Dog whistle

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Liz & Koa
Posts: 102
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:05 pm
Location: MA, USA

Dog whistle

Post by Liz & Koa »

Hi,
Has anyone tried to use a dog whistle to train no bark?
Thanks.
:)
Liz
Ari_RR
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Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:07 am
Location: USA
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Re: Dog whistle

Post by Ari_RR »

I guess this is some kind of device that emits unpleasant (for the dog, at least) sound?

My 2 cents - I try not to set an objective of "training NOT to do something".
If the dog has an undesired behavior - I would look at this as training to do something different instead.

In simple terms, with this example: if barking is undesirable behavior - train to be quiet, which would mean rewarding for being quiet instead of punishing for barking.

Next question - how exactly to promote/reward quiet... this would depend on a lot of factors and circumstances.
My first step would be to figure out what triggers barking, and see if I can eliminate those triggers. Then introduce them slowly, in a controlled way (for example, at first for a very short period of time, seconds, slowly extending to minutes, then longer), meanwhile rewarding heavily for remaining quiet in the presence of the trigger ..... But definitely not with this device :D
Ari, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Sept 2010 - Dec 2018.
Miles, Rhodesian Ridgeback, b. Nov 2018
JudyN
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Re: Dog whistle

Post by JudyN »

I found this online: https://wagwalking.com/training/stop-ba ... -a-whistle

So the idea is that the whistle is being used as a distractor. However, that article says 'Whistles emit sounds between 23 and 46 kHz, making the high-pitched sound unpleasant to your dog's ears, and making whistles a potentially ideal way to manage your dog's barking habits.' So yes, it's intended as an aversive and therefore not good practice.

However, dog whistles are typically used for recall, and you would certainly not want an unpleasant sound in that context - so I'm not sure the author of that article has thought it through.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Liz & Koa
Posts: 102
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:05 pm
Location: MA, USA

Re: Dog whistle

Post by Liz & Koa »

Great, thank you both for the info.

I don't mind the bark, but once Allie sees the stimuli out the door and barks, I would like her to stop once I reassure her there is no danger.

I thought, maybe, the whistle would interrupt the bark then I could treat and praise. :wink:

Liz
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Nettle
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Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

Re: Dog whistle

Post by Nettle »

You could put her in a 'down'. It's harder to bark when 'down'. Then reward the 'down' when she is quiet, which makes the association for her.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Liz & Koa
Posts: 102
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:05 pm
Location: MA, USA

Re: Dog whistle

Post by Liz & Koa »

Great Thank you.
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