Whistle for recall-an idle question

[happydog]

I'm now on my second non working working cocker, this one a rescue, who, I am delighted to discover, turns on a sixpence and comes charging back to sit at my feet with one pip of the whistle. None of my other dogs were whistle trained.

Now this has led me to wondering what happens on a shoot when several dogs are trained to the whistle. If someone blows their whistle to recall their dog, do all the gundogs in the vicinity descend on them? If not -then why not?

It's probably a really stupid question 

[Michele]

Good question, perhaps they all have to have ones with a different pitch?

[Sarah.H]

I have no experience with being on a shoot but I know when I used to use one blast of the whistle for Millies recall she would come back to me when she heard someone else whistle in the park  . Sometimes she would see where the other person was and just run around looking a bit confused! Now I use several pips in a certain rhythm and she doesn't get so confused  .

[Nicola]

Mine don't respond to anyone else's whistle, they might look around if they hear one near to them but they realise it's not for them. I think it's partly because they're used to working with me and because even when they're hunting they're not far from me (10-15 metres max) and they keep one ear and half an eye on me most of the time so they know when I'm telling them to do something. If I'm directing them or stopping them the whistle is only really to get their attention and then I use their name and a hand signal to send them on to whatever I want them to do so it's clear I mean them. When I send them out for a retrieve they know what they're supposed to be doing and pay attention to me so they hear any commands coming from me.

[ClareB]

Don't know how true it is, but when I did a gundog training workshop with Milo, the gundog trainer said that no 2 people will ever blow a whistle the same way, so a dog is likely to know which whistle applies to them.     Mocha is recall trained to a whistle, and I have to admit, she never responds to just anyone.  She might prick her ears and stop and listen, but then she just carries on.

[Nicola]

Don't know how true it is, but when I did a gundog training workshop with Milo, the gundog trainer said that no 2 people will ever blow a whistle the same way, so a dog is likely to know which whistle applies to them.    

Yep, I think that's true, as I said mine might look around occasionally but they almost instantly realise it's not for them as they're so used to working with me and hearing the whistle all the time.

[Sarah.H]

Millie's just a bit dim then 

[Wendy G]

[quote ]
Don't know how true it is, but when I did a gundog training workshop with Milo, the gundog trainer said that no 2 people will ever blow a whistle the same way, so a dog is likely to know which whistle applies to them.  :  
[/quote]

I think that this must be true because----
We (my brother and I) were on a days shoot, we had just finished a drive and I had my dog(Badger) on his lead, my brothers dog was still working the ditch and he was
whistling her to get her back but she was ignoring him. I looked down at "my" dog and realised that I had his dog on the lead and it was my dog still working!
I whistled him and he came straight back.
In my defence I will say that the dogs were identical black siblings.

[happydog]

  @ Wendy G

I had visions of being inundated with gundogs every time I blew the whistle for Bella when there was a shoot nearby 

[mcphee]

[quote ]
Don't know how true it is, but when I did a gundog training workshop with Milo, the gundog trainer said that no 2 people will ever blow a whistle the same way, so a dog is likely to know which whistle applies to them.  :  

I think that this must be true because----
We (my brother and I) were on a days shoot, we had just finished a drive and I had my dog(Badger) on his lead, my brothers dog was still working the ditch and he was
whistling her to get her back but she was ignoring him. I looked down at "my" dog and realised that I had his dog on the lead and it was my dog still working!
I whistled him and he came straight back.
In my defence I will say that the dogs were identical black siblings.
[/quote]
 
In the dark old days of extreme selective deafness, I would whistle to recall in the copse, and 2 or 3 dogs would arrive, none of which was my cocker spaniel.

[happydog]

In the dark old days of extreme selective deafness, I would whistle to recall in the copse, and 2 or 3 dogs would arrive, none of which was my cocker spaniel.

Ahah -so it does happen   

[mcphee]

In the dark old days of extreme selective deafness, I would whistle to recall in the copse, and 2 or 3 dogs would arrive, none of which was my cocker spaniel.

Ahah -so it does happen   

Certainly it has happened to me in popular dog walking areas. But of course, whist some of the culprits would be gun dog breeds, especially retrievers, most would not be field trained. Interestingly in Cruellas group class, we do not use whistles, but I didn't ask why, as sir was being so good!

[JohnW]

I'm now on my second non working working cocker, this one a rescue, who, I am delighted to discover, turns on a sixpence and comes charging back to sit at my feet with one pip of the whistle. None of my other dogs were whistle trained.

Now this has led me to wondering what happens on a shoot when several dogs are trained to the whistle. If someone blows their whistle to recall their dog, do all the gundogs in the vicinity descend on them? If not -then why not?

It's probably a really stupid question  

I asked the same question to my trainer a while ago, he proved this by asking me to blow the stop command  whistle which is a 2/10 1/2 his old girl did not respond to me at all. he then blew his stop command and she flattly stopped and looked up. "Its in the breath" he said the dogs just know which whistle command refers to them. Even when the handlers are using the same whistle. It is quite amazing to watch an old time trainer/gamekeeper with his dogs. If I end up half as good I will be very happy.

[happydog]

I asked the same question to my trainer a while ago, he proved this by asking me to blow the stop command  whistle which is a 2/10 1/2 his old girl did not respond to me at all. he then blew his stop command and she flattly stopped and looked up. "Its in the breath" he said the dogs just know which whistle command refers to them.

Now that makes me wonder even more. How on earth then did I get Bella to respond 100% to my whistle from the very first time I blew it . I'd only had her two days and I'm not even using a standard whistle. Mine is ancient and made from antler.

[JohnW]

I asked the same question to my trainer a while ago, he proved this by asking me to blow the stop command  whistle which is a 2/10 1/2 his old girl did not respond to me at all. he then blew his stop command and she flattly stopped and looked up. "Its in the breath" he said the dogs just know which whistle command refers to them.

Now that makes me wonder even more. How on earth then did I get Bella to respond 100% to my whistle from the very first time I blew it . I'd only had her two days and I'm not even using a standard whistle. Mine is ancient and made from antler.

Maybe she has found and feels very comfortable her new master   they do seem to take to their new owners with ease mostly. Or so I have kinda found out over the years.