Training aids for dog and human

Every owner wishes for a dog that is well-behaved. All sorts of training aids are offered that are meant to help achieve this goal together. It is often hard to work out which methods are really suitable. One great help, for example, is the dog whistle. I consider it extremely useful to use this as a signal for recall. It always sounds the same and tells the animal nothing about your current mood.

The dog whistle as valuable support in training

Most of the time, for example, the dog learns to come to its human immediately at a short double whistle. No matter what mood you are in, this double whistle will always sound the same, and the dog can respond reliably. The dog whistle offers a further advantage precisely in households where several people look after the animal and go for walks with it. That way the dog only has to learn this one signal for recall. All family members use the same tone when they are out with the dog.

There is, however, a certain disadvantage in that you always have to carry the whistle with you. If the dog is running free and you want to recall it but have forgotten the whistle, that can become problematic. A further aspect is that many dog whistles are often used in the surroundings, which could confuse the animal. I therefore recommend that you train an individual tone for recall. That can be, for example, several short whistles or the sequence short – long – short. This way your signal differs clearly from others.

• Using an emotionless signal for greater reliability
• Standardising the commands within the whole family
• Targeted motivation through varied reward treats
• Preventing excess weight by adjusting the amount of food

The motivating power of reward

To teach your dog something new, it is advantageous if you can motivate it well. In our experience this works best through food. Reward treats are easy to take along when you go for a walk. There are even special bags for rewards in every shape and colour. You can pack various kinds well, because for the dog it is always more exciting when the reward is not predictable. That way it does not know exactly what there will be today. On one day you can take along little pieces of cheese and on another day perhaps dry food or similar treats.

A conscious approach to little treats

Particularly with dogs that tend towards excess weight, however, you should pay close attention to how many rewards you give. I advise you to be sure to deduct the amount the dog receives in between or during training from its daily ration of food. Too much weight can be very stressful, especially for old dogs, and have a negative effect on the whole organism. It is important to burn off the energy taken in during training again. When the dog learns a new skill, it is good to motivate it with food. When subsequently consolidating what has been learned, however, you no longer have to reward it every time and can gradually reduce the treats.