WHISTLES

This past weekend I entered a hunting test, something I had not done for many years.  My husband has a young Golden he wanted to get a Junior Hunter title, so I ran him and for fun, entered two of my young dogs in the Master Hunter test.  It was a good weekend as all passed. The dogs and I had a great time.

While there, I noticed some of the handlers were wearing whistles which are referred to as “The Green Monster”.  I asked a few why they were wearing this whistle.  None could give me what I considered a valid answer.

The Green Monster was developed by Pat Burns for use with high rolling dogs who don’t always respond to whistle commands at a distance.  Two years ago, while I was at the National Open in Oakdale, I spoke to Mike Lardy about a Lab I have who would slip whistles at the end of a long blind, especially when heavy cover or running water was involved.  Mike suggested I talk to Pat, and I did.  Pat was developing a new whistle, and he gave me one of the prototypes.   When The Green Monster came out in its current form I purchased a couple of them.  Jim Gonia refers to the whistle as “a high roller controller.”

This is why I was questioning these handlers as to why they were using them at a hunt test when the distances rarely exceed 100+ yards, and some of the dogs they were running would never (even in the kindest manner) be considered high rollers.  I have run field trials with hard running dogs for many years using a standard Gonia Mega Whistle, and I continue to use that at trials.  I always carry The Green Monster when I run this one dog on blinds.  I keep it as a backup for my other dogs if the distance is very long and/or hearing conditions are compromised.  Many of the top field trial pros and good amateur handlers do the same.  So why are hunt test persons using a whistle which was created for conditions totally non-related to the majority of hunt tests?

What I assume happened is that at the National Open in Montgomery , Texas , some of the pros were using TGM, especially for blinds.  I think some of the hunt test pros and persons running hunt tests saw this, thought they would emulate the top field trial pros, and took up the whistle without thinking through the various reasons for its use and for its non-use.  Like the ads on television which show cars racing around corners, through narrow streets on two wheels, etc., and there is a disclaimer stating “do not try this on your own, these are professional drivers”,  they did not read the disclaimer.

TGM is easy to blow at high volume, and can often be heard at 600+ yards or so----just ask persons whose dogs popped at one stake while persons using the TGM were blowing it at another stake.  It is hard to blow well at low volume and can sound squeaky.  It is hard to get inflections of tones with it.  Many trialers will use their regular whistles until the dog reaches 150 to 200 yards, and then go to TGM if needed, but it can be overwhelming to the dog at lesser yardage.

If someone stands ten feet from you and yells at you, you are taken aback.  If that person yells at you while you are at a 100 yards, it does not affect you in the same manner.  It is the same to a dog when a very loud whistle is blown while they are close to the handler---and close can be anywhere up to 75 or even 100 yards.  What happens if you have to stop your dog within ten to twenty yards for a line correction?   With either a whistle such as the Gonia Clear or Gonia Mega Whistle, you can modulate the tone and thus not overwhelm your dog.  Whistle tones, just as voice tones, can be a very effective tool for you to use when running your dog.

Now, if you have TGM, run hunt tests, and think it is the best thing for you and your dog, so be it.   Don’t just use it because your hunt test pro does or you have read about it and see that some of the top field trial pros have it hanging from their lanyards.   You might experiment with various whistles and see how your dog does respond, what works best for you and your dog, which allows you more flexibility in letting your dog know what is desired, and what increases the possibility of the two of you working as a team.

One caveat, many judges, both of hunt tests and field trials, absolutely hate it when handlers use either a Fox 40 or TGM because of the amount of noise produced.  Their ears hurt!  Also, I know of some outstanding pros who do not like it when their clients use either in training as, again, it can be very hard on the ears of those close by.  If you do use it, you should consider wearing earplugs to protect your ears.