Working Commands

[anita96]

I was interested to know what commands people use for gundog work.  Mine are a bit all over the place and not what they are meant to be but I think he knows what I mean 

Whistle
1 pip   =  Sit, look at me for next command
2 pips  =  turn when quartering
3 and more pips  =  recall

Verbal

Find  =  Retrieving dummy seen there is a reason why a chose find but I can't remember now          Hi lost never rolled off the tongue for me.
Get on =  hunt (quartering)
sit =  sit ( could never get used to saying hup )

I think find, get on are the wrong way round, but hey ho

[Millomite]

I use:

1 Pip - Turn when quartering
2 Pips - A series of 2 pips for the recall
1 Blast - Sit/Stop

Hi Lost - I use this when the dog is in the vacinity to where I think the game fell

Steady on - hunt

Sit - Sit until I tell you to move (don't use a stay command)

Get back - send the dog further away

Get over - jump a fence/wall

Get under - Go under a fence/wall

Get in - used to command the dog into water or cover

Dead - give me the bird/dummy

Gone away - if I shoot at something and miss, I hunt him in the other direction and say gone away so he knows I have not made a kill

No - don't do that please, you'll spoil my day lol

Insert expletive here - If he doesnt listen to the above



I don't think it matters what command you use, consistency is the key!!!

[Nicola]

Like Millomite I don't think the actual command matters, so long as you use the same ones all the time.

With Tilly I don't know what she was taught before but I am using the same for her as I do for Alfie and so far we haven't had any problems, she's adapted perfectly. She also understands pointing and will look in the direction I'm indicating. Alfie just looks at the end of my finger  

I use:

2 pips - turn
3 or more pips - recall
long blast - stop and wait

Hup - sit

Hi! - look at me

Go on - when first sending them out to hunt AND to encourage them into water or cover (I also point)

Whoa - to steady them whilst in action

Over - to jump a fence/ditch

Seek - to encourage them whilst hunting (said 'seekseekseek' in a high pitched excited voice)

Hi Lost - to find a dummy/bird and hopefully retrieve it

[anita96]

At the moment we are only doing seen dummies which he runs and finds fine, should I therefore use seek or hi lost as I progress onto unseen dummies.  Therefore the commands would be

sit
find  -  when I send him out using hand as direction
seek or hi lost  - when he is in the correct area

[*jean*]

I use hand signals a lot I put my hand straight up when Im recalling and when directing I point. we say ha loose ( hi lost in english!!)
 and/or seek and hup is for sit. I also forget im not working collies sometimes and bawl   that'll do as thats the command to stop and return for the collies .
 the clever spaniels, they  have picked up a lot of the collies commands.. I can make them creep up,  go backwards  walk up slowly, allsorts. Im crap with a shepherds whistle I  have never been able to use one so I use my gundog whistle for the collie. its not as good but its better than me yelling. can i ask you peeps with more than one working dog do you use the same whistle on all or a different one for each dog so they know who you are directing or do you just work one dog at a time.?

[Millomite]

I have worked 2 dogs at a time. I use the same whistle. I tended to keep 1 dog at heel all the time, in conjuction with the whistle I used their names, seemed to work

[Penel]

I know I don't "work" mine the way you are referring to - but I do use a whistle for 5 dogs.... I only use one gundog whistle.... one long blast means everyone come here please..... three short pips means Gracie come here and a one long blast combined with a short blast means Lola come here please.... works pretty well, although the spaniels respond to all the whistles because they know that Gracie and Lola might get food if (I mean when  ) they come back 

[crazyspaniels]

I have 2 whistles, the 210 1/2 is Paddy's, and the 211 1/2 is the rest, with only Dobbie recalling on the 3 pips, everyone recalling on multiple pips and Dobbie stopping and turning on 1 and 2 pips, Willow recalls on her name better but she does have a whistle signal which is a short and long and Bilbo just gets his name confused yet
Mine all work to different commands, not intentionally, just depends on the dog and what works for them. Willow has a hold it command where she will stand with something in her mouth until asked to give it up, it took me ages to teach. Dobbie has "fetch it up" which is him jumping up to keep trying to give me something until I say dead, need to keep things keen with him, he's not the stand and present kinda chap. With mine "seek it out" is their hunt it out command and "find it" is there look for a retrieve, only Dobbie stops on hup, I can go on but it would take all day :005:My training is not formal as its all fun at the end of the day so none of my commands are by the book, just wing it and see

[Wendy G]

I also use a different whistle for different dogs, a 210/ 210½ and a 211½.
I use multilpe pips for recall
1 long blast to stop with arm raised high
2 pips to turn when quartering.

Arm signals for right and left to direct when looking for a lost bird at a distance also "get back" command with arm thrown forward from shoulder height.
Arms open wide to recall dog back to you.
I use "find it" to hunt for a lost bird and "get on" to start them hunting.

[flozac]

I use multilpe pips for recall
1 long blast to stop with arm raised high
2 pips to turn when quartering.

Arm signals for right and left to direct when looking for a lost bird at a distance also "get back" command with arm thrown forward from shoulder height.
Arms open wide to recall dog back to you.
I use "find it" to hunt for a lost bird and "get on" to start them hunting.

More or less the same here, However my whistle blowing leaves somthing to be desired especially the multi pips, They never come out the same way!!!
My trainer says i have to practise when I go in the bath.

[anita96]

My trainer says i have to practise when I go in the bath.

You could end up with all three sitting in the bath with you !!! 

[flozac]

My trainer says i have to practise when I go in the bath.

It wouldn't be the 1st time , Zac and Floss have already tried that when they lived indoors!
You could end up with all three sitting in the bath with you !!! 

[*jean*]

More or less the same here, However my whistle blowing leaves somthing to be desired especially the multi pips, They never come out the same way!!!
My trainer says i have to practise when I go in the bath.   

practice makes perfect.itas taken n=me 3times to sa7y6 this am giving up see yo all later am at wedding love jean. xxxx

[Annette]

More or less the same here, However my whistle blowing leaves somthing to be desired especially the multi pips, They never come out the same way!!!
My trainer says i have to practise when I go in the bath.   

practice makes perfect.itas taken n=me 3times to sa7y6 this am giving up see yo all later am at wedding love jean. xxxx

Ok, you are at a wedding........how are you getting on COL from a wedding......and just how drunk are you


Oh, I think you'll regret this tomorrow.

[*jean*]

okay!!
 have mastered the machine
 its a highland weddng.... they do go on,,, Ive pulled out officially now... it started on friday the wedding was at 2pm.
 I have a housefull and ive pretended Im off to bed and found computer still logged on to col.......ooooops!
 nite all..... its been a good wedding and the scary thing is its till in full flight!
I am NOT getting up for 24 hours.I hope! niteee jean and the spaniels ( am sneaking them upstairs with me!)