If you have a Cocker Spaniel or are about to welcome a pup into your home, you will have no doubt thought about how you will train your new family member.
Many new Cocker Spaniel owners wonder whether they should try whistle training or clicker training methods.
I had the exact same questions when I first picked up my Cocker Spaniel. I decided to try and whistle train my boy but Which Is The Best Whistle For Training A Cocker Spaniel? Here is what I found.
Overall, I found the Smarter Paws Professional Ultrasonic Dog Training Whistle the best for training a Cocker Spaniel. This whistle is extremely lightweight with a great hearing range as well as adjustable frequency, making it easier for you to dial in the pitch your dog responds to the best.
I will go into detail below as to why I think this is the best whistle as well as which other whistles make my top 4 list but if you’re in a hurry here is the link to view the whistle on Amazon.
Whistle training also works amazingly well alongside my top recommended dog training program…….Read my review here.
I personally have you used this product and I recommend it to everyone who brings up the subject of training their dog.
What Is A Dog Whistle?
A dog whistle is different from the type of whistle that a referee in sport would use. Whistles made for dogs have a much higher-pitched frequency that is very hard for humans to hear.
In most cases, humans can’t actually hear a dog whistle. This is why dog whistles are often referred to as ‘silent’ whistles.
The main purpose of using a dog whistle is to gather their attention, exactly the same way you would if you used a dog training clicker.
My Top 4 Whistles For Training A Cocker Spaniel
| Whistle | Smarter Paws Pro Ultrasonic | Acme 210,5 Black | Faburo Ultrasonic 3pcs | Simply Natural Ultrasonic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image |   |   |   |   |
| Frequency Range | 100 Yds / 90 mts | 100 Yds / 90 Mts | 90 Yds / 82 Mts | 90 Yds / 82Mts |
| Adjustable Frequency | YES | NO | YES | YES |
| Weight | 18.1g | 18.1g | 40.8g | 40.8g |
| Our Rating |  | |  | |
| Buy Now | Buy On Amazon | Buy On Amazon | Buy On Amazon | Buy On Amazon |
Here Is My Top Rated Dog Whistles
1. Smarter Paws Professional Ultrasonic Dog Training Whistle
The Smarter Paws Professional Ultrasonic Training Whistle is designed and manufactured by a small family business based in the UK.
Smarter Paws is a brand name of MaxiPaws who specializes in producing quality pet products at affordable prices and this whistle is no different.
The whistle is fully adjustable so you can change the pitch and frequency to get the best response out of your dog.
Many dogs respond better to a certain pitch of frequency and if you buy a whistle who’s pitch can’t be altered, you may not get the best results hen training you Cocker Spaniel.
This has a fantastic range of up to 100 yards / 90 Meters and weighs only 18.1g.
This lightweight whistle also comes with a handy matching lanyard so you can wear it with ease when you aren’t blowing into it.
My Overall Rating: Best Buy 5 Stars
2. The Acme 210.5 Whistle
The Acme 210.5 Training Whistle comes in at number 2 on my list despite been manufactured by one of the very best and most trusted brands around.
This whistle does not have an adjustable frequency which many people feel lets the whistles overall appeal down.
Acme, however, has been very clever with this. They claim the whistle has the same tone and pitch (frequency standardized) which means no matter who uses the whistle, the same pitch of frequency will be omitted and your dog will react the same.
I was intrigued by this so myself, wife and 3 kids all took turns using the whistle and sure enough, my Cocker Spaniel reacted exactly the same to every blow, regardless of who had the whistle.
The reason I have rated this as my number 2 is that the pitch that this whistle is set to, isn’t the perfect pitch for my Cocker, but it may well be right for your pup.
Like the Smarter Paws whistle, the Acmes is very lightweight and also comes with a matching strap.
My Overall Rating: Runner Up 4.5 Stars
3. Faburo 3 Piece Ultrasonic Training Whistle
The Faburo Ultrasonic Training Whistle comes as a 3 piece set comprising of the whistle, lanyard, and clicker. It also comes with full instructions and a handy training manual.
The whistle has an adjustable frequency to help match your dog with the best pitch.
The main let down of this whistle is that it doesn’t have quite the same pitch range as the top 2 whistles on my list although the range is only 10 yards less and still comes in at a pretty impressive 90 yards / 82 Meters.
This whistle is also a little bit heavier than the previous 2 on my list but you do get 3 whistles included in the pack.
My Overall Rating: 3rd Place 4 Stars
4. Simply Natural Ultrasonic Training Whistle
The Simply Natural Ultrasonic Training Whistle comes in at number 4 on my list.
This whistle also features an adjustable pitch frequency which does seem to be the industry standard these days.
The adjustable frequency is easy to lock in once you have it perfectly set to your dogs’ preference.
Also comes with a lanyard and removable whistle cover.
Again, the range on this whistle is slightly shorter than the top 2 on the list but just like number 3, its range is 90 Yards / 83 Meters so not exactly short.
The largest of the 4 whistles on my list, it’s also considerably heavier than my top rated whistle but if you were on the lookout for a whistle to train your Cocker Spaniel and this is the only one your local pet store had in stock, I would still recommend you get it.
My Overall Rating: 4th Place 4 Stars
How To Use A Dog Whistle
Now that I have covered which whistles I think are the best for training a Cocker Spaniel let’s take a quick look at how to use a dog whistle.
I will be writing a full in-depth guide on how to use a whistle for dog training but I won’t be going into too much detail in this post, I will just cover the basics.
The first thing you need to do is decide what sort of commands you will use. You can create your own simple patterns or use some of the common commands that professional dog trainers use.
Regardless of which route you go, you must be consistent with it otherwise you will simply confuse your Cocker Spaniel.
Many trainers mimic the way they would say a word by using the whistle. For instance, ‘sit’ is usually made with a short sharp blast on the whistle.
This command will be the one you use the most so you may as well start practicing this one first.
The second most common one used is the ‘come’ command. My trainers use 3 longer blasts on the whistle but like I said, whichever pattern you use on a whistle is entirely up to you.
Nail down these 2 prompts with the whistle before you attempt to move onto other prompts.
Related Questions
What Frequency Dog Whistle Should I Use?
All dogs are different so I would recommend you buy a whistle that has an adjustable frequency.
This way you can keep adjusting the pitch of the whistle until you get a tone that your dog seems to react to the most.
Dog Whistle For Hard Of Hearing Dog
Many hard of hearing dogs or even some deaf dogs can still hear the frequency of a silent dog whistle.
My tip is to buy a whistle that has an adjustable frequency and see if your dog responds to any of the pitches.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there isn’t much difference between the available dog training whistles that are on the market apart from the odd feature.
They are all very similarly priced and easily within everyone’s budget so my advice is just to go with my number one recommendation which is the Smarter Paws Professional Ultrasonic whistle.
If you decide to purchase one from a pet shop, if you chose an adjustable model, I’m sure you won’t go too far wrong.
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