1
What effect do dog whistles have on dogs?
The dog whistle was invented in 1876 by Sir Francis Galton. The original use was to test the range of human hearing, but Galton quickly discovered that our furry friends had an amazing ability to hear high pitched sounds up to 45,000Hz (frequency range for humans is about 18,000Hz).
Therefore, it is important to note that these whistles are NOT silent. They emit a tone of around 35,000Hz, which is indiscernible to humans, but piercing to a dog. It also has the ability to travel very large distances, which makes it a great tool for hunting or herding dogs.
Nevertheless, to a dog, this whistle is nothing more than an unconditioned stimulus. It cannot cure barking, howling, or excitement simply by using it. You still have to condition train the dog to respond to it using classical and/or operant conditioning!
2
Are they suitable for training a dog? Why or why not?
A dog whistle can be a great training tool for a dog, if used properly. It is extremely distinct, silent to others, and the high frequency cannot be easily replicated. As a result, hunting, herding, and police dogs are commonly trained using a whistle. The reasoning behind it is that this high frequency it emits can travel far greater distances than a voice, and is less likely to scare wildlife or alert humans.
Although the whistle is suitable for training a dog, it is useless without association. If you blow the whistle and expect your dog to stop barking or to come, you will be extremely disappointed!
3
Are dog whistles more effective for certain types of training than others (e.g. control barking vs. getting them to sit)?
A dog whistle can be used in a variety of different ways. It is most commonly paired with recall training, as it is more distinct and discreet than a human’s voice. However, the dog whistle can be used to stop barking, train basic obedience, or even modify specific behaviors.
Remember: without proper training, the dog whistle is just another sound in the world. Just like with other sounds, they will become desensitized to it and learn to ignore it over time, if not used properly!
4
What tips do you have for whistle training a dog?
The number one tip when working with dog whistles is to not use them too frequently! If you abuse this training tool, it will become completely ineffective and cause discomfort for your dog.
If you are trying to train your dog to stop barking, blow the whistle and wait for your dog to re-focus on you. Once you have gotten their attention from blowing the whistle, follow up immediately with the desired command (in this case, we would say “quiet!”). Remember, this whistle is used to get their attention, but then it is your job to use your calm assertive energy, body language, and voice to tell them exactly what you want .
After you have given the desired command, wait a few seconds to see if the dog will repeat the negative behavior. If they do, blow the whistle again and repeat your command with more energy and intensity. Once your dog is silent for a few seconds, follow up with a bridge and positive reinforcement (in this case, we would say “YES! Good boy quiet!”). It is important to keep rehearsing this behavior, so that your dog associates the whistle with not barking.
Over time, you can phase out the verbal command and just use the whistle! This is because you have practiced enough times with blowing the whistle and saying “quiet”, that your dog associates the whistle with no barking!
My dogs have been properly trained to an invisible fence. Invisible Fence of Dayton.
Would this be an effective start or would the different noise confuse them?
This is an effective start! Start working the whistle as a recall tool for 50 to 100 repetitions!
I like your dog training tips. I need to get a trainer for my husky. I’ll have to hire someone with a good online review.
My dog is a beagle when is was a pup ( he’s 2 1/2 now) I taught how to come to a dog whistle with two long whistle blows, so now I am having troubles with behaviors like pulling, not to bad, but I am buying equipment that is braking my pocketbook, and none is working, he very smart. He can be off leash and never runs except to chase to chase the occasional rabbit, but it’s the simple behaviors he seems to have trouble doing, he’s never been a barker, I know that’s unusual for beagles but he’s a good dog, but he still jumps when especially he’s excited, or when I play with him, he’s learning to kennel, but he stubborn about it, and I made a mistake when he was a puppy I played this game with his bone , it was let me have you bone, iam so hungry, and he was trying to eat it he knew I was playing he isn’t aggressive, but know he grow and won’t let me take his toys, bones etc with out this aggressive growling, he won’t hurt me but someone else might see it differently, and I have no idea if he would bite them but I wonder if I could change this with a whistle? Also he is conveniently deaf, he just won’t come often I have to yell or leash him to get him to come, I have a word I made up, because I read, when I first got him, it said the using no all the time makes a dog believe that his name is no, so they recommended make up a word in addition to no so us the victila,best spelling I have, but it like the dog, sounds German, anyways he does respond to that word better than no, yet I still ignore when eats something like garbage, and he won’t drop and he sure enough get sick. I could go on. He has these little quirks but he is a pretty good dog overall I just need to fix a few this, he heal pretty good, it needs work, and I thought a whistle might work there too, but it’s to tones I need help with, so could you help? Sorry this is so long, but I can’t get anyone to listen nor answer my emails, hope you do. Well that’s about it.
Thanks for listening
Go Sandy Stenger
307-247-4087
760 landmark drive G614
Casper Wyoming 82609