Gideon's girl Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Thanks Alchemist! And I'll try to remember that about Mozart's "Clarinet Concerto" too. Though I must admit my classical music CDs haven't made it out to the current car. The kids howl too. Though in a couple more years, that won't be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 I read this so often, you need to be able to whistle -insert favorite wildly difficult piece of classical music here- before you even think about trying your whistles on the dog. Though it is fun to practice like that, I don´t agree. You need to be able to whistle three tones in my opinion, high, middle, low. That "alphabet" is adequate for the commands you choose. You can play with the tones as you get more routine. As for the every command needing his own first tone (so if you use say five whistle commands you would need five distinct start tones). Why doesn´t anyone have a problem with vocal commands starting the same (come bye, come here, or get out, get back), then people are talking about how the dog is intelligent enough to have the situational awareness to know what command is meant. But when it comes to whistles they are all of a sudden completely robotic? I think it matters really for the flank commands, they should start clearly different, I personally don´t worry too much about this for the rest. I think one should not make it sound like rocket science. The kind of opinions i talk about made me rather intimidated about putting my first dog on whistles. Turns out it wasn´t half as difficult as some people made it out to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 So, I have a rank amateur stupid question. Which way is up? I can definitely get more tones, more consistantly with my whistle with the side where the lanyard attaches up. But I can whistle with it the other way too. So is there a right way, or is it personal preference? Both sides look completely identical, other than the lanyard attachment, as far as I can tell, so I have to assume it's what I do or don't do with my lips that makes the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Smalahundur, what I've been told (but I'm a novice, so I still don't know what I don't know) is that there are two reasons to put a dog on whistles: (1) the sound of a whistle carries farther than the sound of a verbal command; and (2) dogs are apt to be more responsive to whistles (as if somehow they understand what the initial sound is conveying better when it's a whistle than when it's a verbal command). Make that three reasons: (3) it's easier to convey emotions (such as annoyance) in a verbal command; this may not be to your advantage, as sometimes this will unsettle a dog. That's when (as a spectator) you'll hear a "lie down" whistle change to a verbal "you'd better listen when I tell you to LIE DOWN!!!" - the handler WANTS that annoyance to come through, loud and clear! Anyway, I'm sure you can use the same initial tone for a "lie down" as for an "away" command. But this is one of the problems I'm having with my dog right now - the original trainer's "lie down" whistle sounds (to me) just like his "away" half-flank (a sliding "high to low", which when sped up for a half-flank sounds a lot like the "stop" whistles many handlers use). (I have recorded his whistles on my cell phone, and I was playing them to myself over and over before I gave up in frustration over my own inability to hear the difference). Sometimes when I try to blow a "lie down", the dog will take an "away" flank, with predictable results - there goes the lines on that fetch or drive! Is it just because she'd rather flank than lie down? Or is it because she's confused just as I was by the similar sounds??? I've seen him work her, and somehow they managed that communication. Perhaps I'm tone-deaf... Anyway, I figured it didn't hurt to make the first note as different as possible. I am not sure whether Spain will take the slight "re-tweaks" in her "come bye" (one octave lower but still "low-high", as with her most recent owner) and her "away" whistle (similar high-low-high pattern to her last owner, just different notes) - we haven't had many opportunities to drill on just the whistle commands. If nothing else, it's what I'd like to use when I start Ross on whistles. It's a set that I can blow, consistently, with good volume, and they all sound different (to me at least). I think that's mainly what counts when it comes to whistles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 I don't think there's any such thing as a "rank amateur" question. I've found I can get sounds out of it either way up. That being said, I vastly prefer to whistle with the semicircular side of my Corian whistle "up". I feel I get more consistent results. So, I have a rank amateur stupid question. Which way is up? I can definitely get more tones, more consistantly with my whistle with the side where the lanyard attaches up. But I can whistle with it the other way too. So is there a right way, or is it personal preference? Both sides look completely identical, other than the lanyard attachment, as far as I can tell, so I have to assume it's what I do or don't do with my lips that makes the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaBluez Tess Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I practiced to and from work for month then thought I had it down....went and played "Mary had a little lamb" to the spouse (Musician) and like the devoted spouse he is....he thoughtfully answered that he never heard "Mary had a little lamb" in one tone before....so back to the car I went, tail between my legs and then one day I got more notes and then it was easier....the hardier I tried the worse it was.....don't worry about a certain note, just get a note. For the longest time, my car whistles sounded like a cat being strangled.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I'm definitely torturing little birds. I have no problem getting notes, but I know I have a llloooonngg way to go before I have anything useful. I can get 3 high notes and one mid range note today. I tried to get the same note a few times in a row, not too successful. I tried going high-low-high-low, much easier for me. Mostly, I wondered what the people I was driving past were hearing. I only noticed weird looks a couple times. Oh well, I never was what most would call normal... I'm certainly having fun trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petes Mom Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 I have a metal whistle that I bought on Amazon a while back, and I have been trying to use it while driving my car (without the dogs!). Haven't had much luck with it. Just started using my fingers, and have found that works much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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