Izzysdad Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I got a plastic one, and for the life of me, after a 2 weeks of trying, I can barely get a squeek out of it. Any tips for getting a solid whistle? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokjbc Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I got a plastic one, and for the life of me, after a 2 weeks of trying, I can barely get a squeek out of it. Any tips for getting a solid whistle? Tim Carry it in the car with you and keep trying. I found the best tip I had when I first tried to whistle was to replicate the action of making a sound out of glass bottle (blowing air downwards through the hole). Keep trying - once you get a sound, it gets easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 don't feel silly asking, some of us still can't get the dang whistle to make consistent sounds, over a year and still working on it. One good thing, using the whistle is getting better then the noise I produce when I don't use one, which used to be nothing, now I get a little bit...maybe next year this time I can have something consistent for my dog to understand. Anyway, seems as though an ability to whistle is required in order to use a whistle, atleast for me. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertranger Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 There is an article here that properly explains how to use a sheepdog whistle. I found it once and just spent about 10 mins looking for it without success. I will tell you this BCs come out of the womb with a whislte fully trained. It's just that it takes a year to learn how to use the whistle that comes with them. the thing is they are really easy to use but I'm not sure I can explain the technique but I'll try Place the whistle in your mouth and grip it with your teeth. The semi-circle should be exposed through your lips. Place the tip of your tongue against the back of your bottom teeth with the back edge of the whistle touching your tongue. Now breath through the whistle, kind of blowing from the diaphragm. Don't know what else to say other than I wish I could find that article for you. BTW after I learned to get a sound from my whistle it took a month of practice to make different sound with it. I can no play Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMSBORDERCOLLIES Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 don't feel silly asking, some of us still can't get the dang whistle to make consistent sounds, over a year and still working on it. One good thing, using the whistle is getting better then the noise I produce when I don't use one, which used to be nothing, now I get a little bit...maybe next year this time I can have something consistent for my dog to understand. Anyway, seems as though an ability to whistle is required in order to use a whistle, atleast for me. Deb I found that the brass or stainless steel whistles are much easier to blow than the plastic whistles. Before I started whistling with my fingers or my mouth, I started with a plastic whistle and I thought that I must have been mentally challenged when it took me so long to get good enough with it to trial. I then went to a stainless whistle and things got much better and then to brass when the volume and the pitch finally came together. I also used to whistle with my mouth in those days too but since I have gone to the fingers, the dogs' hearing seemed to improve quite a bit. (ha, ha) I need to be careful that I don't use too much volume as echoes and distortions are quite common if you create too much volume and that really confuses the dogs. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildFlower Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I bought my first whistle a few months ago, a brass one. I can get noise out of it but need to keep working at it as far as volume goes. It is a challenge! I play with it in the car at least once every week on my way to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I found that the brass or stainless steel whistles are much easier to blow than the plastic whistles. Before I started whistling with my fingers or my mouth, I started with a plastic whistle and I thought that I must have been mentally challenged when it took me so long to get good enough with it to trial. I then went to a stainless whistle and things got much better and then to brass when the volume and the pitch finally came together. I also used to whistle with my mouth in those days too but since I have gone to the fingers, the dogs' hearing seemed to improve quite a bit. (ha, ha) I need to be careful that I don't use too much volume as echoes and distortions are quite common if you create too much volume and that really confuses the dogs. Bob And that's frustrating, I have a brass whistle that I have a tougher time using then the plastic. I can't use the plastic due not lack of consistency but I keep practicing. Some time I hope to try a stainless, but I hate to keep buying whistles in hopes of finding a magic bullet, when the problem is totally me and my mouth....I keep wondering if an overbite can impede your ability to whistle. I'm not kidding, I can't even whistle with my fingers or just with lip and tongue action, maybe my tongue is just too fat (LOL) Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizmo Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 If I remember, I think there is a picture on Border Collies in Action about how to properly hold the whistle in your mouth. I'll try to find it. . . ETA: found it. I don't know if it will help, but I did help me http://www.bordercollies.com/shopcontent.a...tleinstructions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 There's hope for you Debbie. I can'twhistle with just my lips either, but I learned to use a shepherd's whistle just fine. Can't seem to get the hang of finger whistling, but then again I haven't truly applied myself to that either. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertranger Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 I use a plastic whistle, originally I had 4 of them now down to 3. Got good and loud enough to use it at a concert. the drawing Lizmo found is OK but not quite correct. It doesn't show the tip of your tongue touching the back of your bottom teeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzysdad Posted October 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Ahh ha! Tip of tounge on bottom teeth, that's what I've been doing wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Actually when I use a whistle, the tip of my toungue does NOT touch the back of my teeth. It touches the back of the whistle. Just sayin'. