Hi, OK, I've finished reading Total Recall (excellent book, Pippa) and I'm happy with its content and approach but I have a question. Is it OK to use hand signals and a verbal command ('Come') in addition to the whistle or will this weaken the link between the behaviour and the whistle? I can certainly see the advantages of the whistle but what if I forget or lose it? - I still want Harvey to come back! Would you mix the approaches from the start or complete each exercise with one and then focus on the next? (Or just have the whistle super-glued to my hand!)
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? Don't know the answer in theory, but I started with "come" and introduced the whistle later. Recall is the only thing I can honestly say is really good about Charlie! So verbal and then whistle was fine for us, and both are as strong as each other.
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? Hi Unclebob, I use verbal, hand signals and whistle. Helen x
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? i have always usesd the whistle for recall, ....i have ditched it to use my own whistle, he seems to be responding well, whe i was blowing the whistle he was looing around to see if any dogs are there......things seem to be going well
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? We use all three but I try to make sure the whistle is only used when I believe he'll come back. ARe you actually whistling yourself Lynne? I'm jealous if you can whistle, I've never been able to, can't sing either ;D
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? I use the whistle but as he turns to respond I bend down and open my arms( instructions from his breeder) and when he comes running into hearing I say Dexter Come.....the whistle is much more effective than me trying to shout him as I can't bellow over a great distance and when he is out with his pals Barnie and Tam he can cover a pretty good distance
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? Thanks Bob You can teach as many different cues for recall as you wish, but each should be treated individually. So for example, just because you had proofed your recall whistle in a specific situation, would not enable you to avoid proofing your recall hand signal, or your verbal 'come', in that same situation. Multiple signals can be useful, I use a hand signal (palm open towards the dog, arm straight down by my side) together with the dog's name, so that I can call an individual dog from a group of dogs, for example. And once you have taught your recall whistle, you would probably prefer to use a verbal command indoors and at close quarters. You can train both cues during the same time frame, but it is probably helpful to train one cue only, in a given training session. And it is probably much simpler for most people, to pick one cue and train it thoroughly from start to finish, before adding a second cue Pippa
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? sorry barbara only just reading all the posts, yes i have a good strong whistle, so decided to whistle myself ,
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? 8) 8) Go Lynne 8) 8) Helen xx Barbara, I can't whistle or sing either. Helen x
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? Disappointingly, I couldn't whistle if my life depended on it
Re: Recall - whistle, hand signal and verbal command? I really don't like to hear people whistle it goes through me like nails on a black board Helen x
