# Dog whistles



## labowner (Jan 8, 2012)

Any recommendations for a whistle for my Lab/Weimeraner cross? I didn't know there were so many different ones until I started investigating. This one seems to be the one I should go for but wasn't sure: 
]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acme-Working-Double-Whistle-640/dp/B000Q3F6FA/ref=pd_cp_lp_0


----------



## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

labowner said:


> Any recommendations for a whistle for my Lab/Weimeraner cross? I didn't know there were so many different ones until I started investigating. This one seems to be the one I should go for but wasn't sure:
> ]
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acme-Working-Double-Whistle-640/dp/B000Q3F6FA/ref=pd_cp_lp_0


I have an Acme 210 for mine. I went on the Acme website & played the sounds of the whistles & this was the one my dogs took most notice of!


----------



## labowner (Jan 8, 2012)

Just tried that with mine and he took no notice of any. Still fast asleep!


----------



## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

labowner said:


> Just tried that with mine and he took no notice of any. Still fast asleep!


LOL!!! 

Mine will sleep through most things (even a whistle) yet will hear the opening of the fridge a mile away 

From what I have read (on here) most people use a 210, 210.5 or 211's


----------



## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

It does not matter what whistle you choose, the dog will respond (or not) depending on how you use it; just like your voice.

There is a lot of tosh written about whistles, choose the one you like the sound of (as of course you are going to be closest to it) and stick to it.

210, 210.5, 211, 211.5 or 212 makes no difference. 

Or sheepdogs whistle, referees whistle.


----------



## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

I've got a 211.5 acme whistle (and a spare) for my Labs and flatcoat. It's supposedly the spaniel one, but I just prefer the tone it's a little less loud. And I've never misappropriated anyone else's spaniels whilst using it :lol:


----------



## deybecumu (Feb 18, 2011)

The whistle should have the same meaning as the fridge door..If you dont give the sound a meaning and keep blowing it, the dog will tune out the sound and ignore it......associate the whistle with food or reward and blow it to ask your dog to sit in front of you being good(DONT SAY SIT) 1st ....baby steps now....


----------



## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

I use the a shepeherd's whistle I bought from a game fair stand run by an old trial runner, I can't believe how easy it is to use.

It came with a little booklet with all of the whistles on it as a guide and it is unbelievable. 

The booklet said "Sit = one whistle of two seconds" so I tried it and my two collies sat. I though it was coincidence so I decided to try anothe rone. It said best results are outside so I whosked them in the car to the moors where they usually chase the horizon.

As soon as they were out the back of the car they were off rounding everyone one up and running a mock. Out came the booklet and I read the types of whistles. "Recall - short sharp whistle". I threw caution to the wind and gave a short sharp whistle. - I nearly deafened myself to be honest. The dogs stopped about 300m away and returned at full speed. When they got back to me I looked up "Lay down", the whistle for this was a two toned type so I blew once and then angled my tongue a bit more and managed to get a different tone out of it. The dogs looked at me as their bodies lowered to the ground.

Truly too much of a coincidence so I looked at a more complex command under the title of "Advanced". There was a command for "Salute" with a description that read "the first few bars of God Save The Queen". 
After playing about a bit with getting different notes I decided to give it a whirl - I am not the best musician in the world by any means. Thre notes in and the dogs looked a bit confused, I knew it was too good to be tue but decided to proceed with my rough rendition. After the first two lines of the first verse the dogs were sat up again but as I played the notes one by one they began to shift their weight onto their bums and their front paws started to come off the ground. By the time I had got to the start of "Send her victorious" their left paws were held rigid by their sides and their right paws were press against the sides of their heads. Unbelievable.

There were other things such as "The Hornpipe", "River Dance", "Ironing" and "Card shuffle" but I really couldn't think of the times they would come in useful.

If I hadn't bought the whistle I really don't want to think about the time I would have had to put into conditioning and training them to commands or another whistle.


----------



## deybecumu (Feb 18, 2011)

very good.


----------



## spaniel04 (Nov 27, 2011)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> I've got a 211.5 acme whistle (and a spare) for my Labs and flatcoat. It's supposedly the spaniel one, but I just prefer the tone it's a little less loud. And I've never misappropriated anyone else's spaniels whilst using it :lol:


The Acme 211.5 is actually the preferred retriever whistle, whereas spaniel people tend to use a 210 or 210.5. But it really doesn't matter which one as long as the training is done properly.


----------



## labowner (Jan 8, 2012)

I got a 211.5 in the end. Just waiting for it to arrive. Will have to see....


