How To Tune Sprenger Dog Whistle?

[cherish]

We have two spaniels, a Springer and a Springer/Cocker cross. The Springer is 18 months and the cross is just over 12 months old.

We are wanting to train them to recall using a Sprenger whistle but they take absolutely no notice of it. We figure we haven't tuned it properly, but it came with no instructions.

Can anyone tell us how to tune it to the correct pitch?

[SparkyTansy]

Assuming it's a silent whistle?

I have ordered a few whistles and they don't always work... I've had at least 2 duds and I've got 6 whistles.

[cherish]

Assuming it's a silent whistle?

I have ordered a few whistles and they don't always work... I've had at least 2 duds and I've got 6 whistles.

Yes, it is a silent whistle.

[pipsqueak]

Assuming it's a silent whistle?

I have ordered a few whistles and they don't always work... I've had at least 2 duds and I've got 6 whistles.

how can u tell it's a dud if it's silent?

[Echo]

Pull off the outer cover and inside you will find an adjustable screw.

By moving the screw up/down you can vary the pitch of the whistle. Replace the cover once you have chosen your desired setting.

I have a Sprenger whistle and the setting I have on mine is not silent. It is set to make a high pitched sound that is audible to the human ear. This setting works very well for my dogs and it can be heard for quite a long way. I use it by making short, sharp toots, not one long continuous blow. The short toots seem to be picked up much better by the dogs.

Then you have to charge the whistle, just the same as you would a clicker. With the dogs close by, toot and treat immediately. Repeat this process until the dogs recognise that the toot means reward. Once this is achieved, then gradually move to tooting when the dogs are a short distance away and when they come to you, reward/treat. Reliable response over further distance is achieved gradually and once the dogs are tuned in to the sound, I find the whistle a very good way to attract the dog's attention at quite a distance, without having to yell your lungs out.

We have quite a long driveway and sometimes the dogs will be down at the gate barking. Rather than go out and yell (which the whole world will hear) I just use the whistle to bring them back to the house....works a treat and the neighbours never have to hear me yelling at the dogs. I also use it when we are out and the dogs are off lead at the park or in the bush....works just as well there also.

[cherish]

Pull off the outer cover and inside you will find an adjustable screw.

By moving the screw up/down you can vary the pitch of the whistle. Replace the cover once you have chosen your desired setting.

I have a Sprenger whistle and the setting I have on mine is not silent. It is set to make a high pitched sound that is audible to the human ear. This setting works very well for my dogs and it can be heard for quite a long way. I use it by making short, sharp toots, not one long continuous blow. The short toots seem to be picked up much better by the dogs.

Then you have to charge the whistle, just the same as you would a clicker. With the dogs close by, toot and treat immediately. Repeat this process until the dogs recognise that the toot means reward. Once this is achieved, then gradually move to tooting when the dogs are a short distance away and when they come to you, reward/treat. Reliable response over further distance is achieved gradually and once the dogs are tuned in to the sound, I find the whistle a very good way to attract the dog's attention at quite a distance, without having to yell your lungs out.

We have quite a long driveway and sometimes the dogs will be down at the gate barking. Rather than go out and yell (which the whole world will hear) I just use the whistle to bring them back to the house....works a treat and the neighbours never have to hear me yelling at the dogs. I also use it when we are out and the dogs are off lead at the park or in the bush....works just as well there also.

Echo, thanks very much for that very helpful advice. We knew the whistle had to be tuned but didn't know we needed to pull off the outer cover in order to do it. We will give it a go!

We live in a coastal town near the beach and love to take the dogs to the local dog friendly beach but have found if they get away from us they can run way too far and our voices are drowned out by the noise of the waves (not that they'd probably come back even if they could hear us!).

Thanks again!