)I just wondered if there was a special way of introducing it as a recall instead of the command "come" or should it be used as WELL as "come"?
Any advice really appreciated. Thanks!
Whistle advice please...
Whistle advice please...
Hi, I bought a whistle last night at training class, what with one thing and another I didn't get time to ask my trainer how to use it. (Yes, I know you blow through it! )
I just wondered if there was a special way of introducing it as a recall instead of the command "come" or should it be used as WELL as "come"?
Any advice really appreciated. Thanks!
)I just wondered if there was a special way of introducing it as a recall instead of the command "come" or should it be used as WELL as "come"?
Any advice really appreciated. Thanks!
Jean & Bella xxx
Re: Whistle advice please...
Here's some information shamelessly stolen from the Springer site I'm a member of:
Whistle Training
Training your dog to some basic commands in response to the whistle is not complicated if we think that the dog simply sees it as another command that you are introducing.
With both a puppy and older dog food is a great motivator, and when introducing the whistle why not start when you are calling your Springer for its dinner, use its name and follow immediately with 3 pips on the whistle, in no time at all the dog will be rushing to you with just the whistle signal, this is basic positive reinforcement - your Springer realises that to respond to the whistle will always equal a reward.
Now move to your garden, and reward your dog when it responds to the whistle with some form of reward, either a titbit or praise. In no time you will find your dog has picked up the first of your whistle signals.
Secondly, you may wish to start introducing a stop whistle. Call your dog, tell it to sit and then follow the command immediately with a single pip on the whistle, then praise your dog. Tell the dog to stay, take a few steps away and call the dog, trying again, to tell the dog sit, followed immediately with a single pip.
Try this about 5 times, and then on the next go leave out the sit command, call the dog and just give the single pip. It the dog sits then give it lots of praise and a reward, if not give the sit command, followed by the whistle. Don't swamp the dog if it doesn't get it first time, try again later or tomorrow. If your dog sat for the whistle when training the next day still give the verbal command the first few times just to make it clearer to the dog, and hopefully by the end of the week the dog will sit whenever you give a single pip.http://www.itsaspringthing.net/training/gundog.php
Whistle Training
Training your dog to some basic commands in response to the whistle is not complicated if we think that the dog simply sees it as another command that you are introducing.
With both a puppy and older dog food is a great motivator, and when introducing the whistle why not start when you are calling your Springer for its dinner, use its name and follow immediately with 3 pips on the whistle, in no time at all the dog will be rushing to you with just the whistle signal, this is basic positive reinforcement - your Springer realises that to respond to the whistle will always equal a reward.
Now move to your garden, and reward your dog when it responds to the whistle with some form of reward, either a titbit or praise. In no time you will find your dog has picked up the first of your whistle signals.
Secondly, you may wish to start introducing a stop whistle. Call your dog, tell it to sit and then follow the command immediately with a single pip on the whistle, then praise your dog. Tell the dog to stay, take a few steps away and call the dog, trying again, to tell the dog sit, followed immediately with a single pip.
Try this about 5 times, and then on the next go leave out the sit command, call the dog and just give the single pip. It the dog sits then give it lots of praise and a reward, if not give the sit command, followed by the whistle. Don't swamp the dog if it doesn't get it first time, try again later or tomorrow. If your dog sat for the whistle when training the next day still give the verbal command the first few times just to make it clearer to the dog, and hopefully by the end of the week the dog will sit whenever you give a single pip.http://www.itsaspringthing.net/training/gundog.php
Re: Whistle advice please...
Thank you Barneyboy, that sounds like just what I needed! Bella knows the command "Come" very well, which doesn't mean she always obeys it! 
Sometimes she's running off after someone interesting on the field and ignores me in her desire to jump on them! 
If I follow your advice I could use the whistle as a separate command, always giving a treat but not putting her on the lead. This might be the answer to my problem. She'll learn that responding to the whistle doesn't mean the end of fun! My voice doesn't carry very well across a field and Bella has VERY selective hearing!
Also - we haven't mastered the "stop" command. I'll try and use the single pip for that. THANK YOU!!!!
Sometimes she's running off after someone interesting on the field and ignores me in her desire to jump on them! If I follow your advice I could use the whistle as a separate command, always giving a treat but not putting her on the lead. This might be the answer to my problem. She'll learn that responding to the whistle doesn't mean the end of fun! My voice doesn't carry very well across a field and Bella has VERY selective hearing!
Also - we haven't mastered the "stop" command. I'll try and use the single pip for that. THANK YOU!!!!
Jean & Bella xxx
Re: Whistle advice please...
I didn't know about the 3 pips when I started and used whistle to mimic the whistle from my hubby and it was successful as well...too successful. when we were walking round the edge of a footie match and ref blew whistle for half time.....I caught him just in the nick of time before he went bounding off to answer the call of the whistle.
I think the selective hearing is a doodle trait.....
I think the selective hearing is a doodle trait.....