----------



## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

I got a coach's whistle for a couple of quid off zooplus and every dog in the park has recalled to it when their owner's shouts have failed lmao


----------



## lily74 (Jan 13, 2012)

Pets at home do a whistle combined with a clicker which is useful


----------



## dandogman (Dec 19, 2011)

We have acme 210.5 in my house. Pippa comes running when it is blown for a treat


----------



## lucylastic (Apr 9, 2011)

hutch6 said:


> I use the a shepeherd's whistle I bought from a game fair stand run by an old trial runner, I can't believe how easy it is to use.
> 
> It came with a little booklet with all of the whistles on it as a guide and it is unbelievable.
> 
> ...


That is truly a magic whistle. Where can I get one? I would like one that plays the Hokey Cokey if possible.


----------



## mollymo (Oct 31, 2009)

I have a Acme 211.5 for our dogs and they respond very well to it...with my own little tune I whistle on it


----------



## TheFredChallenge (Feb 17, 2011)

We've got 3 Acme whistles (all the same but for the different colours)....one's mine, one's my hubby's and there's a spare by the back door....for coming in from the garden purpose.

There _was_ a time that the whistle was working better than either of our voices or commands but we seem to have gone back to the voice now that's he currently better at responding to (for both of us)....however I still have my whistle around my neck at all times for when he's off lead as another tool in my armory!


----------



## Mo1959 (Mar 31, 2012)

Just got a 210.5 delivered this morning. Millie my labrador/springer cross has been getting far too bold lately and disappearing after pheasants when we are out a walk. She has actually managed to catch a couple and proudly brings them back to me! Problem is she has such a strong prey drive that she is staying out of sight for longer and longer and had me worried on my walk the other day when she was away for about 15 minutes. She does always come back but I worry that she gets into bother and I don't know where she is.

She is nearly 6 now so I presume I will have my work cut out to train her out of this? Presumably using the whistle along with rewards for returning on a walk where there is nothing of interest for her would be the way to start?

I got her from a rescue centre so perhaps this was the reason she ended up there, although I have had her for a couple of years now but this disappearing for so long has just really started this spring.


----------



## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

The most important rule of recall I was taught, is don't recall your dog, if you don't think it will come. Train for the recall separately from your walks, use a long line if you need to if you're worried about her disappearing, and work on the recall so that you build up success, if you train and keep allowing failure, that's what you'll get


----------



## Mo1959 (Mar 31, 2012)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> The most important rule of recall I was taught, is don't recall your dog, if you don't think it will come. Train for the recall separately from your walks, use a long line if you need to if you're worried about her disappearing, and work on the recall so that you build up success, if you train and keep allowing failure, that's what you'll get


Thanks for that. That certainly makes a lot of sense. Will give it a go.


----------



## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Agree with SL, you need to use the whistle when you know she will come & build up to using it with distractions.

One of my dogs also has a very strong prey drive & is not even near 100% at the moment if there are running animals around. I started using the whistle for recalling her in the house & for which she would get a treat or her dinner. we then built up to outside, using the whistle when she looked at me & I recalled her. 

Also if she is getting a bit ahead I will call her name, show her her fave squeaky kong ball & when she makes a move towards me blow the whistle so she associates the whistle & cominjg to me with 'good' things.

A small muntjac deer shot out from some undergrowth the other day she took off after it, I wasn't quick enough to recall her instantly when I would have had a chace so had to really resist using the whistle as I knew she would not return. Luckily she lost sight of the deer & came back within a minute.


----------



## Mo1959 (Mar 31, 2012)

Thanks Cleo. Yes, it is certainly not going to be easy. She was actually gaining on a roe deer last week but it cleared a fence that she couldn't get over. Have already given it a wee try just in the house using a treat. One advantage with Millie is she loves her food so using food treats is definitely the way to go.


----------



## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Mo1959 said:


> Thanks Cleo. Yes, it is certainly not going to be easy. She was actually gaining on a roe deer last week but it cleared a fence that she couldn't get over. Have already given it a wee try just in the house using a treat. One advantage with Millie is she loves her food so using food treats is definitely the way to go.


Don't get me started about roe deer - they are the bane of my life  We have loads round here & I am dreading the day one springs out on us 

I started a thread while ago regarding predatory chasing .... here's the link. I had a lot of sueful replies & advice that you may also find helpful

http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-training-behaviour/176658-controlling-predatory-chasing-anyone-been-course.html


----------

