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I've been using a generic whistle (the lips kind) for some recall, especially to get Carmen's attention when we're out on a walk. (We started walking on the sidewalk yesterday!) I actually prefer it to calling her name for attention over and over. She picked it up immediately and has a really good rate of attention with it.

 

Only problem is...

 

I forgot I randomly "happy whistle" around the house. So there I'll be, puttering around the kitchen, starting to whistle a tune, and...

 

"Hey! I'm here! What is it? Huh? Huh? Treats? Yes?"

 

Oh.

 

Oops. And oops two or three more times (that's the problem with habits). Poor girl.

 

Hey, while I'm here, quick question: I probably won't be trying any herding with her (I just can't get out of the city enough to pursue it), but I'd like her to come to a (instrument) whistle once we do off-leash in the future. I can't mouth whistle loud enough for this, even though I've tried to copy Youtube videos explaining how to loudly whistle. I think it's because I have a slight tongue tie. Anyway, does anyone have a favourite recall whistle? I know most of you use the shepherd's whistle, but I would be a big poser using that. It's tempting, though, learning looks fun. We'll probably be trying agility just for fun at a community place down the street. Do they use whistles at all?

 

 

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Never seen (or heard) anyone using a whistle for agility. Most of the time, I am lucky to remember what and when to say during a run.

 

It is my view that if a herding whistle will work for your dog, go for it. I don't think you will be a poser - and if anyone should think or say something, it really is none of their business.

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Never seen (or heard) anyone using a whistle for agility. Most of the time, I am lucky to remember what and when to say during a run.

 

It is my view that if a herding whistle will work for your dog, go for it. I don't think you will be a poser - and if anyone should think or say something, it really is none of their business.

 

I'm not sure about all venues, but I know NADAC's rule book specifies 'verbal and visual'. Not sure you'd get away with a whistle that was coming from an instrument instead of you, though I also don't know WHY it would be different than verbal commands.

 

And agreed. If it works, go for it. It's just a tool. I can't really imagine anyone not going out of their way to be a jerk saying anything - except maybe 'that's really loud and bothering my dog' if it was in a pretty congested area.

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It is my view that if a herding whistle will work for your dog, go for it. I don't think you will be a poser - and if anyone should think or say something, it really is none of their business.

 

You're right. I'm totally taking this as permission. :D I'm really curious as to how those things work.

 

And CaptJack, thanks for that. The group I'm interested in practices in a church basement, I believe (in the winter). So I agree: I bet the rules are flexible.

 

I think part of it is that we are a big-ish boisterous family (of 5) with lots of chatter going on all the time, so the words are fast and furious and the whistles are quite distinct and just for her.

 

On that note, Carmen went to her first impromptu party last night. I walked her down to a friend's house, and we meandered to another friend, and before we knew it, there were 8 or 9 new people there and a gorgeous Portuguese Water Dog. He was such a doll to her, like a kind grandpa: it was a perfect intro for her to strange adult dogs. However, unlike our usual walks on other days and times, this was her first Friday night in the neighbourhood, and the sidewalks were quite congested with people out for the evening (especially young couples on dates) oohing and ahing over her. She's quite brilliant with the loose leash walking now...except when someone wants to say hello to her. Then she can't wait to greet them and pulls ahead. I'm indulging this for now, since she seems to love all the humans, but at some point I guess I need to help her stay calm in such situations. She's not even 12 weeks yet, though, so I'll let her do her baby thing?

 

Is there any drawback to letting her just bask in all the attention for now? It seems to really stimulate her (she does excited pee sometimes) but she also seems to love it and seek it out. It's downright awkward for me as an introvert. :blink::lol:

 

At any rate, all that social butterflying really tired her out, and she slept from a blessed 10pm until 6:45 am this morning. (See afterparty photo)

post-20821-0-28495100-1524917048_thumb.jpg

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Great that she's having some really good experiences and working on socialization.

