One of the most commonly used dog training aids is the whistle. Historically, the whistle was used to train hunting herding dogs. The whistle creates the least noise and it sound reaches far compared to the human voice. Besides, when you are out there herding or hunting, shouting commands to your dog from a distance is not advisable. Note that the human voice is very scary to animals especially in the wild. On the other hand, the sound of the whistle often easily blends with the other sounds of the place thus it does not cause so many disturbances. Furthermore, the dog’s ear is more tuned to higher frequency sounds like that of a whistle. Since high frequency sounds travel a greater distance than the human voice, the whistle works well for dogs that are used for herding and hunting.

In our modern times, many handlers prefer the whistle as part of their dog training aids to avoid dog health problems. The use of the whistles as dog training aids is no longer limited to those dogs that are used for hunting and herding. Many pet owners prefer to use the whistle to call their pets or to issue commands from a distance.

Training Your Dog With The Help Of A Whistle

Using whistles as dog training aids require skills and knowledge on your part. If you have no idea how to use the whistle as part of your dog training aids, it is best to ask an expert to help you. You can’t just simply use a whistle randomly as part of your dog training aids. Always remember that you dog need to be able to understand what the tone of the whistle means in order for it to follow accordingly. Dog trainers have developed some standard whistle commands over time. For instance, a whistle command to sit can be issued by one long whistle blast together with a raised hand open hand. On the other hand, if you want to direct the attention of the dog, you can make two short whistle blasts and point the new direction with your hand.

On the other hand, different types of whistles may be used for different commands. Dogs can be trained to respond to different sounds and pitches of the whistle to avoid Dog Injury. However, these rules on how to use the whistle as part of your dog training aids are not absolute. You can always improvise when dealing with your dog so do not limit yourself to whistle commands that others have set.

Votoy Silent Dog Whistle
Price: $9.29

This large brass dog whistle makes for a great training aid. Comes with a teather chain and has adjustable pitch to fit your dogs hearing.

What kind of treats suit your pet best? It may depend on quite a few things, including your pet’s activity level and age, their dental health or other health issues, and of course, what type and flavor of treats your furry friend prefers!

Senior pets may need softer treats to go easy on their teeth. If your pet’s teeth are in good shape and especially for young pets that may be teething, it’s good to offer chewy treats - especially bully sticks and other chew treats, or bones to help keep teeth clean. Dental treats can also help with this.

Older pets with slower metabolism or overweight pets may also enjoy chewy treats that satisfy without adding a lot to their daily calorie intake. These long lasting chew treats can keep your pet amused for a long time - another plus if you need to keep your companion busy for a while.

Small treats, or treats that break apart easily are great for pets that need to have calories kept in check. Small treats are also great for training, since they help pets focus on the task and won’t fill them up so that they lose interest in the lesson.

Most pets appreciate variety, so mix it up with different types of treats to keep them interested. Also, as it is with foods, rotating the protein sources and ingredients in treats can help prevent food sensitivities from developing.

We’ve got treats with a wide range of natural ingredients like:

A Dog’s Life Natural Hand-Baked Treats Peanut Butter & Honey
Price: $7.99
Super-nutritious treats made with only the finest all natural and organic ingredients. They’re also 100% wheat and corn free.

Cheese Please 100% Natural Cheese Treats for Dogs 3-Pack
Price: $13.49
Mini-crunchy nuggets of cheese baked only with 100% real Wisconsin cheese. No wheat in these doggie treats that make an awesome human snack too!

Durango 95’s All Natural Dog Treats Beef
Price: $4.89
Durango 95’s are made of 95% real meat. Available in Beef, Lamb, and Chicken in stay-fresh resealable 4 oz bags.

California Natural HealthBars Natural Dog Treats Small 4 lb. Bag
Price: $13.49
Baked using human grade ingredients for dogs who cannot tolerate typical pet food ingredients. Made with 100% lamb meal.

For the most part, the human body can process and eliminate the junk ingredients in treats like our kids gather at Halloween. But even in small amounts, junky ingredients can cause problems for our pets. Pets are smaller than we are, with smaller organs of elimination (e.g., liver, kidneys). And smaller amounts of toxic substances can take more time and effort for our pets bodies to eliminate.

Many of the commercial pet treats available include ingredients that give the treats the consistency, aroma, and color that make them appeal to people, or that give them a longer shelf life. Check the list of ingredients in treats you routinely serve to your pets, and avoid any treats with the following ingredients:

Artificial Colors: Both cats and dogs have limited color vision, and any artificial colors added to pets treats are there to make the product look more appealing to us humans. Artificial colors in pet food and treats are often derived from coal tar. While research has been limited to date, some studies have found food dyes to be potentially carcinogenic and to interfere with pets immune functioning.

Artificial Flavors: Many of these treat additives are there to mimic qualities of natural foods. Often these flavors are added to create an aroma that mimics a natural smell in order to enhance the appeal of a treat made out of goodness-knows-what. Minimal if any testing is done on artificial flavors in human or pet food. Given what we don’t know about them, we think it’s best to avoid these questionable ingredients.

Meat By-Products: These are a staple ingredient in many commercial pet treats. These ingredients are of poor quality, and are difficult for pets to digest. They come from offal in meat processing plants leftovers that are unfit for human consumption. You wouldn’t eat them, and neither should your pet! We have more to say about these ingredients in our article, What You Need to Know About Your Pet’s Food.

Sugar and Salt: There is an alarming amount of sugar and salt in our pets treats, usually listed under ingredient names like: corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, sodium chloride, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). As with human food, they can cause pets to become addicted and lose their taste for healthier options. Worse, they can cause blood sugar & blood pressure imbalance, or cause weight gain.

Chemical Preservatives: Propylene glycol, BHT, BHA, nitrites, nitrates, ethoxyquin, propyl gallate, and other chemical preservatives used in pet treats are associated with health problems in pets, including liver damage, skin problems, and allergies. A good rule of thumb is that if you don?t know how to pronounce the ingredient, it probably isn’t food!

The best way to avoid the risk of tricky treats for your companion is to become a label reader and choose natural treats like those we carry at Only Natural Pet Store!

Merrick Flossies Standard Size
Price: $3.99
Unique design creates a natural chewing friction against the teeth and helps to clean them. This is a top seller that dogs love.