# Whistle Training...



## tbone13

Does anyone have any experience with whistle training? I'm looking for some tips and also recommendations on a specific type of whistle. I don't hunt my dog, but I thought someone in here might and have some experience with this.

Any help is much appreciated.


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## calum

My dog is trained to the whistle.

She will return instantly if she hears three short and snappy blows on the whistle, no matter what she is doing. It is easier to train them when they are young.

The whilst I have is just this normal dog one, nothing special really, but does the job.


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## tbone13

Yeah, that's really all I'm looking to do. Train him to return on 2-3 whistle blows when we're in the field. 

Is it a "silent" whistle? I've never really bought any kind of whistle that wasn't a regular referee whistle so I'm not sure what I'm looking for. If you find the one you have somewhere online shoot me the link...


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## calum

I actually don't have a silent whistle. I don't remember where I got it, just a local pet shop.

Any dog whistle will do really, the main and hardest part is getting the dog trained.


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## VizslaDiva

If your V's recall is fairly well developed, would whistle training be an additive or a setback at this point? Also if you are going to hunt with your V is a "silent" whistle better to work with? How do you know when you are blowing a silent whistle the correct way?


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## madaboutvizslas

I bought a silent whistle at Xmas. I took it back because I could hear it quite plainly. The shop said they are just quiet not silent. So I have never used it. I just whistle with my lips. I have my own recall whistle that is quite different to what most people would use. It is a bird call. This way the dog knows it is me. I also use a hand signal (which I use in preference to everything else) for recall.

In fact I have hand signals for just about everything and try not to use verbal commands unless I have to reinforce (or its dark). To do this I started with verbal. Then introduced the hand signal at the same time. After a while she started repsonding to just the hand signal.

PS. The hand signal will work from over 300ft if she is looking at you.


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## 1notenough

I also use hand signals to recal the dogs from a distance it works quite well.I get there attention then outstretch my arms and they come running.getting them to stop in front of me ...well we keep trying.


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## madaboutvizslas

Yeah mine usually likes to come back to daddy at full pace and then see how close she can get as she races by. Then brake and return. Funny though if she is returning with a ball she will stop in front. Anything else and she likes to race by.


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## 1notenough

yeah race by and see if those legs cant get clipped as she goes by.I think my dogs have a running bet to see if they cant knock me over.I try to make myself as small a target as possable


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## madaboutvizslas

My V now weighs about 46lbs. I don't know how fast she can run but thats a lot of energy at full speed. About 4 months ago her knee hit my shin while I was trying to recall her at the beach. I ended up with a huge lump for weeks. I reckon I actually had a fracture as it would sometimes wake me up at night aching.

Needless to say i know keep a close eye on her. If she has that I'm gonna get you look in her eye I start running out to the side and she has to bleed off speed to keep on the TARGET!

I imagine with 2 you would be in trouble. ;D


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## colinstab

Hi,

I too am looking to whistle train my pup. Just basic stuff like recall. Does anyone have any tips on how to start this from the word go?


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## R E McCraith

Col - as soon as voice commands are 80% obeyed introduce the whistle for me it's 3 quick toots for here & 1 for whoa ? when bird hunting I put PIKE on whoa way more than I recall him - still use the Fox 40 classic with bite guard Ref whistle - cheap & loud & no pea to freeze - so command then whistle - they pick up on it in a very short time!


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## colinstab

Thanks for the reply. So to do it you simply use the command word like come. When they have that more or less, you shout come then toot the whistle with the desired call until youre just using the whistle? Then a mix of both?


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## Angie NG

We have used a whistle for recall since we started being able to take Bella out on off leash walks. I walk on my own with her during the week so it is back up if she doesn't come when I shout her. The recall is getting better all the time but on occasions when she is eating something she shouldn't or is somewhere and I can't see her I whistle 3 times and she comes straight to me. It was more of a comfort to me tbh as I was nervous of Bella not coming back to me. We do a lot off walking in woods so a whistle is handy to have as she explores a lot. It happened naturally for Bella from the day we started using it, we whistled, she came to us. You may get a little booklet with the whistle to help you get started


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## colinstab

Thx for the input angie


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## threefsh

We have to use a whistle now because with 2 pups it's much faster to give a couple of tweets on the whistle rather than calling each pup individually. 

Cooper learned "Cooper, come!" in about 2 weeks, then we added the whistle. Now they both come running at 2 tweets. I'm using 1 tweet as a release after I've put them in a stay or wait.

If you use hot dogs bits to reinforce the whistle your pup will come every time.


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## harrigab

I've a whistle for Ruby, I blast for sit/stay, 2 for stop/whoa, and 3 for recall. I started using it straight away giving voice and whistle commands together till she got the hang of it. She'll obey whichever one I use as a result.


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## adrino

We use the Acme 211.5 and I trained her for only recall. 
First I did it at home in a corridor where she had nowhere else to go. 1st blow the whistle, 2nd say Elza come then treat when she comes. It took a few tries but she got the message eventually. Sometimes I do the other way around first say come then whistle. If she comes give a good praise and treat. 
Have to say Elza is better on whistle recall than verbal. And I prefer not to shout far ahead. 
She comes every time unless she finds some food...  
Still working on that! ???


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## Darcy1311

I use an Acme 210.5 one short blast to get her attention with a stop hand signal to tell her to sit...2 short blasts for her to come to me.but when she starts rolling in dead fish rabbits and fox poo I tell her off from a distance with a Acme thunderer, she soon pays attention to that. Darcy took to this whistle training like a duck to water, in fact she is easier to control with a whistle rather than voice command.
The Vizsla breed is a joy to train...............................................sometimes..


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## colinstab

Thanks for all the replies. much appreciated


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## jcbuch

R said:


> Col - as soon as voice commands are 80% obeyed introduce the whistle for me it's 3 quick toots for here & 1 for whoa ? when bird hunting I put PIKE on whoa way more than I recall him - still use the Fox 40 classic with bite guard Ref whistle - cheap & loud & no pea to freeze - so command then whistle - they pick up on it in a very short time!


REM said it right. what you use depends toot wise depends on you, but be consistent. I also use the acme tornado for a different soundmost people use the gonia. keep in mind you need to have the dog understand verbal commands then you overlay the whistle to the command. they figure it out rather fast. i use a rolling double toot to send my dog on a cast(hard to explain how it sounds), 2 short sharp blast to come and 3 to turn. one long blast to stop or whoa(good for roads and dangerous situations. also i prefer a pea less whistle so it dont fail or freeze when its cold. here is a link
http://www.lcsupply.com/Whistles/products/105/

Joe
Joe


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