On our off-leash morning walks, I am amazed how Snowie responds to my whistling (I don't have a whistle, just use my lips). He usually does his own thing in the forest, which is fine by me. But when he's out of sight I like to know where he is, and I find that by giving a whistle, he comes running back. And this is a dog that started off life with us with the most terrible recall. Got me wondering if whistling is better than using voice? And whether an actual whistle would be even better? What is it about the whistle that is superior to using voice?
It's consistent, you can't convey your emotions in a whistle (so you can't sound anxious, alarmed, annoyed or angry), and it's very distinctive - your dog hears your voice day in, day out. Not so the whistle (or shouldn't). You've still got to train the cue properly of course!
I wonder if a human whistle is at a higher pitch and decibel than a human yell so the dog can hear it better at a distance?
@MF I use a whole range of methods of calling Juno to me. I use a whistle, although not very often, I whistle her as does OH, I have a high 'whoop, whoop' type call, I sometimes use 'Juno come' and also 'viens,viens'. Is whistling better than voice, I don't know as they all work for me and many people of course don't use whistles anyway with their dog. I certainly have never used a whistle before trying it with Juno
I was going to say what Julie said - a whistle is distinctive and only means one thing. I use a whistle (lips) as a recall cue too
Ha ha @Snowshoe if you heard the pathetic whistle that manages to pass my lips you wouldn't think it carries further than a yell. Juno manages to hear it though and return to me
I use a whistle for recall, stop, and as a turn whistle during hunting. It is crystal clear to the dog what I mean, it carries further than voice especially in windy conditions at long distances and it doesn't disturb game like a human voice would. Because I work my dogs as gundogs that's a very important aspect. It is also a lot more elegant than bellowing across the country side.
I do think a whistle is cool - I like my dog coming right away on his pips, it is quite discreet and, well, I just think it's a good look.
Ha, well, I wouldn't even try to whistle outside, I get all dried up. When we skate one man will whistle the song, while he skates, and he skates hard. I don't know how he does it.
Snap! I love being in the woods, my dog out of sight through the trees, I blow "pip-pip-pip" and Coco comes running. No-one else sees it, but if they did I'd feel cool. When I was a child our dog (who was allowed to roam in the "olden days") always came to a whistle through the lips, my dad would open the back door, whistle & the dog would appear from somewhere up the road - he was by no means politely trained!
I am envious of you people who can whistle. My attempts are pathetic. I really want to learn how to whistle with my fingers. That would really make me one of the cool kids For now, my Acme does me well
Thanks everyone, that was interesting. Luckily I can whistle fairly well, although I have never been able to do the fingers-in-the-lips whistle. At a recall course I did years ago we were given an ordinary, plastic whistle, although we weren't taught what to do with it (less said about that course the better). I will look for a more sophisticated whistle at the petshop next time I'm there. Although at this stage my own two lips are working well -- this afternoon Snowie trotted off after a lovely Standard Poodle in the forest and disappeared out of sight while I was chatting to a friend. A few whistles later and he came careering back down the path.
I use an acme gun dog whistle, me whistling (I'm getting real good at this one) and verbal cues. I don't want to be reliant on something that can get lost or forgotten. Dexter is happy to come back to any of them.
after surgery on my jaw and loads of teeth out using a whistle is funny, I just could find it comforatable. I had to learn to use my mouth differently at different stages in my treatment and at one stage my gums sealed and put suction on my mouth when tried to move it. I couldn't talk properly so I sounded like a weird potteries Daffy duck crossed with a dental suction machine, when the work was finished it was a relief as the suction was destroyed but I have never dared go back to the whistle as it might hurt it did last time i gave it a go perhaps I should give it another go. I do talk differently now so I imagine my whistle may sound a bit different too, but it might help as even now sometimes talking is hard going. Everyone says I sound pretty normal now but my voice seems very different in my head and some things are still impossible. its all been a bit of a ride but sometimes I really couldn't talk because it made me laugh so much. "stooom times I'th thound a bit ike thiiiissss"
