I am sure someone will answer this better... And correct me if I'm wrong...But a whistle is a signal, in the same way that shouting "come"or doing a hand gesture would be. But a clicker is a way of training dogs to do stuff using a "click" to mark the desired behaviour and signal that a reward is coming. You wouldn't click the clicker to call the dog...

Kikopup on YouTube is a good thing to look at to see about clicker training - or maybe look at Karen Pryors website.

There are lots of people who know lots about both, and I'm sure will be along to talk you through the use of either for recall - but they are totally different things, used for different purposes. If you do a search there are some great threads on both in the past too.

I'm training recall with a whistle at the moment and I really recommend it - but that's cos I'm pants at shouting and my dog can hear the whistle even if it's windy and rainy for example.

Naomi

 

Personally i have always used a whistle, not sure tbh just always have!
I find they are great for recall, as i only need to blow once and they come running. I then change the amount of blows and length of blows for different commands etc.

I find it works really well, but i never really got on very well with clicker training, not sure why, just didnt suit me

 

I think you may be confusing the role of the clicker in training recall. You can use both a whistle and a clicker. The whistle is the signal for the dog to come running back to you upon hearing it's sound, the clicker is the marker which tells the dog it has done the correct thing and will be rewarded.

So, you blow the whistle, when dog reaches you, click and treat.

 

the big one i am thinking of is recallso amybe the whistle for that . i am teaching speach and hand signals at the moment . but i was suggest a clicker to distract the dog when its naughty to make it think of something else . i was wondering surely the whilst would do the same . and if not what is the best thing to do when a puppy is doing something wrong . .

 

I think you may be confusing the role of the clicker in training recall. You can use both a whistle and a clicker. The whistle is the signal for the dog to come running back to you upon hearing it's sound, the clicker is the marker which tells the dog it has done the correct thing and will be rewarded.

So, you blow the whistle, when dog reaches you, click and treat.

that make more sense . lol i will try that

 

I love using a whistle.

Pippa responds to it so well, I think it is because she only hears it when out walking not everyday like my voice.

 

the big one i am thinking of is recallso amybe the whistle for that . i am teaching speach and hand signals at the moment . but i was suggest a clicker to distract the dog when its naughty to make it think of something else . i was wondering surely the whilst would do the same . and if not what is the best thing to do when a puppy is doing something wrong . .

A clicker is to mark behaviour you want repeated, it is saying that is correct, so not suitable to use to distract a pup when it is doing something you don't want.

 

I use whistles for all 3 of my dogs. My gundog has his own set of whistle commands since he's trained in that field and then my collies have a different recall whistle and they know the stop whistle too.

I would always train future dogs to the whistle regardless of their breed because it's such a valuable tool.

 

I have two whistles of different pitches one for each dog. I keep my signals to them as simple as possible, one blast. Stop and look to me for direction. Two is for recall.
To be honest, as gun dogs, once they've got a season under their belt they know exactly what's required of them and get on with the job in hand, sometimes Ithink if they could drive there'd be no need for me to accompany them.........
Apart from that my training regime is pretty basic, 'Hup' which is gundog speak for sit, dont know why we all insist on using it, 'Wait' why obviously means what is says on the tin. It's all pretty easy really, if the dog is a worker he knows what he's doing, my spaniel was trying to flush stuff almost as soon as he was able to get out, he probably didn't know quite what he was doing but the drive was hard wired into him, all I've had to do is channel it down the path I want him to go, no ground game such as rabbits, they are to be ignored, and hunt at a distance that is acceptable.

 

A clicker is to mark behav*iour you want repeated, it is saying that is correct, so not suitable to use to distract a pup when it is doing something you don't want.

see thats what i thought when i was inform it . i see clicker training as rewarding to repart behaviour . and if i used it to distract it would be like tell the pup it was doing right .

so with that whats the best way to teach a puppy no . so they understand . without being cruel

 

so with that whats the best way to teach a puppy no . so they understand . without being cruel

Ignore the behaviour, distract and encourage them into a desired activity and praise them, It's easier to teach them what you'd like them to be doing than learn by eliminating all the things you'd prefer them not to.

 

Probably time to don my crash helmet but personally Ive never bothered to use a clicker tbh. Whistle for recall seems to work with dogs who have learned to ignore their own names and verbal commands especially.

I always start indoor, walking around and literally just whistle treat whistle treat. Usually I then try it when they are out in the garden occupied and stand by the back door and try it treating when they come. If that goes OK, then I try whistling from indoors. if thats a success after a few goes then I use it outside.

Not saying for one minute clicker training isnt good or beneficial because I know it can work wonders, just something I havent bothered with personally.