 

She's quite brilliant with the loose leash walking now...except when someone wants to say hello to her. Then she can't wait to greet them and pulls ahead. I'm indulging this for now, since she seems to love all the humans, but at some point I guess I need to help her stay calm in such situations. She's not even 12 weeks yet, though, so I'll let her do her baby thing?

 

Sure, let her do her baby thing now . . . if you want to make it much harder to change that habit later on. :rolleyes:

 

My rule is that if it's behavior you won't like when she's an adult dog, then don't allow it now. It'll be much harder for you to train i out of her later on than if you simply don't permit her to do it in the first place.

 

It's always much easier to train good behavior right from the start than it is to break a bad habit that's been reinforced (in this case self reinforced) early on. And the longer it's been reinforced and permitted, the harder it will be to change.

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Great that she's having some really good experiences and working on socialization.

 

 

Sure, let her do her baby thing now . . . if you want to make it much harder to change that habit later on. :rolleyes:

 

My rule is that if it's behavior you won't like when she's an adult dog, then don't allow it now. It'll be much harder for you to train i out of her later on than if you simply don't permit her to do it in the first place.

 

It's always much easier to train good behavior right from the start than it is to break a bad habit that's been reinforced (in this case self reinforced) early on. And the longer it's been reinforced and permitted, the harder it will be to change.

 

I totally agree for everything else, but with this, I'm kind of flummoxed. Please help me out? What should I do in this context? We're walking, she sees someone ahead, she starts to strain the leash and go crazy...wagging, crouching, "pet me! pet me!"

 

Do I pick her up? Herd her the other way (same way I taught her loose leash)? It's more difficult because she's a bit nuts at that point, dying to get to the person. She doesn't seem to care how her neck feels. And then, the other person sees this and starts talking to her, effectively encouraging her to ignore me. It's kind of tough. I wonder whether she has developed the self control to concentrate and actually do what I want her to do at this point. It's one thing when she's just randomly pulling, quite another when she's got a sharklike intensity on getting to a person...

 

Same goes for jumping. She doesn't do it much at home, because we've trained her out of it, but with strangers on the street, they think it's adorable and the strangers and I haven't established the relationship for me to tell them to turn around, tell her to sit, etc. like we do at home.

 

I guess we could avoid going out during the more congested times until this is under control...but it happens even when we only see 2 or 3 people.

 

In principle, I totally agree. It's very charming now that she's so wee, but this would not be a good way for a bigger dog to act.

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Get her to do something for you first, then she can go say hello. My Buzz was a social butterfly, never met a human he didn't love on sight. It took me a while to understand that I could use that desire to train him.

 

Buzz was a grown dog, you may need to adjust this suggestion for a puppy.

 

So, you could gently reel her in, ask her to do something she already knows how to do at home. Something that you might be ready to teach her anyway, like sit, or touch my hand w/your nose. Something simple and quick. Then she gets to go say hi. AFTER you've asked the human if it's okay with them. Not all people like dogs.

 

At 12 weeks, she's not able to control herself entirely. I suspect that training her, if you haven't already started the basics, will strengthen the communication & trust between you. And your neighbors will be impressed.

 

My experiences w/Buzz, who was an extreme people dog, and Shoshone, who had been badly abused and was terrified when we got her, lead me to believe that it's much easier to 'tone down' an exuberant dog than it is to build confidence in a terrified dog. You've got the easier, more fun job here. Enjoy that little bundle of sunshine!

 

Ruth & Gibbs

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Thanks, Ruth! Those are great suggestions. I'll see if I can get her to sit or lie down when she wants to see people. She's very consistent about those at home, but I'm dubious about "puppy brain" in the moment. But I know it won't happen overnight; we'll just keep trying. And yes, there's a heck of a lot of joy in all of this. :D

 

One thing I did on the walk today was just turn around and back her up when she strains at the leash to see people and walk the other way. It's more awkward if the person is squealing and rushing toward her (this is apparently a thing!) but I had some success with it when they were just walking up sanely. Sometimes I wonder if I should limit the engagement *a little,* choosing routes accordingly. I mean, what's she going to think when she's no longer an irresistible puppy, but a lovely dog? She may wonder where all the squealing went. Hopefully she won't care by then, and she'll be more preoccupied with frisbees or whatever.

