# Whistle Questions



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

The time has come to start Storee on a whistle.... 

Any favorite types I should look for? And then once I have it, suggestions on getting her started on working with it? So far I've just been yelling but she's now going out pretty far and it's hard to yell that much. She has been trained with a lot of positive methods so far so I'd like to keep it fun for her. I think it'll help to do some 'yardwork' with her anyway as she has a hard time on the line with manners (she's come a long way from screaming and clawing me up to escape to get the bird though...).

On the plus side, she did some longer marks today, had a minor issue with the thrower (the thrower helped a bit too soon, so Storee figured she'd get help on the second/third one too - but on the third realized it was 'grandma' who wasn't going to help her and she went right to the bird). Even though they were HUGE birds, biggest pheasant and ducks I'd ever seen (was sure they were turkeys!!), she had no issues other than having to drop one and get a bigger mouth on it...

On the down side I do NOT like the smell of 'ripe' duck.... :yuck:

Lana


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

Lana,

Let's set things in order first. How old is your pup? What specific steps of training have you done, and how have you gone about it?










A long time standard; The Roy Gonia Special. Still used by more successful trainers than any other whistle, although the clear ones have become more popular than the original orange. Excellent resonance, pitch and volume. There are certainly others. But few in the class of the Special, IMO.

EvanG


----------



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I have the same little orange Roy Gonia that Evan pictured. It is appropriate for hunt test use. The only downside I've found is that if you are wearing a hooded rain coat and blow that thing, be prepared to be deafened. For this reason I'm starting to use one with a bell so the sound is directed out away from the face!!
For a junior-level dog the only whistling you will (or should have the opportunity to) worry about is a come-in whistle. And really, at the junior level that is more habit for the owner than command to the dog. Presumably the dog knows that when it finds the bird, he should bring it back, whistle or no whistle.


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

In essence there is two uses for the whistle. Sit and Come. So any other "yelling" will not be fixed by a whistle. As with many training devices the dog needs to know tha command before the device is used. 
Assuming your dog knows "Come" this is what I would do. 
Dog sitting a few feet away from you. Two "toots" on the whistle and then verbally "call" your dog. So it would be "Toot Toot Storee Come". When she comes big praise/reward. As she gets it you can lengthen the distance. Soon you will see her strart to come even before you verbally call her, just on the whistle. You of course will continue to reward the response EVERY time. Once she seems solid doing it from a stationary position then you can start to do it while she is moving. I use a long line and allow the dog to roam and sniff so she is distracted and not paying attention to me. I then "toot toot Storee come" and if she does not come I guide her to me with use of the long line. Again we do this numerous times and allow her to wander further as she gets more reliable. Again you will see she will come on the whistle with out the verbal cue. I then proceed to do the same with the dog off leash. 
As for th sit it is a very similar method. I have the dog stand in front of me. I toot once on the whistle and then say "sit". When she sits I reward. You can set the dog up further away once she gets it. Again you will see the dog start to sit before you give the verbal cue. Once she is reliable I then proceed to do it when she is distracted (sniffing, roaming) and use the verbal command if needed again till she understands. 
I do not think it matters which one you teach first, but you may see some confusion when you go from the first whistle command to the second. Just remain calm and work thru it. It may mean that you moved too quickly from one to the other. 
I am sure there other ways to teach these but this haas worked for me.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Hey Hank, how is Keeper? 
(sorry to roam OT)


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

K9-Design said:


> I have the same little orange Roy Gonia that Evan pictured. It is appropriate for hunt test use. The only downside I've found is that if you are wearing a hooded rain coat and blow that thing, be prepared to be deafened. For this reason I'm starting to use one with a bell so the sound is directed out away from the face!!


That can surely deafen you. It can literally make you sick to your stomach! A remedy is to keep two whistles on your lanyard; one like the special, and a mega-whistle with a special in it, like this.










It really isn't lourder, but directs and focuses the sound straight ahead.

EvanG


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

She's 2 and a half now. 

We have built up the distance of the marks as well as the challenges/distractions, and she's had different birds from gooey ducks that are falling apart to fresh pheasants, no problems with retrieving anything. She's done a few doubles but mainly working right now on line manners - I won't release her until she's sat still for a count of five. For quick games we will toss a duck a few feet away and take turns sending a dog for it, to build on the manners thing (and the other dog it's building on wanting that duck). She started a big on doing blind retrieves but I haven't worked it too much. 

I agree the whistle isn't 'needed' at this point other than to remind her of where I am if she's in heavy cover or over a hill, but I figure may as well work it now in case we do go further in field work with her. At this point I'm guessing she'll go for WCI at least anyway, training for agility, obedience and so on too.
Good point about the loud facter though....

Lana


----------



## EvanG (Apr 26, 2008)

What are your field performance goals for this dog? Will she hunt? Run hunt tests, etc?

EvanG


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

At least her JH and WCI, maybe higher if she does well (I have no clue what the different test are exactly, just know she's doing well and hasn't had a snag yet with things, loves dem birds). I have no plans to take up hunting but she was invited to go this fall with the ladies who do hunt.

Lana


----------

