Training your dog to respond to you is one of the most important things you must do. Training them to respond to a whistle is one of the smartest! Using a whistle can control your dog from a distance, when the wind is strong, or when they might get too excited. I’m sharing my best dog whistle reviews to help you choose the best one. Yeah, like everything else, they’re not all made equal!
Training With A Dog Whistle
We’d all like to think that one blow on the whistle will get our dogs to come running. Sadly, if they’re not trained at least in verbal commands, it doesn’t work that way. Whistles work like normal commands. First, you need to pick out standard whistle commands, like “stay,” “here,” or “change direction.”
Use a different amount of blows on the whistle or a trill. It doesn’t really matter what you end up doing, but stay consistent to not confuse your dog. To start, have your dog heel first. Walk a little before you give the sit command and blow the whistle.
Praise your dog and repeat: verbal command, then whistle. Start doing the verbal command less as your dog begins to understand, and then drop the verbal command altogether. Repeat this for multiple commands with different whistles for a whistle-trained dog.
Best Dog Whistle To Stop Barking
Amidst reviews, opinions, and advertisements, you’re probably drowning under what type you want. Here are my picks for the best dog whistles.
Acme Silent Dog Whistle
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Blowing a whistle every time you go to the park is not just annoying for you, but also for everyone else there! Luckily, there are silent dog whistles that just your dog can hear. I know they seem questionable to some thanks to their silence, but the Acme whistle is one of the best silent dog whistles.
In my opinion, it’s also the best dog whistle for training. Plus it’s solid brass construction feels sturdy and durable. Also great for dogs with sensitive hearing.
Pros:
- Instructions are included to help you
- You can adjust the pitch with a pitch register
- Dogs can hear the whistle from 400 yards away
- It’s just about completely silent to humans (so you can use it on your neighbor’s dog!)
Acme 211.5 Dog Whistle
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This best dog whistle to stop barking attracts a lot of repeat customers. Dog owners talk about how the sound is effective and great for training their dogs. After using this, I no longer had to train Harley with treats. It comes with training instructions and suggestions so you know how to use it properly.
5 years on and it still works great! I also like how sturdy and strong it feels. Definitely one that will last the distance. My dog comes every time I use this dog whistle for training.
Mack & Mercie
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This is an ultrasonic dog whistle that you can adjust to get various pitches. I like the safety locking nut feature so you won’t lose the frequency you choose. It comes in a package that includes some yummy dog training treats. Cheddar Minibakes Organic, no less! These are awesome to train together with the whistle.
The design is helpful – it comes with a black nylon lanyard so you can string it around your neck. My dog responds very well to this dog whistle for training too!
Acme Working Dog Whistle
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Another best dog training whistle from Acme. If you’re shopping around, you’ll realize Acme is one of the top brands for dog whistles. This whistle catches Harley’s attention, even over long distances. If you have a german shepherd or other working dogs, this whistle will be great.
There are 2 tones in this whistle and it comes with a lanyard for easy carrying. My dog responds well with this and it’s well made to last for a long time.
Edworder
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Choose different frequencies with this simple dog whistle. You can train your canine to obey various everyday commands such as come, stay, fetch, sit and more. Simply turn the screw rod to adjust the frequency you want. This is an ultrasonic whistle so it won’t be as annoying.
It’s quite effective to stop barking and comes with a special lock nut. Made from stainless steel, it is anti-slip and comfortable to hold. You can use this to repel dangerous animals too. Although I haven’t used it for that purpose and am not sure how effective it is.
Do Dog Whistles work to stop barking?
Do dog whistles work to stop barking? Of course they work! Usually with a trained dog of course. If your dog isn’t trained in verbal commands, they’ll have a hard time responding to a whistle.
Regardless of training, there are just some things that your dog whistle can and can’t do. For one thing, no whistle can completely stop your dog from barking. It can distract them, but that’s only temporary and may annoy your dog.
What A Dog Whistle Will Not Do
- The whistles we feature here are for training dogs. You can use them for giving commands and get your dog’s attention.
- Don’t be mistaken – there is no whistle that will actually stop your dog from barking. What a whistle will do is distract your dog from barking for a temporary few minutes. But be aware that it is only temporary.
- Whistles cannot repel a dog to keep them away from joggers. It cannot stop dog fighting either.
- Deaf dogs need more specific types depending on the amount of hearing loss. It depends on how much of the dog’s hearing is gone (is it mild, mid level or high)? In this case, a vibration collar or hand signals may even work better.
- Don’t expect a whistle to actually stop your dog from fighting. Again, a whistle is more of a temporary distraction but that also heavily relies on your dog’s obedience and level of aggression.
Conclusion
Finding the best dog training whistle can be challenging! There are so many products to choose from. With these top 5 at your disposal, you won’t have a tough time anymore. Now the only problem is figuring out how to train!