Be firm but not rough. 1. It's important that when you're conducting this drill you don't immediately release the dog from his sit. Whistle for Duck Dog. Whatever word you use, your dog must learn that this is an unconditional command, not a request. Give the verbal sit command, and if necessary tug up on the leash, and then immediately blow the whistle … Keeps emotions out of commands. Mallards are masters of avoiding hunting pressure. If necessary, offer him a treat at the initial stages. All waterfowlers should have a dog whistle. Repeat this exercise several times until the dog learns to come to you without hesitation. Dogs recognise whistle commands quickly – your voice is one type of sound signal, a whistle is another more reassuring one. Duck blinds are no longer just a boys club - a good thing for all of us. Sporting dog whistles are designed for function in the field. The whistle is the most successful way to achieve a smart, prompt response to the sit command, so if you are getting serious about dog work, get a whistle. Doing this will naturally cause the dog to sit, which is when you give a firm “Sit” command. In obedience training, this is known as “stay.” You can teach your pup the long sit by first teaching it to sit on a whistle (or voice) command, then making the dog stay sitting until you release it. [wp_ad_camp_2]In our introduction to the stop whistle, we talked about the potentially negative nature of the stop whistle command.. We also looked at different ways of rewarding the dog when he sits to the whistle. The dog usually ignores it and carries on moving about, at which point the trainer approaches the dog and flips him into the sit position with a firm repeat of the sit command. Just a few pieces of his dog food is sufficient. This is the same as a whistle come Sit: Sit immediately and face you perfectly straight. However you approach your dog’s training, the main thing is to be consistent, Horner says. Wherever you came across someone handling their dog to a bird the dog did not see go down, if you are like me, you were probably pretty mesmerized by it. Both give you control of your dog in the field and will go a long way toward developing a functional relationship with your dog on a hunt. You can use a dog whistle for almost any command, but the primary benefit is to communicate the commands you are likely to need when your dog is at a distance from you. Here’s how Horner suggests that should work. For Sit, hold a treat in your hand and raise it in an arc above the dog's head so that as it follows the treat the dog's bottom hits the ground. There's also the reality your dog might swim into choppy water after a diver and get so far away the wind could swallow your voice but not the shriek of a shrill, high-pitched whistle. That’s when your whistle sit would really be worth something, if he started to go after one. Some trainers use the word come instead. You actually might find i… Although these might be the last commands your dog ever learns, you still have to reinforce them in the field. To teach this, start in your yard with the dog on a leash. Whistles create a clear definitive command. For instance, a single short blast might mean "sit" and three blasts might mean "come." Our definitive guide to gundog commands, terminology and phrases. Potter introduces the whistle-sit only after her pupil has mastered the verbal sit, which she teaches via the traditional on-lead heel-sit method. Once you blow the dog whistle in quick succession, he should turn and come toward you whether he is on land or in the water. Remember the frequency of training is critical to success. As with all commands, once the dog is reliably performing at one level, you move him incrementally to the next. Dove, duck, and geese along with pheasant should be easily retrieved by this level of dog. An ultrasonic dog whistle takes advantage of this fact… All Rights Reserved. Yes, if you want nothing less than a finished dog. Always wait at least a few seconds before giving a release command. 2. There are some situations, like hunting near a roadway or running into a porcupine or raccoon that require instant control of your dog before it becomes dangerous. ©2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. As soon as your dog sees a flailing duck in the pond, ... left, right, stopping him on a whistle? I stood in the park and watched this older gentleman use his whistle, hand gestures, and vocal commands to direct his dogs. What to consider when selecting a whistle for my gun dog. Our definitive guide to gundog commands, terminology and phrases. Although there are ‘standard’ conventions for most whistle commands, don’t feel limited to these. Give him the command (the whistle), pull up on his leash, and to get away from the pulling he’ll sit.”. You'll need to have different whistle commands for different behaviors. If you don't want to bring your iPad into the bathroom, we can send you a magazine subscription for free! While it may be tempting to think all whistles are the same, they are not. Force Fetch: I'm not sure if any of you know who Freddy King is on YouTube. Say the command here. “Put a cord on them,” he says, “and let them walk around and sniff over here and over there, and then give him your command and jerk on the lead to encourage him to come in.”. Training can be endless for your hunting dog, but these are the first two commands to learn. Schedule training for a time when your dog is likely to be hungry. Whistles create a clear definitive command. Hold the other end in your hand and walk several paces away from the dog. “If he does that, you can tell him to sit and then praise him or give him a treat for a reward. The first step in dog whistle training process is to select series of commands that will be used as signals. If your dog isn't great at commands to start with use the whistle. No one likes a dog in the blind that’s constantly moving around, or a dog that’s not steady while birds are … This dog training package gets a dog ready to hunt and able to retrieve any bird it sees fall. But using a silent whistle to give your dog commands has its advantages. If you’ve been using a 25-foot lead, switch to a 50-footer. The whistle sit. This is the same as a whistle sit Over: Commonly this is ued to tell the dog to turn and run 90 degrees to left or right based upon my hand signal. Gunshyness - a dog that is scared of loud noises, inparticular the sound of gunfire. The next step is to use a longer check cord so your dog has some room to roam away from your side. Two quick whistles. Before beginning dog whistle training, you need to decide which type of whistle you want to use. Action and style – this reference is to the way a dog works when hunting or retrieving, particularly used in the spaniel world. ; Blind retrieve – a dummy/bird retrieve which has either fallen or been placed out of sight of the dog. Basically you would teach your dog two whistle commands. The downside to the pea is that in cold weather, saliva can cause it to freeze in place, making the whistle unusable until it thaws. Repeat these process several times and eventually the dog will associate the command with the action of sitting. Eventually, you'll be able to employ the longer check cord for this drill as well. Sit the dog, blow the command while giving the directional cast with the hands. Starting the Pup . You whisper a command to your young dog. It doesn't matter what commands you choose as long as you’re consistent. Dog must come to you immediately Hledej (Search) A quick single whistle followed by a single rising/lowering whistle. Next, use a longer lead. “There are several ways to teach that,” Horner says. