Whistle or command ?

[old rooster]

Just wondering which to use (later) on the new pup. I don't like dragging clutter about, according to one expert two whistles should be used. One is a normal whistle, the other a "thunderer".

 

I'd prefer to do the whistling myself or use verbal commands in conjunction with my own whistles, that way I don't have to keep sorting which one to use, leaving my hands free.

 

Anybody got any preferences or know why doing the whistling without resorting to devices is frowned upon ?

[new to the flock]

Old Rooster:

 

There is nothing wrong, with just using your mouth to whistle the pup. All of mine will respond in this manner. Mostly had to train it as I am old and forgrtful, and most days my whistles stay home without me.... or hide in one of those "safe spots"... Ya know if I could ever remember where one of those safe spots was I would probably be a rich man..... B) :*)

 

NTTF

[old rooster]

Old Rooster:

 

There is nothing wrong, with just using your mouth to whistle the pup. All of mine will respond in this manner. Mostly had to train it as I am old and forgrtful, and most days my whistles stay home without me.... :thumbs: or hide in one of those "safe spots"... :yp: Ya know if I could ever remember where one of those safe spots was I would probably be a rich man..... :*)

 

NTTF

Looks like you know just what I mean NTTF ;-)

 

Pup has had a few problems with squitty guts so have had to put off the first innoculation, second will be 2 weeks after that and then we need to keep her in for a few days more. She has so much energy I can't wait to get her out of the house and garden for some short walks !.

 

It's the first one I've had and has been very interesting to watch developing, we're at home most of the time so she's rarely on her own. Takes great delight in retrieving all manner of toys whivch are thrown down the hall but seems unable to stop without using whoever is doing the throwing as a back stop.

 

The books seem to suggest that the pup shouldn't be trained to do anything much at this stage so we're just on the house training and letting her play. Biting things she shouldn't be is getting stopped but beyond that we just have a good old play about.

 

Will no doubt be adding myself to the ever growing numbers of people who ask you for your advice here. Thanks again for the whistle info.......now where did I put my keys

[PestController]

Just wondering which to use (later) on the new pup.  I don't like dragging clutter about, according to one expert two whistles should be used.  One is a normal whistle, the other a "thunderer".

 

I'd prefer to do the whistling myself or use verbal commands in conjunction with my own whistles, that way I don't have to keep sorting which one to use, leaving my hands free.

 

Anybody got any preferences or know why doing the whistling without resorting to devices is frowned upon ?

Most people that shoot over, or trials spaniels, will use the requisite dog whistle, simply because dogs react to sounds and frequencies of sounds. A proper whistle gives a consistent sound at a constant learned pitch, your voice whistle may vary. Also if you are working your dog into a strong wind, and most spaniels quarter well into a strong wind, there's a chance he won't even hear you.

Once a pup is trained using a blaster to stop, and a high pitched whistle to turn and return, you'll find that you can just use the high pitched whistle with one long blast, after a while to stop, or "hup" in gundog parlence. Hand signals should be used as well with whistle control whilst training, as later on you'll want your dog to hunt blind retrieves and respond to directional control.

If you're serious about training your pup to an "acceptible standard" you really need to follow advise from books or experienced handlers, otherwise you'll be sadly dissapointed in times to come. :thumbs:

There are patterns and ideals that need to be followed if you are to have any real success, and depending on the mental attributes of your dog, and also its breeding or line, a lot to be taken into consideration.

The standard of dogs I refer to are dogs that can acceptibly be taken to organised shoots with full control, and no disgrace to their handler or owner.

Trial dogs are in another class of their own, whereby even normally successful guntrained spaniels don't come up to scratch. Get a good book, evaluate your puppy, set your goals and follow the advise.

A book by Kieth Erlandson in my view takes some beating,(scuse the punn)

[henry d]

I would advise an acme 210 1/2 and an acme 210 1/2 why 2?I keep one with the hats & leads on coatpegs near the back door and another in the car ashtray(never used) so it is there if I forget(rarely)or if I lose one(2 in 11 years).

