The whistle means GOOD stuff always!
Like I mentioneds in one of my very first tips (#3 – Come when called), I sometimes goes a bit deaf when smelling the really nice smellies and forgets to notice when the humans are calling me.
So the humans traineds me to come extra specially fast when they blows the whistle.
The whistle means super fun things or really nice treats always and they never uses it to call me for anything borings. So I always come running extra fast when I hears the whistle!
I knows that lots of you doggies can go a bit deaf when they’re out and abouts too, so I thought I’d share how you can teach your humans to reminds you they want you to come with a whistle as well.
The humans likes this kind of whistle ’cause the other humans can’t hear it.
For starters, your humans will need a whistle of their own. Any kind of whistle will do as far as us doggies are concerneds, but my humans say a doggie whistle is best ’cause all the other humans don’t stares at them when they blows it. My humans likes to blow three short toots on it, ’cause they thinks I notices that better than one long one.
You makes noise and I gets treats? Great arrangements!
1) The humans have to start teaching their doggie to realise that the whistle is extra nice or fun by loading is with good experiences.
So you starts in the house with a big pile of treats – this is the really nice bit! The humans blows the whistle, then gives you a treat, then blows the whistle and gives you another treat… and does it lots of times until you thinks the whistle is a great, wonderful noise!
They can’t be boring old treats either, they have to be super duper really yummy treats like chicken or hot dogs or other nice stuff. If you’re a doggie who likes playing more than eatings, you can have an extra special nice toy that the humans will only let you play with when they blows the whistle. I used to get bubbles for runnings when I heard the whistle!
Comings when calleds in the house and garden is easy, so it’s a good place to practice!
2) Practice LOTS in the house and garden
Once you realised that the whistle means really nice stuff, the humans can starts moving into different parts of the house and blowing it when you’re not expecting it and then gives you one of the super yummy treats when you comes runnings.
(The humans say carefuls to take some food away from dinners when giving loads of treats, because otherwise us doggies will get fats, but I think that’s mean!)
The humans should do this lots and lots of times so you get really good at comings in the house before trying it anywhere else. And they should give you a really nice treat every single time you come runnings for being a good doggie.
After that you can try it in the garden too.
Coming for the whistle is fun if it means nice treats or a game for me!
3) Practice, Practice, Practice!
When you got really good in boring places like your house and garden, you can move on and try it outside on your walkies!
The humans should should only blow the whistle when they know you will come when you’re practicings, because otherwise they’re trainings you to ignores them instead of to come runnings!
So they should try it in kinda boring places first, before trying it when you’re playing with all your friends and forgetting all about the humans because you’re having too much fun. You gots to work towards that level of comings when calleds!
Coming when calleds with a whistle is easy, but you got to practice lots and lots to stay good at it. We still practices all the time and I always come runnings, because it always means either nice yummy treats or lots of fun playings.
