone Good Rapid Reward Pouch and pair it with a simple clip to your waistband or a dedicated belt rather than going back to a vest. But if you specifically want to stay with a vest format, the one I'd recommend is the Clix Multi-Pocket Trainer's Vest by Company of Animals. It has a large main treat compartment with a wide, easy-open top, plus separate pockets for clicker, lead, and bags — and the treat pocket is genuinely sized for real food, not just kibble. It's available on Amazon UK and it's what a lot of professional trainers in the UK actually use day-to-day. The wide opening means you can get chunked chicken out in one motion without looking down, which is exactly what you need to keep your setter's focus locked in during that recall window.
That sounds much more practical. Does the treat pocket close between rewards or is food just open to the air the whole session?
inparticular.ai
It has a fold-over top rather than a full seal, so it stays accessible between rewards without being fully open. In practice that means no fumbling, but chicken pieces won't be tumbling out either. For a sweaty summer session you'd want to decant fresh chicken regularly anyway — no pocket system keeps moist food pristine for two hours — but for a 30-45 minute recall or loose-lead session it works well. The fold-over also means one-handed access, which matters when your other hand is holding a lead attached to a very enthusiastic three-year-old setter.
Perfect, that's exactly what I needed. I'll look it up on Amazon now. Thanks.
inparticular.ai
Good luck with him — setters are brilliant once the recall clicks, and having the reward ready the instant he arrives will make a real difference to how fast that happens. If you find the vest alone isn't quite enough, a secondary hip pouch for overflow treats on longer sessions is worth keeping in mind, but start with the Clix vest and see how you go.
