# Dog recall whistles



## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

Hi all,

Someone recommended a dog recall whistle to help me train my cocker spaniel. Does anybody use these or have any advice on them at all? I would like to get her recall really good but am aware that her breed don't exactly have brilliant recall!

Thanks

MabelsMum


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## 912142 (Mar 28, 2011)

I don't use a whistle but have a special whistle that is very distinctive and so my dogs know it is me and not someone else but it is done naturally.


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## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

I'm thinking a whistle might be best! we have some really big open spaces by rivers and they get quite windy, a bit concerned that my voice might get caught up in the weather and she won't hear me that well!


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2011)

Many use the Acme's cannot remember the exact one! maybe a 211.5 NOT the silent one! - 
if ever you lose it it can be replaced with the same!

I am odd! I use my own whistpe - fingers or mouth!! but when I was training used an acme thunder purely because it were louder and was recommended to me by someone doing agiligy! but not many use that - think it isthe one referees use


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

One of the acme plastic whistles, pick which one you want, I use a 210 1/2, which is (apparently) for spaniels, and the 211 1/2 for Labs. It doesn't seem to confuse my two Labs 

I helped bring on a cocker pup for someone last year, and can honestly say I must have been blessed! Because he was pretty easy, but that's maybe because I've already been through the process of breaking two dogs :lol: 

The basic rule (which so many people forget and/or ignore) is don't call your dog if you don't think they will come, go and get them instead. So if you're 50' away from your dog, and you don't think they'll respond, go within a range where you can get their attention, don't let them learn to ignore you.

All I did was focus on recall and heelwork for six months, and by the end of that, he had a very good recall, for a cocker anyway


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2011)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> The basic rule (which so many people forget and/or ignore) is don't call your dog if you don't think they will come, go and get them instead. So if you're 50' away from your dog, and you don't think they'll respond, go within a range where you can get their attention, don't let them learn to ignore you.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

DoubleTrouble said:


> Interesting!
> I was taught intiaially NOT to recall my dog from a sit and to ALWAYS to return to them and give plenty of praise! And on the recall initially ONLY recall the dog when it is ALREADY on its way back to you! then give praise galore!!


That's if you've put your dog into a sit, or stop at distance, then you go and collect it and use that chance to praise it. However, you can also redirect from a stop, in which ever direction you need 

If you want to recall your dog after it's wandered off 20 foot on a general walk, if you think it will respond, recall, if you think it won't, go close enough to get it's attention and then call it to you, whether that distance is 10 foot or 5 foot


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

I use the Acme gundog whistle. But really, you can use any sort you like as long as you train your dog to respond to it. 
Begin by using the whistle (I use 3 short blasts for Come) as you feed the dog, when you give treats, when he comes to you... in fact any time he`s around he needs to associate whistle with reward. 
I always reward with the whistle because I want it to be solid., It may one day save their life. And never ever whistle when he isn`t likely to come back. It weakens the response.


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## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

DoubleTrouble said:


> Many use the Acme's cannot remember the exact one! maybe a 211 0r 211.5 NOT the silent one! -
> if ever you lose it it can be replaced with the same!


Thanks,

do you not recommend the silent one then? what are the benefits of one that does make a noise?

MM


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

You can hear it, and replicate commands knowing you're making the right noises


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

My friend owns this website, loads of good fun stuff to play with on there, this is the lanyards and whistles page 

Lanyards & whistles - Hi lost - for smarter gundogs


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## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

Thank you all, I'm going to go for a whistle and persevere with recall training, she is only very little now, just 8 weeks but am trying to get everything in place to start training her well as I want her to find it fun to learn stuff and enjoy it as much as I enjoy having her.


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## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> My friend owns this website, loads of good fun stuff to play with on there, this is the lanyards and whistles page
> 
> Lanyards & whistles - *Hi lost - for smarter gundogs


Just ordered the 210 1/2...just wait for it to arrive and then train train train! Thanks for the recommendation.

MM


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## MizzPooch (Jun 16, 2011)

Thanks for that Sleeping_Lion! I think I will go for the 210.5 for my Springer. We have been working recall and heel and I have just ordered a long-line to extend this practicing and sadly I am quite softly spoken (I still get asked if my Mum is in! - in my own home - because I'm only 5ft and sound about 12 and not my own 30 years lol) AND I can't whistle. :frown2:


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## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

MizzPooch said:


> Thanks for that Sleeping_Lion! I think I will go for the 210.5 for my Springer. We have been working recall and heel and I have just ordered a long-line to extend this practicing and sadly I am quite softly spoken (I still get asked if my Mum is in! - in my own home - because I'm only 5ft and sound about 12 and not my own 30 years lol) AND I can't whistle. :frown2:


I can't whistle at all either! also thought that if I can train Mabel to come back to it then I can get my son to help me so that when he is older she'll come back to him if he takes her out, also for when my sister looks after her if we are away. My sister has a boxer x hunterway (sp) and he has the best recall I've ever seen so I can just imagine her trying to run after Mabel in the woods with Bruno running behind her thinking its a game!


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Helen's got your order, I was chatting to her not so long back, and she said it had come through 

I'm 5' 2" and sound about 12 as well, and I'm a wee bit older than 30


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## springfieldbean (Sep 13, 2010)

Hi Emma (I've just replied to your welcome post, sorry I didn't see it earlier)!

I've got a cocker spaniel puppy too (he's 13 weeks now - can't believe we've had him a month already!!), and last week I bought an Acme 211.5. Like MizzPooch and SL, I've got a very soft voice (and sound like a child!) and really don't fancy the shouting thing, so a whistle's going to be a godsend I hope!