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments. Put your dog on a bench and tell him to whoa, then physically pick him up and put him back in place if he moves his paws, even a little. Hold him in this position and command SIT again. A single short whistle. A flock of ducks is about to descend onto the lake. The first is that they truly are the cornerstones for hand signals and blind retrieves. Older dogs still have what it takes to hunt by your side, and with the right training, you’ll never have to worry about losing a duck, because your dog will retrieve it for you. The recall command is best taught by starting on a lead or using an e-collar. Comments on this site are submitted by users and are not endorsed by nor do they reflect the views or opinions of COLE Publishing, Inc. We use classical conditioning to train the whistle and it is extremely effective the way I train it. I tend to be in a duck or goose blind most of the time, so I’m starting off with the “Sit” command. It has tooted for two Labs, one Golden, and now for Pritchard. It also goes toward bringing your four-legged hunting partner home safely with you after every hunt, and for the price of a couple of whistles and a lanyard, I'll take that every time over the alternative. Give him the command with the command/nick/command sequence outlined above, and when he’s obeying that every time, start adding distractions — other dogs, a different training area, whatever. Be firm but not rough. Your dog will soon understand that the verbal command for sit and the whistle blast signal he needs to plant his butt on the ground. A dog that sits when you tell it to and remains sitting until you tell it otherwise, is one that will never get into trouble or embarrass you on a shoot, and as its owner you will be the envy of all the other guns. As with all training sequences, make it easy for your dog at first and then gradually increase the difficulty. This is duck whistle is a must have on any duck call lanyard. One reason to consider using a silent dog whistle is when you learn that your Siberian Husky or (insert any breed here) is an escape artist. Certainly these capabilities increase the dog’s capacity as a conservation tool, but does the average hunter Make summertime barbecues super easy by grilling up one of these duck recipes from Scott... Wildfowl Editor Skip Knowles took this short video showing all the Snow Geese flying. Join other outdoor enthusiasts who already get great content delivered right to their inbox. This is the program that around 75% of our clients choose. In fact, no matter which type of whistle you opt for, always have a second  while hunting. All Wildfowl subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. The basic gun dog is a great hunting partner in the fields as well as lakes and marshes. Three Essential Drills for Training a Duck Dog . You'll need to have different whistle commands for different behaviors. Think about it this way: If you can't get your dog to pay attention to you, how will you ever get him to notice your hand signals? As a professional duck dog trainer for over 25 years, I have been asked many questions about training. A dog that sits when you tell it to and remains sitting until you tell it otherwise, is one that will never get into trouble or embarrass you on a shoot, and as its owner you will be the envy of all the other guns. Simultaneously, give the command SIT, pull up on the leash, and push down on pup’s rear. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Don't use your whistle when your dog is right next to you. It's never a good idea to let your dog get in a position where you can't control him, and it goes far beyond recovering more wounded ducks and geese. Both give you control of your dog in the field and will go a long way toward developing a functional relationship with your dog on a hunt. A single whistle blast means the same as saying "sit" A trill (tweet-ta-tweet) means the same as saying "here" In the blind, one of the hardest things to train a dog to do is sit and be patient. The Recall Command You point your gun and get a clean shot. This can be taught on a lead as well, and should be fairly easy for your dog to learn. Actually, scratch that. It doesn't matter what commands you choose as long as you’re consistent. The whistle is the most successful way to achieve a smart, prompt response to the sit command, so if you are getting serious about dog work, get a whistle. For example: two short whistle sounds could mean the command "stop", or one long whistle sound to command "sit". By Jim & Phyllis Dobbs and Alice Woodyard . Training Checklist for an Adequate Duck Dog Kyle Wintersteen, Managing Editor Today’s retriever training literature tends to focus on some rather advanced skills, such as land-water-land retrieves, handling to 200-yard blind falls, and even greater complexities. Higher pitched whistles tend to carry over longer distances, so keep that in mind. The best way to use a whistle is with it clenched between your teeth. And keep this in mind, too: probably 99 percent of the folks I know who train dogs use high-pitched whistles, so maybe there really isn't much of a decision. And if he doesn't notice your hand signals, how is he ever going to find the ducks you saw fall but he didn't? “The real world is always different than what it is in your training yard,” Horner says. We start our pups early — in the seven- to 12-week range — yet only break out the whistle once the pup knows his verbal commands. This enforces the dog's understanding that a single whistle blast really is the sit command, and that multiple blasts really are the come command. We will start by teaching the pup to sit on command, then we'll "chain in" the whistle to mean the same thing. Once you’ve mastered the “knack” of blowing the whistle (covered in part one of our sheepdog whistle tutorials) you need to practice a set of distinct commands which your dog will be able to hear at a distance or in a noisy environment such as near a motorway or close to … Improving Whistle Commands: Part I, "Sit Whistle" Page 4 of 4 Problem Solving Lying Down When Given a Whistle Sit Some dogs will feel the urge to go into a submissisive posture and lay down when they are stopped with a whistle sit. We use classical conditioning to train the whistle and it is extremely effective the way I train it. Get a 20- or 30-foot check cord and attach one end to your pup's collar. The choices are seemingly endless, but I recommend plastic over metal. You have to be able to stop your dog, and to call your dog back to you no matter how distracted or determined he is. 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