I use voice,whistle and then hand commands as soon as the pup is home,when feeding it.It is amazing how fast they learn 10 days or so for "sit".

I like Joe Irvine or isit Irving as well as KE`s.

 

Have fun :thumbs:

[coupe312]

i just use on whistle. ducan ( the dog) responds much better to the whistle than voice comands and the kid continually weeken the voie comands by over use and undre praise.

i started ducan at 9 weeks with the whistle with no real problems just ensured nothing too complicated is used.

 

if you get a varible pitch whistle rember to get two set the both up the same and dab the threads with super glue( stops kids playing with it and stops in field movment)

 

i even shoot with the whistle in my mouth so i can call ducan if need be.

 

just learning the drop an dstop comand now.

 

i use two short sharp blips to return

 

one short to stop

 

one long to stop and drop

 

ducan's 6 month old right now

 

seams to work not not sur ewhen the hormorns kick in.

[old rooster]

Get a good book, evaluate your puppy, set your goals and follow the advise.

A book by Kieth Erlandson in my view takes some beating,(scuse the punn) :thumbs:

Got the Erlandson and Irving books from Amazon and have been reading them both. Not sure what the "Hup" command is; sit or down ?

 

Hope to get the jabs done soon so we can get the pup out for some short lead walks.

 

I don't want a field trial dog but it would be good to reach the point where it would be acceptable at a shoot for picking up and for our own bit of walking up. If it can also be trained to sit in a pigeon hide that would be a bonus (not holding my breath on that one !)

 

Thanks for the ongoing advice guys, it's much appreciated.

[tenbears10]

Hup is sit Rooster.

 

My pup learnt that in 24 hours by making him hup before he got his food. Shame he didn't learn everything else as quickly.

[PestController]

Get a good book, evaluate your puppy, set your goals and follow the advise.

A book by Kieth Erlandson in my view takes some beating,(scuse the punn)

Got the Erlandson and Irving books from Amazon and have been reading them both. Not sure what the "Hup" command is; sit or down ?

 

Hope to get the jabs done soon so we can get the pup out for some short lead walks.

 

I don't want a field trial dog but it would be good to reach the point where it would be acceptable at a shoot for picking up and for our own bit of walking up. If it can also be trained to sit in a pigeon hide that would be a bonus (not holding my breath on that one !)

 

Thanks for the ongoing advice guys, it's much appreciated.

"Hup" I know seems a strange voice command, I've been training and trialing for over 25 yrs.and it's less used nowadays,moreso "down" or "g'down".

A spaniel is a jack of all trades, firstly a hunting dog, which will quarter his ground, ideally in a figure of eight in front of the handler, but never out of gunshot.

For him to hunt under control, you would cast him off to either left or right with the command "get on", and throw your hand to the required direction. When he gets to about 20 metres pip the whistle once for him to turn back to handler, on return and still running throw your hand to the opposite direction and even gesture to head that way, to teach the dog to quarter, again turning him after reaching about 20 metres, repeating the actions. In that one sequence alone, he's learning 4 things. 1/ "get on" means hunt, 2/ your hands mean direction.3/ 2 pip means turn and finally 4/ not to exceed the 20 metres.

When he returns for the final time after hunting up the ground tell him to "hup" or "get up" (meaning situp).

Remember a dog doesn't understand words, he understands sounds.

I find using "get" in front of all commands focusses the dogs attention for that split second, before the real command goes in, get ON, get UP, get BACK, get OUT...and so on.

The command of ALL commands which any gundog must obey is to stay sat down, regardless of which command you choose to use. This implants steadiness, which means he doesn't move at all till commanded. If he does move get after him, take him back to the same spot and re-affirm the command, with as much discipline as is required, depending on the dog's personality, until he does it faultlessly.

When you've achieved that, you move on to another step in training. That's why doing things in sequential order is very important in spaniel training. I could go on forever, but if you need advice just ask, there's a lot for both of you to learn, enjoy.