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildFlower Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Actually when I use a whistle, the tip of my toungue does NOT touch the back of my teeth. It touches the back of the whistle. Just sayin'. J. That's the way it was explained to me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Actually when I use a whistle, the tip of my toungue does NOT touch the back of my teeth. It touches the back of the whistle. Just sayin'. J. Yes, that's how I finally got my whistle to whistle. I practice in the car, too. However, there is really no reason for me to need a whistle right now. But you know, I want to be prepared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertranger Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Discovery: Eureka I have found it. The method I described works perfectly for me. However for the past year or so I have been having dental surgery and learned to blow the whistle missing many teeth and parts of my jaw being rebuilt. Today I got my dentures. That changes the whole dynamics of sheepdog whistles. Now the tongue goes on the back of the whistle. I have to learn to do it all over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMSBORDERCOLLIES Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 I bought my first whistle a few months ago, a brass one. I can get noise out of it but need to keep working at it as far as volume goes. It is a challenge! I play with it in the car at least once every week on my way to work. Once a week isn't near enough. 5 times a day for a half hour each time might get you whistling in a few months. If you were a 5 year old you couild do it in a day but then, we're not 5 year olds are we!!!...Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMSBORDERCOLLIES Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 And that's frustrating, I have a brass whistle that I have a tougher time using then the plastic. I can't use the plastic due not lack of consistency but I keep practicing. Some time I hope to try a stainless, but I hate to keep buying whistles in hopes of finding a magic bullet, when the problem is totally me and my mouth....I keep wondering if an overbite can impede your ability to whistle. I'm not kidding, I can't even whistle with my fingers or just with lip and tongue action, maybe my tongue is just too fat (LOL)Deb Yes, the shape of your mouth can affect your ability to whistle and if you have a very oval mouth it will be more difficult as the shape of the small hole that you blow through and being able to block off all excess air will be more difficult. The nice thing abouit the whistle is that once you find your method of blowing, you will be able to refine it quite quickly.....Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippin's person Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 I added a to-do item on my to-do list to whistle for 15 minutes in the car every day because I would practice for a couple of days and then forget for a few days. At first, I couldn't drive and practice at the same time (kind of like chewing gum and walking....), but after a while, I could. Then, I started whistling my driving actions (on the advice of someone)--lie down at a stop light, come bye for a right-hand turn, etc. Also worked to whistle songs. I got pretty good at all of this AND I still can barely whistle consistently with the dogs and sheep. Getting better, but sometimes, my lips are just too tense and it won't blow. It's like everything else with this activity--each step is very truly a baby step and you learn by doing and doing again--and some get it quicker than others (I seem to be perennially on the slow train, but we're moving in the right direction, so I suppose that's good) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzysdad Posted October 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 So I stumbled upon something. If I close my lips around the whistle without blocking either hole, I get a lower type tone which I can vary to quite a high pitch and it's really loud. My impression was that you don't seal the whistle with you lips, but it would appear I'm wrong? The front opening is exposed of course, I close off the whole thing. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 I just looked up a post that I made asking for help with my whistles, it was April 2008 when this quest to even emit a noise with a whistle began... Update!!! It's been over 1 1/2 years...I can finally whistle, it seems as if all of a sudden one day it just started to come about. Now I'm working on my consistency, getting the higher tones is most difficult. I ordered and have been practicing with Kent Kuykendall's CD, Gaining the Winning Edge with Whistles. I'm getting along best with the plastic whistles. Kinda strange, I can even whistle a little without the whistle now, it's pretty pitiful and does not have much volume, but it's there good enough to communcate with the dogs here in the house. Now...how long before I'm consistent enough to move the dogs over to whistles on stock is the question. I'm trying to push myself to have something on Jake by the next trial, I don't think it will be a stop since I'm having problems hitting the high notes without putting alot of thought into it, but I can get the flanks pretty good...when not under pressure... Thought I would post for others that suffer my same pain...there is hope!! Also helps when your dog gets enough distance on him whereas you need the whistle. What is it they say about necessity? Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpups Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 I bought a jade shepherds whistle a couple of weeks ago...I was convinced it was broken but I finally learnt to make loud noises on Christmas day - woohoo! I am getting better at making intentional sounds, and although my dogs think I am nuts, I can whistle my horses in from the back paddock for their dinner:) But Debbie - one and a half years??? I havn't even started my dogs on stock yet...have no idea what sounds to make for stock commands, LOL I am not sure their is hope for me with this thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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