The Leash Team uses whistles to improve overall recall.

We have experienced about an 80% improvement with all the dogs since introducing the whistles. To make it even better we would like to enlist your help. We will provide you with the same whistle, so we all sound identical to your dog. The Whistles will be dropped off on your first walk.

Why Whistles Work.

1. A whistle can be used by ANYONE! Most family dogs have many different voices in their ears, day in and day out. A whistle sounds the same regardless of who is blowing it.
2. A whistle lacks emotion. Ever tried to recall dog's name when you're in a panic? Or a hurry? Or even when you’re a bit angry? your dog can tell, a whistle lacks emotion and it is consistent.
3. The sound of a whistle carries a long way, not everyone’s voice does.

Here is what you can do at home:

• Step 1: Associate the whistle with GREAT things. What I mean by this is, get your dog used to hearing the sound of the whistle ONLY when something fun and exciting is happening. For example, you could use the whistle when the dog is about to be fed. You could use the whistle when you are about to take your dog out for a walk. Basically, whatever it is that your dog loves, use the whistle to get them to associate great things with that sound.
   
• Step 2: Use the whistle in the home to begin with. Wait for an opportunity when your dog is calm, give several tweets on the whistle and reward lavishly when he comes back to you.
   
• Step 3: Use the whistle when your dog is in the yard at a point where he's not paying attention to what you're doing. Give two short, sharp tweets on the whistle. Again, reward well. He will begin to associate the whistle sound with great excitement and something worth returning for.
   
• Step 4: Use the whistle in public, but in a confined area. Only use the whistle at a stage where the dog is not running away and is MOST likely to return to you. Again, you are not trying to set your dog up for failure, you want him to succeed. When he recalls to you, reward.
   
• Step 5: Begin to use the whistle (again, only sparingly - NEVER overuse the whistle while you are in the early training phase) when your dog is further away from you in a public place but when there are NO distractions which are likely to make him/her 'fail'.
   

We are trying to achieve a reaction from your dog which makes the sound of the whistle so overwhelmingly positive, they will want to come back to you.

Always reward lavishly, particularly in the early stages of training.

If your does not come back for any reason please STOP whistling. You don’t want to stand there whistling away and have the dog ignore you.