Ultrasonic Whistle Training - What Is It and How It Works

Ultrasonic whistle training is a technique used by many beginning as well as professional dog trainers, particularly for training a dog to hunt. It uses a special whistle called an ultrasonic whistle or dog whistle to get a dog's attention and give commands. Some even call the device a silent whistle, because it produces sounds in very high-frequency ranges that for the most part are inaudible to people. Dogs, however, have extremely acute hearing and can perceive the whistle's sounds even when they're a considerable distance away from their handler.

When you blow into an ultrasonic whistle your dog will hear a distinct, loud whistle, although you'll probably just hear your breath rushing through it. Whistle training involves training your dog to respond to the sound produced by the whistle. Once he learns that, you'll be able to get your dog's attention or call your dog without shouting, even if he's out of sight or far away.

The sound produced by an ultrasonic whistle is high-pitched, but when used properly, it won't harm your dog's ears or impair his hearing in any way. For many people, whistle training simply gives them a way of getting their dog's attention, but its long-range capabilities can make it a valuable supplement to other training techniques.

Whistle training can be highly effective, particularly for training gun dogs and herding dogs that work at a distance from their owners. It can be a bit tricky to get the hang of whistle training when you're just beginning, but some practice can help you get it right. Once you do, it will become invaluable for long-distance training. In fact, when combined with specific hand signals, whistle training can help you train your dog to perform several commands from a distance, including "sit," "come" and "move in a specific direction."

Here are a few tips you can use to get started with whistle training:

Use praise and treats to motivate your dog. After blowing the whistle and immediately praising and giving your dog a treat a few times, he'll associate the sound of the treat with receiving the reward.

Once your dog learns the whistle means good things are coming, walk a few steps away and blow the whistle. If he doesn't come to you immediately, call him with an encouraging voice. Give him a treat and warm praise as soon as he does come. Repeat this several times (it might take a few days for your dog to get this down).

Now, play a game of "hide and seek" with your dog. Hide from your dog after telling him to "sit" and "stay." Then call him and immediately blow the whistle, continuing to produce the sound until your dog successfully locates you. Give him a treat and praise as soon as he does. Once again, practice by playing the game several times.

By following these tips, you can use whistle training to teach your dog to come to you, even if you're out of his sight or far away. If your dog seems confused at any time during the training process, don't get frustrated or start scolding your dog. Instead, go back to a step your dog has mastered and build from there. Remember, practice makes perfect.

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Some of the Signs That Your Dog Is Going Deaf

It is true that as animals get old, they either lose the ability to hear or see. In some cases, they may lose both. The dog too is an animal and may become deaf as it gets old. This condition may be stressful to the dog especially when it loses the ability to hear what it considers the most familiar sound including not being able to tell who is approaching.

Dogs undergoing hearing problems may appear disobedient and may tend to ignore commands. If the problem is acute, it may not even respond when you snap the fingers next to the ear or when you make the kind of noise that would ordinarily require the dog to react in a particular manner. When you detect this, the first thing you ought to do is to observe the dog's ear as it moves around and twitch as it tries to collect the sound around it. If you notice that the dogs ear remain still, it is a sign that the dog is losing hearing ability.

Intervention

To help the dog, you need to swap the sound with visual commands. Train the dog by incorporating non-verbal cues into the training. Using the hand gesture to communicate to the dog may be helpful. Ensure that you reward the dog if it responds to your gestures.

Steps to Take

You need to ensure that the dog is safe when outside the home. Dogs that are going deaf should be kept in the leashes so as to avoid being hit by cars. Ensure that you keep an eye on the dog when you take it out. These ensure that the dog is not startled by people who may not understand its problem.

Ensure that you make your presence in the house known. A dog that is deaf will not hear when you are approaching and it may easily get frightened if you just pop out from nowhere. If it is at night, flick on the light switch and pet its back as soon as you get into the room. Announce your presence so that it can know where you are or where you are moving to.

Lastly, you must try to desensitize the dog from being startled. This can be done by practicing to walk behind the dog and gently touching its ear. When she turns around, you can give her a treat.

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Workable Tips To Train A Deaf Dog

Training a dog is easy when the dog can hear you. It becomes a little challenging when the dog suffers deafness for one reason or another. However, living with a deaf dog is just the same as with a normal dog; it all depends on the kind of treatment you give the dog. It is actually very possible to train a deaf dog. It all takes strategizing and finding out what works for a dog so it understands the commands you are giving just fine.

Get the attention of the dog

There is absolutely no way you will manage to train the dog without getting its attention first. Calling the dog's name is easy to get attention for hearing dogs. You will have to come up with ways through which you can attract its attention effectively. To have a deaf dog look at you, you can stamp your foot to have the vibrations on the floor to turn its attention to you. Another great way is signaling the dog using a flashlight. Turn on and off the light and treat the dog when it turns when the light is on. A vibrating electronic collar can also work out great. It is different from one that shocks the dog during training. This kind of collar will simply vibrate on a press of a button to train the dog to look at you.

Use hand signals

Now that you have already come up with ways of getting the attention of your dog, the next thing is to start with the training. Hand signals in this case will be effective. Basic commands of obedience can be done using hand signals. You can use the standard signals or come up with your own to make sure the dog understands you perfectly.

Use sign language

The signs are easy when they are directly connected with the action. Each sign you use should mean something and you must also ensure that you are consistent with the signs. Learning simple words in sign language will help you out great as long as you can connect them with the intended action. For instance, when you signal a dog to walk, make sure you walk too and make it walk with you. Using sign language every day will bear fruits in the long run.

Reward good behavior with treats

This is a simple way of letting the dog understand what is right and what is wrong. You can incorporate the treats with facial expressions to let the dog know you are happy with his behavior. You can then take away the treats when the dog understands most of your commands so he does not expect anything in return every time for good behavior.

Make it comfortable with getting touched

Deaf dogs can find touch startling, especially when they are not aware of your presence and this can lead to snarling or snapping. Practicing touching is important for a deaf dog since it gets to learn that a touch from behind does not always mean something bad will happen to it.

It takes patience to train a deaf dog. With the right strategy however, it is something achievable. You can find training manuals online to help you with your deaf dog training.

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