Whistle commands can help you communicate with your dog in the field
Dogs are taught to respond to commands with an action. For instance, if I say SIT, the dog’s action should be to SIT. This is the basis of how we communicate with our dogs. While we also may communicate with hand signals, or through body behavior and movements, the essence of teaching a dog obedience is teaching them commands and what action you expect from them when you say the command.
Whistle training for hunting dogs
For hunting dogs, we add another element – whistle training. Whistle training is still teaching a dog to respond to a command with a preferred action, but the command is now in the form of a whistle. For hunting dogs, a single toot from the whistle is the SIT command and several toots in fast succession, toot-toot-toot communicates the HERE command.
Teaching your dog to respond to a whistle can be very valuable in the field and blind.
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Why should I teach my dog whistle commands?
The biggest reason we teach dogs whistle commands is so that we can communicate with them at longer distances. If your dog is getting out of gun range, we want them to return to the area, so we can either yell HERE or we can use the whistle with a toot-toot-toot. Whistles have a different tone that can cut through the air easier than a voice.
If your dog is trained to handle, whistle commands are an important part of that training. In a handling dog, a sit whistle will direct your dog to turn and face you, the handler, and sit. This will put the dog in the position to see you and the hand signal you are giving them.
What kind of whistle should I be using?
If your dog is a hunting dog, we recommend using a hunting or hunt test whistle such as Roy Gonia or a Blue Ribbon Whistle. We give specific recommendations on our website recommendations page. Check it out if you want links on where and what to buy.
If you want detailed information on what whistle to use for your hunting dog, check out this post.
How do I introduce my dog to whistle commands?
Before you start using the whistle for commands, make sure your dog is well versed in basic obedience and responding to a SIT and HERE command on voice. Never advance your training to whistles if your dog is still not consistently sitting and coming to you with a voice command.
If your dog is consistent in voice commands, you can start adding the whistle.
To do this, start working on obedience with your dog on a leash. Have your dog walk at HEEL next to you and occasionally stop, when you stop, blow a single toot on your whistle, say the SIT command, and then blow a single toot again.
In this way you are sandwiching the SIT command between two whistle commands. This should happen in quick succession – Toot -SIT -Toot. Since your dog understands the verbal SIT command, your dog should SIT. When they do, say GOOD DOG and then start walking with the HEEL command again.
Your first whistle session should last between 5-15 minutes and should include several stops with the toot-SIT-toot sequence. During this session you are teaching your dog to associate the toot of the whistle with the SIT command.
Practice makes perfect
Over the next few sessions, you will notice that your dog is starting to sit right after the whistle toot, even before you say the SIT command. This is good. It means your dog is understanding that the whistle toot means to SIT.
Each session will begin with you walking your dog at HEEL, but over time you will start dropping the verbal command and only give your dog a single toot for the SIT command.
If your dog does not immediately begin to SIT after the whistle command, say SIT- toot- SIT. Include several stops and single toots.
If your dog is sitting to the whistle toot, be sure and praise your dog immediately after he/she SITS, but do not allow your dog to move from the SIT position. Simply pet or praise your dog while they are sitting.
Once you have successfully transferred the SIT command to a whistle toot, your dog will know to SIT when you blow the whistle a single toot, if the dog is at your side in a HEEL position Unfortunately, with dogs, sitting right next to you and sitting a distance away is not the same for them. So, if you want your dog to sit in a remote position, away from you, on a whistle command, you will need to teach that concept to them.
Check out Drill #4 in this post to learn how to teach your dog to sit at a distance.
Final thoughts on teaching your dog to SIT on whistle
Most dogs respond to whistle training quickly. Some dogs respond better to a whistle command than to a voice command. This is generally because whistles are clear and concise, there is no begging or pleading with a whistle. The command is the command, and dogs often respect the whistle better.
Remember, if you really want your retriever to grow and progress in his/her hunting training this year but doing the training yourself sounds overwhelming or maybe your schedule is just too busy to get it done, I’m here to help! You can email me (ottertailkennels@gmail.com) or just give me a call. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer.
Until next time, happy retrieving.
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