Which Whistle Works Best For Gundogs? Training

Thank you. I really only want it so I can do recall with him, but I did see an ESS on the beach before we got Louie doing whistle training and it looks great!
He has run off to other people when they've whistled their dogs. So a whistle would be better than voice as he does ignore me now - teen phase I guess but if I don't get it now - I'll never get it.

211.5 - got it.

Yes,

But you can still vary the pitch. And why would you want to play a tune a gundog whistle?

All I’m saying is, there is preferred whistle pitches.

I have a black long whistle on a cord----no idea what it is but I'd expect her to respond to that and any other whistle she knew I had!

I don't recall with it so much just use two toots for turning and keeping her closer and one long one for a drop.

If I had a different one I'd use it a bit so she knew what to listen for first.

rune

Oops sorry didn't see this and just ordered the 211.5 one

I got mine from country catalogue online

You wanted one that was in-between, you've got one (211.5)

I've got a 210.5, well, I've got two, as I'm forever misplacing them.

I haven't done much training at all recently, except with the pups, as I've been too busy with the work, but it is about constant reinforcement, and both (all) of you enjoying the training; if you can get that, it doesn't matter what whistle/command you use, as long as you're consistent and ensure the dog understands you, if it enjoys the training, it will want to do it again.

I don't think anyone is expecting to buy a "magic" whistle for instant recall! The question was" which is best for gundogs" , and as you yourself admit that there are benifits to different types, I don't see that anyone has a made a mistake?

If you might want someone else to use the whistle then something more traditionally designed would be better than a shepherds whistle. As it sounds like you don't want many commands (just come back and stop probably) then a single pitch whistle with a variation on the number of pips would be a good option. If you want to give lots of commands (or play rule britannia) then a shepherds whistle would be a good choice.

It does seem to be widely acknowledged that the different pitches may work better for different breeds, simply because they hear it better, so thats a good thing to know if you want to buy one!

I asked about the 212 because I read that it has less pitch variation (+/-5) than the 210-211 (+/-20) and that it was a good all-round whistle. Why say it doesn't exist? An explanation of why it is different and why its mostly used by pro field trainers would have been more helpful!


p.s. if anyone knows where I can get a "magic" whistle please pm me!!

They come from the same shop as magic collars, leads and dogs!

I already have a magic dog. He is great at teleporting around the forest. He'll go off one side of the path then appear at the other side without crossing it!

I think the pitch only matters if you have trained 2 or more to respond to different pitches, surely? I`ve had to switch whistles fairly frequently (I lose them) and the dog responds to the whistle regardless of wether it`s exactly the same. Dogs are pretty bright after all.

212
Hard or gentle breath pressure hardly affects the frequency, a great advantage in competitons or for highly trained dogs.

I forgot the 212 existed to be honest, as not many people use it.

Magic whistle? What you on….

I've got a 211.5 for Misty (spaniel). She recalls and stops to it, but will do the same on a 210.5 as well, if the sequence is the same as what she is trained to. The only reason I've got the 211.5, is because OH has the 210.5 and someone said our dogs will find it easier if we worked on different pitches, my dogs know my pitch and his know his, then we don't end up with each others dogs on shoot days/ during training!!

I've got a pink acme whistle from here, and the pink lanyard to match!
http://www.blackgundog.com/productDetails.asp?item=acme-dog-training-whistle-211-5-special-edition

I really need to buy a new one actually, just in case!

i have 1 purple one, 1 pink one and a couple of standard black ones, one in the house, 1 in my car, 1 in the van all 210.5 can't you tell i don't want to be without one, if i have no whistle Moll doesn't get off

I have a couple of black ones and a purple one.

Dogs will also respond to how the whistle is blown and the inflection in it. For example, when I used to walk the dogs with my ex, he had a 210.5 the same as me but my dog never responded to his whistle commands because he blew them differently to me and vice versa.

I also have a shepherds whistle which I had planned on using for the collies but I could never master the art of blowing the damn thing!

Like folk have said, it's not so much the type of whistle you buy but how you train the dog to respond to it.

I can never be without my whistle and get all in a panic if I forget one, thats why I have several in various locations!

Yes many people wrongly assume if all dogs on a shoot are trained to X whistle that all of the dogs will respond when another person blows theirs! (The same assumption is made about clickers).

It is not easy to master the shepherds whistle, I spent 3 months practising whilst driving, when I could play "Rule Brittania" on it, I was ready to use it with my dogs.

I use an ACME 210 and a half. It works on a GWP, a hancock lurcher and various labradors.

211.5 is most used whistle.