Here's what readers often ask about when they're training their dogs
Q: How hard should I blow my gundog whistle?
A: How you blow the stop whistle really depends on the type that you use. Most whistles are numbered from 210 to 211.5 I prefer the latter for both my Labradors and spaniels.
Regardless of breed I always use two pips and a hand signal to turn a gundog and one short blast to stop. For ‘normal’ commands I blow very lightly almost breathing on it, as the saying goes.
To stop a chase situation I would suggest blowing slightly harder to get the command across, and understood. Remember that a dog’s hearing is probably ten times more acute than our own so you don’t have to blow hard on the whistle to get its attention.
Q) I have a young springer spaniel that I am training. I would like to know how to use the stop whistle. How do I make my dog steady to it? What's the secret of dog training with a whistle? Q: I will soon be training my first Labrador gundog. What sort of whistle should I use, as I am considering using the silent type.