 

Perhaps in the meantime I could try to look more intimidating myself. You know, shave my head and wear spiky leather clothes. When my friends ask, I'll just tell them people wouldn't stop squealing at my puppy and it was no good for her training. Desperate times, desperate measures...

 

We went on a busier street today to the vet, and her desire for wonderful strangers was at war with her discomfort with the heavier traffic noise. But in the end, people won. So that's a bonus to this "problem." ^_^ You're quite right, it's an incentive for them.

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Oh, yes, the 'dogslovemeIcan'twaittopetyourpuppy' folks. You can put up a hand and say, "I'm training her, could you please wait just a moment?' Sometimes that will stop them. Sometimes not.

 

It sounds like you're doing a lot of good things with her. Try the intermediate step of taking her out into your yard, or someplace that you know will be deserted, and ask her to do the touch/look at me/sit whatever there. The more different places you train her, the more she'll be able to understand that sit always means sit, no matter where, no matter what.

 

Your idea about limiting engagement time is spot on. You'll also need to judge when Carmen has had enough and needs a little time out to rest.

 

I don't think she'll become less of a people dog as she grows up. She might, I've not enough experience to say absolutely one way or another. It seems to me that absent a really bad experience, she'll still love to greet people.

 

If you do try the shaved head and spiky collar on yourself, (be sure to add threatening tattoos,) do post a pic or two. ;)

 

Ruth & Gibbs

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I wholeheartedly agree with holding up one hand and letting people know they need to wait a moment while you ask her to sit nicely before getting petted. If the person just keeps coming, I would pick her up and walk the other way.

 

My attitude is, there's no need to let a stranger...or even an acquaintance...... undermine my training; this is my dog. If they refuse to work with me and how I am doing things, they don't pet or give treats to my dog.

 

As for whistle, my favorite is a small metal one with a very loud high pitched sound. Google ' I.C.E. Whistle' to find it.

(don't know why they are calling it that).

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D'Elle, I would guess I.C.E would stand for "In Case of Emergency" so a whistle to attract attention when things are going wrong.

 

Capt Jack, I was interested about the NADAC rule of "verbal or visual" cues. I sometimes use a hand clap to get Oscar to look or turn to me on an agility course. I run in ANKC courses in Australia, not NADAC, but was interested to see that rule. Presumably hand-clapping is neither verbal nor visual and therefore forbidden. It is a very useful cue to me.

 

OP, I am afraid I have no other advice for you than you have already been given, but you have a super cute pup who sounds like a real gem!

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D'Elle, I would guess I.C.E would stand for "In Case of Emergency" so a whistle to attract attention when things are going wrong.

 

Capt Jack, I was interested about the NADAC rule of "verbal or visual" cues. I sometimes use a hand clap to get Oscar to look or turn to me on an agility course. I run in ANKC courses in Australia, not NADAC, but was interested to see that rule. Presumably hand-clapping is neither verbal nor visual and therefore forbidden. It is a very useful cue to me.

 

OP, I am afraid I have no other advice for you than you have already been given, but you have a super cute pup who sounds like a real gem!

 

People clap their hands on course all the time and I've never seen anyone say or do anything. I suspect it's just a sloppily written rule.

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As for whistle, my favorite is a small metal one with a very loud high pitched sound. Google ' I.C.E. Whistle' to find it.

(don't know why they are calling it that).

 

This is exactly the kind of recommendation I was looking for. Thanks a lot! I'll give it a try.

 

I'm also going to try the hand thing. Or maybe just one finger. (Index, not middle...)

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