Training to Come to Whistle?

[comfycorpse]

Hey everyone!

I've been thinking about getting a whistle and training my dog to come when I whistle. I saw it on It's Me or the Dog, and I thought it would be a great thing to do. On the show, Victoria pretty much blew the whistle and then fed the dogs treats repeatedly...Dakota is very food driven, so I'm guessing that would work out well for her. Have you guys ever done anything like this? I have heard that there are special whistles and things that hunters use, but I'd just like to get a basic whistle...what do you guys think? Any tips/pointers?

 

[MafiaPrincess]

I lost my voice a few weeks ago while battling the flu.. Running around the farm I just started whistling when I lost my two as I had no voice left to call them.. Without training my two run when I whistle. I bought a silent dog whistle last week as it'll have better range and the tone won't change.. I haven't taken it out of the package yet though.

 

[MericoX]

I've been thinking of doing this. Especially with 4 dogs if for some reason they are all out I dont want to be calling every single dog in. LOL

 

[smkie]

I started out my pups as soon as their ears opened. I would wait until it was almost time for them to wake, sit on the other side of mom and toot toot on the training whistle. THen i made a game of it for which ever pup reached me first got a treat. By the time they were 8 weeks old the whistle had a pretty cool meaning and was deeply ingrained in a postive way. When a man came to pick up his pup he had me take them out in the field and he strutted around with his whistle and to my great pride those pups whipped around no matter where they were and came tumbling towards him, every single one..

I keep one in the glove box of my car because i know my dogs will come to the whistle and it can reach much farther then my physical one. I also gave one to Higg's mommy for the same reason. I am a big believer in training to come to a whistle. Because you can get seperated and that whistle really carries.

 

[comfycorpse]

I started out my pups as soon as their ears opened. I would wait until it was almost time for them to wake, sit on the other side of mom and toot toot on the training whistle. THen i made a game of it for which ever pup reached me first got a treat. By the time they were 8 weeks old the whistle had a pretty cool meaning and was deeply ingrained in a postive way. When a man came to pick up his pup he had me take them out in the field and he strutted around with his whistle and to my great pride those pups whipped around no matter where they were and came tumbling towards him, every single one..

I keep one in the glove box of my car because i know my dogs will come to the whistle and it can reach much farther then my physical one. I also gave one to Higg's mommy for the same reason. I am a big believer in training to come to a whistle. Because you can get seperated and that whistle really carries.

So, I'm guessing you can just use a regular whistle, you don't need a special type? Would the silent ones be better, or would regular ones do fine? Dakota is an adult dog who can sometimes have "selective hearing," but I think that she would be more responsive to a whistle.

 

[yassy]

I think using whistle is good thing. I too watched the show you are talking about. My dog is corgi:herding breed,and when she was puppy and started clicker training, she did not like the clicker sound our puppy trainer handed to us in the class,and I had to buy a new one that does not make too loud clicker sound.It could be because of she being a herding breed,maybe hearing is very sensitive.

I am not sure if it can apply to whistle but something you can think about..

If your dog connect whistle sound with yummy treats,and if they are food motivated,I think it would work very good.Making the training to fun game is good idea too.They love playing game Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[MericoX]

I've gotten silent whistles in the past, I dunno if maybe it's me but my dogs never responded to them...

 

[Doberluv]

I trained my dogs to a silent whistle when they were adults...as an after thought. I'd call them the regular way and also blow the whistle right after.....as they were coming toward me. After doing that lots of times, I dropped the voice cue and just tried the whistle and Viola`! It worked.

 

[comfycorpse]

Thanks guys. I'm planning on getting a whistle soon-probably a couple, so I can keep one in the car, and one on me. I'm not really sure if I want to get silent ones or not...

 

[comfycorpse]

Ok, so I went tonight and got a dog whistle-it's a dogit "High Pitch Dog Whistle with Ultra Sounds". Well, I thought that I wouldn't be able to hear it...aren't the silent dog whistles supposed to not be audible to humans? Well, no matter how much I adjust it, I can hear it...I haven't tried it with Dakota yet...Does it have more sound that I can't hear? I've never used one before, but I had thought that you wouldn't be able to hear it at all? Sorry to keep this thread going, but I'm new to trying whistles.