It's really working already - Sherlock knows now that he gets a treat when we give it 3 short blows. Haven't tried recalling him at any distance yet - we want to make totally sure he always comes to it, but it really seems as though it's going to do the trick! 

Let us know how you and Mabel get on with your whistle! Would love to hear more about Mabel, too! So far I've learnt that cockers are lovely and sooo clever and totally MAD!!! 

Alice x


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## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> Helen's got your order, I was chatting to her not so long back, and she said it had come through
> 
> I'm 5' 2" and sound about 12 as well, and I'm a wee bit older than 30


Brilliant! thanks again for the recommendation! I'm just 5ft and am going to have to train Mabel well as occasionally have some stomach problems which restricts my mobility, exercise works so I can walk her and play with her etc but running after her if she makes a dash for it would be out of the question, if she's not keen on the whistle at these times I'll always walk her with someone else but feel al ittle bad relying on them to do the running! x


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## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

springfieldbean said:


> Hi Emma (I've just replied to your welcome post, sorry I didn't see it earlier)!
> 
> I've got a cocker spaniel puppy too (he's 13 weeks now - can't believe we've had him a month already!!), and last week I bought an Acme 211.5. Like MizzPooch and SL, I've got a very soft voice (and sound like a child!) and really don't fancy the shouting thing, so a whistle's going to be a godsend I hope!
> 
> ...


Mabel is just gorgeous! I love her so much already, she makes me smile so much and the unconditional doggy love is already there!

Sherlock is a wonderful name! I love it! what colour is he? and aren't they clever! we've had her since Sunday and she's already got sit, paw and down even when my four year old does it! x


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## springfieldbean (Sep 13, 2010)

MabelsMum said:


> Mabel is just gorgeous! I love her so much already, she makes me smile so much and the unconditional doggy love is already there!
> 
> Sherlock is a wonderful name! I love it! what colour is he? and aren't they clever! we've had her since Sunday and she's already got sit, paw and down even when my four year old does it! x


Thank you! He's golden:









Have you got pictures of Mabel up? They're astonishingly clever, aren't they! - I've only had a cat before and although she's the cleverest cat in the world (of course!) it has amazed me how quickly Sherlock picks things up! He can do down, sit, roll over (with a little help!), paw and stay, although we're finding the more useful commands like leave and drop much harder!! He's pretty stubborn!  And he is really easily distracted, and won't listen to me at all then  x


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## MabelsMum (Jul 17, 2011)

he is lovely!!! what a beautiful colour!

Of course your cat is the cleverest cat of all! we are all bias about our own fur babies!

Mabel appears to be settling in well, now she's obviously realised that this is home she appears determined to make it her own! We have her in a crate now when we go out (not that I really do without her but on the odd occasion I have to!) and at night and she has taken to it really really well and it is helping with toilet training as well although yesterday she seemed determined to pee in exactly the same spot in the lounge three times and once over me! I now clearly belong to her!! I've attached a picture of her, she looks a little grumpy as I think the camera noise woke her up!! x


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## springfieldbean (Sep 13, 2010)

MabelsMum said:


> he is lovely!!! what a beautiful colour!
> 
> Of course your cat is the cleverest cat of all! we are all bias about our own fur babies!
> 
> Mabel appears to be settling in well, now she's obviously realised that this is home she appears determined to make it her own! We have her in a crate now when we go out (not that I really do without her but on the odd occasion I have to!) and at night and she has taken to it really really well and it is helping with toilet training as well although yesterday she seemed determined to pee in exactly the same spot in the lounge three times and once over me! I now clearly belong to her!! I've attached a picture of her, she looks a little grumpy as I think the camera noise woke her up!! x


Oh, she is gorgeous, even with tired little red eyes!!! :001_tt1: So tiny, too - I'd forgotten just how much Sherlock's grown since we've had him! Sounds like Mabel's getting on really well, what a little love! x


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

MabelsMum said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Someone recommended a dog recall whistle to help me train my cocker spaniel. Does anybody use these or have any advice on them at all? I would like to get her recall really good but am aware that her breed don't exactly have brilliant recall!
> 
> ...


The main thing is you "prime" the whistle before using it outside. Walk around indoors with the whistle and treats, each time you blow treat the dog immediately, literally whistle treat, whistle treat. After a few short sessions of this indoors, try it when she is sniffing in the garden, when she comes treat. You can then try Whistling her from inside the house, When thats reliable take it outside. At first it often works better on a long line, the dog cant get into the habit of running off when it wants then and you have control while training.
Use the whistle to call her back, treating when she does, sometimes throw a ball a few times as reward, play with a ragger, run in the other direction so she chases you instead making it a game. Each time though after the "reward" send of with go play again and let her do her own thing, just call her back periodically,
reward (keep it varied) and send away with go play. This teaches, coming doesnt always mean the end of fun, and also keeps her interest as she is guessing what the reward will be. When alls going ok after a few sessions, then you can drop the long line using it as a drag line, so you still have control if needs be, do all the same processes, when thats ok and going well, final stage is let her off. I would start in areas of lesser distraction and then if/when it still remains reliable you can start to build up the distractions.

Never, just take her somewhere let her off, let her run free, call her back, lead on and home. They get wise and know ifs the end and home, so more likely to run off and avoid. Its sometimes also to, when you call her back doing a few minutes here and there of walking on a short lead before sending off with the do play, again teaching that doesnt necessarily mean end of walk either.

Hope this might help or give you some ideas.


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