Whistles and commands

[reader4]

I'm curious about how you all use whistles in your training. Coming from the retriever world, I was pretty set with toot = "sit" (now "whoa"), toot-toot = look at me, turn in the field, cast on a retrieve, quick toot-toot-toot... = "here", and pea whistles. I was working with a new group last night and most used different commands -- one long blast for recall was common. So, I was just curious to hear how you all do it and to see how much uniformity or variation there is.

Also, I prefer to use the whistle minimally. We actually spend more time training silent commands and hand signals/gestures. But I think a good whistle the best thing for recall in a distracting situation and is obviously needed in heaving cover or windy conditions. I dislike raised voices more than whistles. I'm also becoming a fan of the less obnoxious English whistles. Will be adding one to my lanyard soon... curious to know if there is one you like best?

[orhunter]

Like best? The one that stays in handlers pocket or in the truck.

[Drahthaar1108]

I use a whistle, not a lot but do use it, I blast sit, 2 blast quarter ,3 come, a lot better than yelling at a dog. Forrest

[Kiger2]

Reader4,
Not familiar with English whistles.
Been using the Fox 40 for decades. No pea, so it resists freezing, but I carry two because I did have one freeze once. You can blow them soft or give them all the air you have.
Can be heard much farther than your voice and can be more commanding.

Personally, hearing someone whistle to their dog is usually an indication of someone that has some training experience and wants to ensure their dog can hear commands as consistently as possible. Such as long blinds. No way Im going to yell at the dog at 300 yards. Or when pup its chasing unwanted game, heading for a cliff etc...

[Willie T]

I train my dogs to respond to a whistle. I don’t use it a lot but at times it is the best tool to communicate with.
One tweet-whoa
Two tweets-hunt dead
Three tweets-here

Willie

[AverageGuy]

I train recall to my voice, the tone on my ecollar and a whistle. The whistle is used as little as possible and once the dog is trained, very little. I use a double ended whistle which has a pea on one end and pealess on the other. Two short blasts on the pea end is Come. One longer blast on the pealess end is Whoa.

[Densa44]

Old retriever guy here too, and after many years of blowing whistles, I now leave it in the garage. I'm not a purest or anything it is that I just never use it. The dog and I have spent a lot of time together, and now there is just her and I no second or third dog, so I haven't needed a whistle.

I frequently use just hand and arm signals, we both like that. I think the dog feels that all those whistles are undignified.

[Dmog]

Whistle used to overlay recall and here for retrieve. Only use it when its too windy and cover thick for voice and ecollar tone will not locate quickly where I am at. Whistle cuts through the wind better and gives the dog my location quicker in the cover.