[old rooster]

QUOTE enjoy. :o

I'm masochistically hopeful

[Country_est]

I go with Henry with 2 * acme 210 1/2 (althouth I use 211 1/2, I sugest all other s use 210 1/2 so not to confuse my dog. ) What ever you use get 2. I normaly keep one in the car and one round my neck. Execpt when wildfowling I put one under my teeshirt and on over my coat. Reason for this if you fall down in the mud the you still have a clean whistle to use. Mouth should be ok as along as when you drop that long runner grouse and when you see it go away and your too out knakered to get enuf puff to whistle .

 

Would advise to try and use all 3 methods of control, Hand, Voice & Whistle.

 

There are time when you just need to stop the dog quietly when trying not to disturb something,be it something you have seen & are trying to stalk or if a lone ruff shooter like my self while position the dog on one side of cover (pond) whislt geting into a shooting position on the other.

 

I personaly use sit, has up is the command to jump UP into the car.

 

Trev.

(Just wish my dog usnderstood this as much as I do :o )

[MC]

I use an ACME 211 1/2 whistle, as country-est says. I hadn't thought of putting one in the car though, will do that ASAP.

 

I use voice hand and whistle commands, although the trainer who I am using at the moment is teaching us not to use voice.

 

Cheers

 

MC

[bindi]

ok, here's how we started with bindi,

 

She was already 10 months old when we got her so we started with verbal commands as this is what she woudl have been used to.

 

If yours is a puppy I would start with verbal commands and follow immediately with the whistle command. For a general sit and stay command we use SEET followed by TWO quick toots on the whistle. For come back here now (you lil b@stard) command we use HERE GIRL followed immediately by ONE longer blast on the whistle.

 

We did this for 2 weeks and then moved onto the whistle commands only, She has learnt and responds well.

 

We also give verbal commands with the whistle just so she remembers both.

 

We reward with one little dog nut, when she does it well, and this is the incentive that any dog will need, and is better than a fuss of the dog, which can make them a bit soft.

 

Type of whistle hasn't been of importance to bindi. I use ONE very nice antler horn whistle for all commands. I did try with two whistles at first but just ended up getting confused myself so the dog had no chance.

 

I always say, keep it as simple as possible.

She puts many a dog to shame with her behaviour

 

 

hope this helps

Bindi(mark)

Edited February 24, 2006 by bindi

[kirky640]

as above but remember to enjoy and love youre dog as he/she loves you!!!

Edited February 24, 2006 by kirky640

[old rooster]

as above but remember to enjoy and love youre dog as he/she loves you!!!

What have you been inhaling now kirky !!! :thumbs:

 

Just been chasing mine round the garden trying to stop it eating its own ****, luvvvly jubbbbly NOT !!

[bindi]

as above but remember to enjoy and love youre dog as he/she loves you!!!

What have you been inhaling now kirky !!!

 

Just been chasing mine round the garden trying to stop it eating its own ****, luvvvly jubbbbly NOT !!

Yes, they tend to do that, partic with sheep ****, most annoying, and can't taste that good surely??

[old rooster]

as above but remember to enjoy and love youre dog as he/she loves you!!!

What have you been inhaling now kirky !!!

 

Just been chasing mine round the garden trying to stop it eating its own ****, luvvvly jubbbbly NOT !!

Yes, they tend to do that, partic with sheep ****, most annoying, and can't taste that good surely??

We've been spraying the t*rds with bitter apple spray, not to make them more palatable but because it's supposed to stop dogs biting things. Seems to be working and has also saved our table legs up until now.

[new to the flock]

oldrooster:

 

There is a product that you can get that you put it right into her food and she WILL NOT eat it when it comes out the other end...it will break the habit. Call your local pet supplier and ask about it ....I am sorry but I can not remember the Commercial names for it.

 

NTTF

 

P.S.

If you cant find it over there let me know.