Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Training
  3. Whistle training

Whistle training

Basenji Training
  • KipawaK

    Just thought I would share this. Kipawa is very good on recall with his name and visual come command. We go to an area for running that is enclosed, but large enough that Kipawa can get out of my sight. And I really hate that. It's hard on my nerves! :) So, I bought one of those nice and loud referee-type whistles a couple of days back. We have been training him to come when he hears the whistle, as an addition to coming when we call him. He is doing really well with this. Of course, high value treats are given with this exercise. :) I wonder if anyone else has used a whistle? Positive and negative remarks always welcomed here, as I have never owned a basenji before.

    Fran Harder, BAB

    With Barney in my heart

    0
  • BenkuraB

    I have a friend with Bs who uses a whistle successfully for recall. I haven't tried it myself yet.

    Victoria Miller & the hounds of Benkura

    www.benkurabasenjis.co.uk

    0
  • thunderbird8588T

    Fran, i have just bought a whistle to try. I find it hard to project my voice loud enough sometimes.

    Shelley

    Basenji Malaika

    Basenji Malaika
    Basenji Kwame

    0
  • MacPackM

    This subject is dear to my heart! I trained our 5-pack to all come to a whistle many years ago, when there were no fenced areas to let them run. The whistle sound carries way further than voice, can be heard at a good distance. High value treats came with each return and they were 100% reliable.
    Current pair are not well trained to it as we are always in fenced areas, but I do think it is a great thing to train. I wish all rescue dogs were whistle trained and the whistle went with the dog to the new home, then those that escape will hear a familiar sound. I used to keep my whistle hanging on the back of the front door, first thing I grabbed with an escape.

    Anne in Tampa

    Chipley, Missy & Lucky

    Topper, Nicky & Eddie in the clouds

    0
  • agilebasenjiA

    i don't think i could do it! i have a hard enough time keeping up with clickers (over the years I've bought around 30 of them; literally bought 25 at one time), i'd for sure loose a whistle and I myself am incapable of whistling. but I actually think it is an excellent idea. you may want to get Leslie Nelson's Really Realiable Recall booklet and pair it with whistle training.

    0
  • NemoN

    I agree with agile, the approaches in really reliable recall could help enhance the training. With the high value treats, you can do what she calls "fine dining". So don't just give the high value treat but draw it out and break it up into little pieces and feed him one after the other when he comes back. It's like jackpotting.

    You can also use a check cord and work on more intermediate distances to get that really solid.

    Connect with the Basenji Club of America on Facebook

    http://www.facebook.com/basenji.org

    0
  • agilebasenjiA

    @Nemo:

    I agree with agile, the approaches in really reliable recall could help enhance the training. With the high value treats, you can do what she calls "fine dining". So don't just give the high value treat but draw it out and break it up into little pieces and feed him one after the other when he comes back. It's like jackpotting.

    for this sort of thing (big value treats over long time period), the best thing i've found to use is frozen liverwurst. i buy it, slice it and put it in a small container (the leftover cream cheese containers work GREAT for this) then put the container in the freezer. the pup gets to lick the frozen stuff for her high value treat - LOTS of treat over a long time, but not lots of calories or lots of treats in the tummy. the dogs at my house swear liverwurst pupcicles are wonderful. sometimes they will try to nibble, but given it's frozen and in a small container, it's hard to get lots of treats.

    0
  • KipawaK

    @agilebasenji:

    for this sort of thing (big value treats over long time period), the best thing i've found to use is frozen liverwurst. i buy it, slice it and put it in a small container (the leftover cream cheese containers work GREAT for this) then put the container in the freezer. the pup gets to lick the frozen stuff for her high value treat - LOTS of treat over a long time, but not lots of calories or lots of treats in the tummy. the dogs at my house swear liverwurst pupcicles are wonderful. sometimes they will try to nibble, but given it's frozen and in a small container, it's hard to get lots of treats.

    I will try this, but I myself love liverwurst. Hopefully I will not eat it all before getting to the park.

    At the park today, I was about 75% successful with the whistle/treat recall. Not bad for the first time out, I think. Especially because there were easily 20 dogs there, and Kipawa is Mr. Social and has to visit with all of them.

    Fran Harder, BAB

    With Barney in my heart

    0

Suggested Topics

  • slentsS

    Kennel Training

    Basenji Training
    20
    0 Votes
    20 Posts
    3k Views
    J
    Yay!!! 👊😊👍
  • K

    Training techniques

    Basenji Training
    33
    2 Votes
    33 Posts
    7k Views
    ZandeZ
    @elbrant I hope it will arrive today and I will let you know of its success or otherwise. We will try it out immejutely it arrives. Mku slept with me last night. He slept like a log. I didn't, but at least it gave Paul a rest. The diffuser is supposed to diffuse comforting pheronomes. I like the idea of changing it to encourage eating etc. You could be onto a winner there !
  • AnaA

    Crate training

    Basenji Training
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    4k Views
    AnaA
    He does only poop in his crate, no urine usually. I am trying to gradually get him to like his crate, but I do think it might be a lost cause. But yesterday I left for about three hours and left him in the kitchen. When I got back, I opened the door and looked down to see not only my cat waiting for me but my dog as well… He found a way to get out of the kitchen and have the run on my apartment. I now know why basenjis are called escape artists. I was happy to find that although he had an accident in the living room, he didn't destroy anything. But I won't count on one time to trust him alone. I am going to stick with the kitchen and try to make sure he can't get out.
  • cazC

    Crate training

    Basenji Training
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    4k Views
    basenji_fanB
    When you feed him in the crate and close do you walk away? I had a foster that was terrified of the crate and also suffered terrible anxiety w/peeing in the crate too. So I would feed him in the crate and then close the door and sit right there with him. At first I only closed the door half way, did that way for about a week then was able to close it all the (without latching) for another week. I would sit right next to the crate and praise him for eating his meals. Then I would scoot a few feet back at one meal, move back at the next and do that for a for a few times. Then I would stay at the few feet back. It is a slow process but it really really helped him in his crate training process and getting him over his fear. I was soon able to feed him in his crate and walk away. He was running to his crate and sitting for his meals. He still had his anxiety for long periods w/the peeing problem but we even worked on that were we could leave for short times and he wouldn't pee in his crate
  • A

    Potty training

    Basenji Training
    24
    0 Votes
    24 Posts
    13k Views
    tanzaT
    @lisatest: Does a puppy have soft poop and as the puppy gets older the poop becomes more solid? It has been a while since I had a puupy so I can't remember. No… a puppy should also have a solid poo...
  • C

    Training classes?

    Basenji Training
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    6k Views
    NemoN
    @tanza: I think you are waiting too long. You should have two complete sets of shots before class. Waiting till they are 15/16wks you are missing critical socialization skills. Waiting for "all the shots" is pretty much old school these days. My pups go out even before that to things like lure trials… you just need to be careful and not let them "get" into anything like "old poop" laying around. I'm planning on taking her around the time of the 2nd shots if I can. But the problem is that the next round of puppy classes doesn't start till the last week of March, which would be around 14 weeks anyway. Maybe they will let me join the last half of the previous class but I'd have to check into that.