I wondered how many of you use a whistle for training and or recall? We have been told to get a 210.5 whistle for our next lesson and to introduce lulu to it when feeding her before starting to use it for recall. This sounds like a bit of a challenge to me and I wondered if any of you experts use a whistle with your doodles instead of your voice\hand signals and does it work?

I needed to spend a bit more to get free delivery once so I tried to use a training whistle for a while. I felt a bit uncomfortable on the neighbours and I think Barney needed more than a week's "conditioning" with it because he was happier responding to our voice than the whistle. I figured he needed a lot more work with it so I've put it away for another time when I can really devote myself to it religiously for a month or something.

Whistles are great for training.
I am certainly no expert but never go out without my whistle. Whistle sound can usually ( ) travel further than any voice and if your dog is out of sight ,well hand signals are of no use. I usually introduce short blast on whistle and hey presto food.I guess it's all about positive association.
Takes a time but whistle is now my last resort /used when needed 100% recall.
Just don't keep blowing the whistle if not getting recall response - clearly the dog hasn't "got it" yet (bit like one of my dogs at the mo) but guess your trainer will take you through that.

TIP: If wearing whistle round neck BEWARE when bending to "scoop the poop"

get a whistle!! I wouldn't leave the house without mine! The only time I ever use it on the moor if max starts to stray - getting too interested in ponies, lambs and sheep

I just do 3 quick sharp toots for recall and (so far!) he responds immediately. He gets a fat piece of sausage on return and lots of pats and a big kiss. It's my safeguard. I purposefully don't use it anywhere else.

Merlin and Jackson are both trained to the whistle it so much better than having to shout for them . jane and dogs

Whistle - brilliant!
We use a 210.5 , whistle goes-Jessie gets sausage, never anything less otherwise she might not bother.
Practice A LOT around the house and garden and she will soon get the idea.
I got the whistle because Jessie couldn't hear me call on rainy-windy days, but I know for certain she hears the whistle. Even if she doesn't come back straight away I know she will know which direction to come back to.

We use a whistle & wouldn't leave home without it . We used it in the house when Wurly was pup to get her used to it, mainly because she's partially deaf so she couldn't hear us calling her. We don't have to use it in the house any more, as Wurly now responds to our voice if we shout loud enough (we're detached so no neighbors to worry about ) she also responds well to vibration if we stamp on the floor or bang on the wall.

I would just like to echo Pollydoodle, be very careful when picking up poo, we had more than on whistle covered in poo experience . Good luck with your training .

i got a dog whistle from ebay as Riley kept doing the 'i can't hear you' over park. i practiced with it in the garden first,i blew whistle with a follow up of Riley come,and as soon as he came immediately i gave him a treat,but only if he came immediately. i now take it to park/woods and i use it if he doesnt come immediately but tbh,his recall has been so good recently i havent had to use it (probably have jinxed myself now )

Strange question I suppose- I've never used sausage with holly but her recall does need some help. ... So- sausage - cooked I presume or raw?!

Katie

Personally I'd cook it. Barney lurrrrves hotdog which saves us having to cook sausages.

Great idea- we'll try those! Thanks

Thank you for so many helpful replies. I will get whistling whilst avoiding the poo

Lulu is working towards her gundog grade One test so I will let you know how we get on ... or not.

I have a whistle training sheet - if you want it pm me your email address and I'll forward it.

I introduced a whistle by setting them up to succeed, and making it wonderful. For Daisy in particular who has been called "self employed" by a few trainers, this meant quantity rather than quality in the treat front . I introduced the whistle when there were no distractions - called her and whistled and as soon as she came I praised her in a very excited way, gave my cue word (Yay!!) treated her, and kept on with the Yay, treat about 6 times - she couldn't believe her luck. She still gets 2 or 3 treats when she has recalled to my whistle from a distraction, because I don't want her to ever decide that she can ignore the whistle and get away with it.

Beamish has trained himself to the whistle by copying Daisy. Poppy did some gun dog training which got her used to the whistle. If I am walking in a very popular dog walking place, I seem to get several other dogs coming to my whistle and sitting for a treat too - dogs do seem to like whistles!

I would thoroughly recommend using a whistle for recall - when I use mine it seems to 'cut through' all the other noise and distraction around Fletcher and Douglas (even if they are playing with other dogs) and gets an immediate response (well 99% of the time!!).... Douglas in particular is hysterical if he hears the whistle and he's some distance away from me he races like a maniac towards me, skidding to a halt to get his treat

I try to vary treats on walks so it's always a surprise: frankfurters, primula cheese in a tube (favourite is ham flavoured), tiny cubes of cheese, cat biscuits (they seem to smell better than dog ones and are small ).

I haven't been able to train them not to go and say hello to other people and dogs, but they're good at coming back which to me is the important bit!

I have been recommended to try a whistle with Poppy. She is great on recall usually but will wander off to explore in the undergrowth if given the chance!

Pets at home only seem to stock adjustable pitch whistles. Are they ok or would I be best ordering an ancol whistle online? And if so which one? 210.5 or 211.5? Whilst she is definitely not deaf we do feel that her hearing is maybe not 100%. It perhaps it is very selective

We go away for 2 weeks at the weekend and I would really like to have it before then as we will have plenty of time to practise with it.