So a lady came through my line today with a silent whistle. (Truly a high frequency, "silent" type- not a regular whistle.) When I asked her about it she said that her neighbor's dog barked incessantly and that the store trainer told her that blowing the whistle would make it stop.
I am assuming that the way it is supposed to work is that as long as the dog barks, she blows the whistle (which would be, in theory, annoying to the dog) as soon as the dog stops, she stops. The dog learns that if it doesn't want to hear an annoying whistle it had best be quiet.
Has anyone ever heard of this before? Does it work?
I am asking because I had never heard of this technique before and wanted some knowledgable opinions.
Carol Boche Webboard User Reg: 10-30-2005
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I cannot see how that would work....maybe the first couple of times the dog would quit barking because it would be "interested" in the new sound and then it would become desensitized to the sound and bark through it.
Her best bet would be to go and talk with the neighbor and see if she can come to an understanding and if that does not work, she should research laws in her area for nuisance dogs and go from there.
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Elaine Haynes Webboard User Reg: 08-16-2005
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Also, in my experience many dogs will bark because of the whistle. I agree that she should talk to her neighbors. If they're gone all day at work, they may not even be aware of the problem. If she doesn't feel comfortable talking to them she could ask animal control to do so.
Mike Arnold Webboard User Reg: 07-09-2004
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Ms. Christian,
If a whistle cue is used with a correction it would, in time, cue the dog to quiet down. Absent a corresponding correction it is a momentary distraction at best. At worse, the dog may bark more.
The best approach might be to have the lady buy a referee's whistle, knock on her neighbor's door, and when the neighbor opens it, blow the whistle with great enthusiasm. Might be easier to train the neighbor then the neighbor's dog.
The neighbor has the obligation to be mindful of the dog's intrusion on the solitude of the neighborhood and neighbors. Forget the whistle. Talk to the neighbor. Absent success contact animal control. Absent success contact the cops in re disturbing the peace. Forget the whistle.
Probably not worth two cents.
Mike A.
"I wouldn't touch that dog, son. He don't take to pettin." Hondo, played by John Wayne
I kind of figured it was some misinformation myself, but the store trainer is a nice guy and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Also, as a lowly cashier I am not really allowed to correct his advice (and nobody cares, even if I am on target- alas! labels), but I was right alongside y'all that talking with the neighbor/homeowner's association/Animal Control would have been more productive.
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Does this work???
#142319 - 05/20/2007 07:16 PM 
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Re: Does this work???
[Re: Leah Christian ]
#142323 - 05/20/2007 08:35 PM 
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