Commands

[daniel77]

After the thread that I'd started about the training books came back up I reread it, and now have a question. A couple of folks had mentioned in that thread about the double whistle for "come around" not being used by most folks anymore. My question is this, why is the double whistle now out?
I was comfortable with retrievers before coming into the pointing dogs, and I'm fully aware that my training style is a bit hybridized and certainly different from most strait pointer guys. I've no qualms about that, you come into anything with the experiences that you have, and abandoning your own experience would be foolish IMO. I use a single whistle for whoa, just as I'd use it for "sit" with a lab. I use a double whistle for "come around", and a trill, of 4-5 short and fast whistles for a recall. I'm not planning on changing anything, just curious what the school of thought is, or if the popular language has just changed. I'll also add that I'm a meat hunter, and have no plans for field trialing this pup.

 

[Calisdad]

I use similar whistle commands (1, 2 & 3) Don't tell my dogs we are doing it 'wrong'.

Hey, whatever works, no?

 

[MJinMN]

If by double whistle you mean two quick pips to tell your dog to turn and come back the other way (mostly used when you are turning a dog at one side whaler quartering), that's almost universal at the springer field trials I go to. Many folks use the rapid pips for "come" as well. Personalyy I have a hard time doing rapid pips unless I'm holding ongoing the whistle with one hand, so I use a different come whistle, but as long as you and hour dog both know the signals, don't worry about it.