CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Behaviour & Training => Topic started by: grav on February 01, 2012, 07:41:03 PM
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does it actually matter what dog whistle you use?
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Possibly not as long as you are consistent but most people on here seem to use an Acme 210.5 whistle which is recommended for spaniels. I think it is the pitch that they seem to respond to best ;) If you do a search on whistle training, you will find lots of threads about how to do it :D
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Where do u get one from, i bought one from pets at home and he doesnt seem to like it, goes and hides when I blow it. Is this normal.
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I have purple ones. :005:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COLOURED-210-5-ACME-GUNDOG-WHISTLE-210-1-2-DOG-TRAINING-TRIALS-RECALL-PLASTIC-/350521164155?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&var=&hash=item905cda7e5c
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I got mine (Acme 210-1/2) from a gun shop in Cardiff - also picked up a lanyard as well
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how did you guys find training your dog using a whistle? want to use it for recall purposes, thinking of using Top Barks techniques. Any of you guys used this?
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I was also thinking the same and would like to hear veiws, the older Ollie gets all the work we had done seems to be going out the window. He does listen and comes back takes one look at me and he's off again. Trying to get his lead back on is a nightmare, begining to think he will not be let off 2 run free...... :huh:
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how did you guys find training your dog using a whistle? want to use it for recall purposes, thinking of using Top Barks techniques. Any of you guys used this?
Yes it is great - give it a go! ;)
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I followed Top Barks sticky - It is fantastic. Max has always returned to the whistle unlike his recall when I call his name!! Make sure you use a high value treat just for the whistle such as chicken.
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I followed Top Barks sticky - It is fantastic. Max has always returned to the whistle unlike his recall when I call his name!! Make sure you use a high value treat just for the whistle such as chicken.
I all ways take the Whistle out with me for my dogs..(Cindy the old girl is getting a bit mutten jeff lately)..The other two come straight out with two blows on the whistle..You try showting(There names) when there a wind blowing...Can beat a whistle....The sound of the whistle carrys further....
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It works extremely well....but you do need to put in some work to maintain the behaviour.....once it's taught, that's not the end of it. If you stop rewarding, the behaviour will deteriorate....why should they come back if we stop paying? I still reward every time my dog comes back, either with a titbit, a toy or permission to go back to what she was doing. I also reward when she checks in voluntarily, so that coming to me/being with me is still high value to her. You should also build in a collar-grab (we teach it as a separate game at home....touch the collar, get a treat), and take hold of the collar when the dog comes back, reward, sometimes several rewards so you don't get a "drive by", release....then you don't get the dodging away.
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Another acme whistle user here. Think one of the whistles advantages is that it doesnt sound angry or panicked ;)
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It works extremely well....but you do need to put in some work to maintain the behaviour.....once it's taught, that's not the end of it. If you stop rewarding, the behaviour will deteriorate....why should they come back if we stop paying? I still reward every time my dog comes back, either with a titbit, a toy or permission to go back to what she was doing. I also reward when she checks in voluntarily, so that coming to me/being with me is still high value to her. You should also build in a collar-grab (we teach it as a separate game at home....touch the collar, get a treat), and take hold of the collar when the dog comes back, reward, sometimes several rewards so you don't get a "drive by", release....then you don't get the dodging away.
great post! :D
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Why thank you! :021:
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Why thank you! :021:
Now how could i tell that was a trainers post ? :005: :005: :005:
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Assistant trainer really....my daughter is the professional. I just help out, though I read and research at least as much! Just keen to improve my understanding! I love it! :lol2:
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My whistle has arrived.
Here goes........
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take your time and don't rush it you are trying to create a solid association here ;)
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Did try it at first he took the treats, but then gave up and wouldn't bother then. What was i doing wrong.
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Did try it at first he took the treats, but then gave up and wouldn't bother then. What was i doing wrong.
They have to be very special treats. ;) My girls only ever get pilchard cake when they recall to the whistle. To them it is a VERY high value treat and gets them back instantly. :luv:
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i did try with hot dog sausages, maybe i will have to make some pichard cake.
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Just make sure the treats are VERY high value to your boy. Doesn't really matter what they are as long as your dog values them and reserve them just for whistle recall. ;)
Pilki, do you have any photos of your boy? He reminds me of my Marley when she was a pup. :luv:
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Yes i do I will ave to suss how to put them on here. lol
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Did try it at first he took the treats, but then gave up and wouldn't bother then. What was i doing wrong.
How did you train him with the whistle?
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Did try it at first he took the treats, but then gave up and wouldn't bother then. What was i doing wrong.
How did you train him with the whistle?
I stated in doors with the whistle first(first get your dog to know the whistle first)...I hid first blow the wistle twice and wate for gemma to find me..Then move to diferent rooms of the house...Then out side....And got further and further away...But i did not give treats only some of the time when...I went to are odd fellows hall got one of the chaps to hold her out side the hall while i hid under the stage blow the wistle two times...And they sent her in...Was a hard find then i rewared her...when she did find me..
There are other ways to train your dog to the whistle....
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Having high value rewards is important, but just because you have an extremely high value food item doesn't mean that a dog will care especially once she's already getting her own reward from doing whatever she pleases.
If the training isn't working then you need to start from the very beginning, setting up the dog for success in an environment you have control over. I don't give my own dogs any opportunity to run off while recall training, because they are kept on a check cord until they can prove to me that they'll recall no matter the level of distraction. The key isn't necessarily the value of the reward, but in the fluency of a dog's conditioned response. Start slow, start easy, and gradually build up on the distraction levels to proof the behavior. You want a dog that has a turn on a dime recall, because it's been conditioned so thoroughly that it's an automatic response. I used food to first teach a whistle recall in my cocker pup (whistling at every meal time from day 1), but personally I don't like carrying food with me so I've moved on to using other rewards to reinforce the behavior.
Build up whatever reward you choose in your dogs mind, and also remember to be a bit unpredictable when dispensing those rewards. Give one, give a handful, offer an entirely new and extremely valuable reward so that the dog won't come to think that he can weigh up the value of the potential reward you have to offer or the reward already right before him. He can't fully consider his options if he can't easily predict what hand you have to offer. More importantly, build up the conditioned response through an enormous amount of repetition and by gradual increasing distraction levels to proof that behavior.