Time to go home? Call your dog in from the garden? Or pop your dog on the lead in a busy park? How do we get our dog to return to us? The whistle is a very successful way! Three pips and your dog sprints back to you!
Tony Cruse recommends that you use 1 x Acme Gundog Whistle and 1 x ten-meter longline for this training method.
The preparation is important. In the early stages, we need to condition the sound! So week one, it’s pip and find the dog’s mouth with a tasty treat. Repeat twenty times throughout the day and in various locations.
For week two, pip the whistle and allow the dog to approach you. You can step back to add a little distance. Again, twenty times a day in various locations.
For week three you can now start pipping the whistle three times to get him back. Add more distance. If you are worried your dog will run off, make use of a long line which will instantly stop that bad habit from developing. You can then practice the whistle within the safety of a long line.
When at the park do this many times - and make it a game. Finally, you will pop his lead on and go home.
It is worth considering that although this method is very successful and usually better than your voice alone, NO recall is 100%. So if it goes wrong, don’t beat yourself up, Build the best recall you possibly can!