Dog Whistles

In the past dog whistles were really only used by hunters who, when on a shoot or hunt would use them in order to control their dogs from a distance. A shout would have scared the wild animal away which is why a high pitched whistle was used instead. Now however a dog whistle is common amongst all dog owners as they provide an excellent way for training your dog in various commands.

Different blows on the whistle can signal different commands for the dog to learn. Generally speaking (and the signal most commonly used for this) one long blow on the whistle signifies for the dog to come. This is definitely the best place to get started if you are wanting to begin training your dog with a whistle.

A dog whistle has a high pitched frequency which makes it extremely loud for a dog, but relatively quiet for a pair of human ears. That is why it is ideal for training dogs. The most important advice for when training your dog with a whistle is to use positive reinforcement at all times. Rather than scolding when your dog does something wrong, praise him when he gets it right! No matter how frustrating it is for you, scolding your dog will only make him afraid of you and less likely he will do it right the next time. Even if your dog doesn’t come to you when you blow on the whistle and takes an hour to reappear, no matter how red in the face you are - show only praise upon his return, otherwise the training will never progress.

If any of our readers have any tips or ideas on how to train a dog successfully with a whistle, send in your comments below. We welcome all comments and suggestions so don’t be shy!

Puppy Training

Training your puppy from as young as possible is the best way to ensure a happy and obedient dog. It really is never too early to start training and socialising your dog and should be done as soon as he is brought into your home. Your training, guidance and leadership in the early stages will directly shape its character, temperament and behaviour for the rest of his life. It is not something that should be taken lightly.

The best way to train a puppy is through a variety of dog training games and positive reinforcement, so you don’t scold when they do something wrong, you praise when they do it right. This ensures you are instantly setting your puppy on the right path and it is much easier to do this than correct bad behaviour down the line.

Dog training games and sessions shouldn’t be longer than about 5 minutes at the very early stages. This can be increased to perhaps 10, but no longer than this should be attempted at any one time. Your dog is likely to get bored or lose attention in longer dog training games which will have a detrimental effect and slow progress.

Begin with very easy commands like “sit” and “come”. Once you see success with these types of dog training games, you can begin to build on them with further commands. Each command that is mastered with increase the confidence of both you and the dog making continued training a little easier.

Repetition is the key to dog training games success. Practice the same commands over and over again. If you are training your puppy to come to you, make the distances longer and longer over the course of weeks and months. Start indoors and gradually build up to doing it in the garden and then the park.

Avoid all harsh corrections, aggression or shouting but instead focus on respect and praise. Your puppy will respond much better to this kind of training as harsh training and punishment will likely cause him to be afraid of you.

If you follow this advice, you should find implementing dog training games and exercises an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Have any of you got any further tips for training a dog or puppy?