Join us to learn how to layer over a whistle on your recall. I decided to try this with our youngest dog, so you will see some practice with us and what we’ve accomplished in two short sessions. Whistles are a great option for recalls for those of us who don’t have very loud voices that carry far, windy areas where it’s hard to hear, and for those dogs who are very fast moving.
What you will need:
A whistle (I prefer the ones meant for this – ours was purchased on Amazon)
A mix of high, mid and lower value treats/food
A dog that has some knowledge of the recall
A long line
A harness, flat collar or martingale collar
You can introduce the whistle the same way you would introduce a clicker. We want the whistle to signify something good is coming. Always start in low distraction so that you can build on success. Remember, movement away from your dog entices them to move towards you. Once we have some understanding and you take it outside or in a more distracting area, make sure that you have a hold of the long line so that the dog doesn’t have the option not to respond, but do allow them to get distracted. Don’t do too many in a row or you won’t have the opportunity to allow your dog to move away from you. Initially you will reward every single instance of return. After about a 50 – 100 reps, vary up the reward schedule. Sometimes food, sometimes praise only.
We will post another video of progress a little later so that you can see more of an end result as this video is just the initial stages.
Happy training!
Smart Dogs Canine Training Milton 