Random Notes

Sources for Sheepdog Whistles

https://www.farmshopaustralia.com/product-category/general-farm/shepherds-whistles/

Buy several cheap ones at first, see notes below.

When it comes to sheepdog whistles I would strongly advocate buying a half a dozen extremely cheap basically disposable ones, that way if you lose them or damage them while you are learning to use them, it’s not a huge financial blow. Then later on once you master the correct form and develop the skill to use it, it might be a lovely idea to invest in a more expensive solid bronze or brass version. The best brand for this seems to be Logan whistles, I believe they are a UK based company. Expensive, but it’s one of those buy it for life things.

However I follow the same policy here as I do with clickers, It’s better to buy ten cheap ones sometimes than one good one, that way you have a variety of them around the house in different locations, you can even leave them in different rooms as a reminder to yourself to train your partner or keep one in your pocket, I like to take a few along to events and hand them out for free if they’re cheap enough, to get people excited and enthusiastic about the idea of clicker training their partner (responsibly and ethically after reviewing the appropriate content and safety precautions), but making the initial device cheaper reduces the barrier to entry, the price of replacement cost, and reduces the emotional stakes if you lose it or can’t quite master at the first time, it creates a positive momentum.

Also be aware of the context of use, if you are using this in a crowded club, it can be a problem as they are loud. Also, if you have enough people in the same room all using these, it can sometimes be hard to tell who is giving which command (I refer to this as "command overlap"). Simply be aware and plan accordingly, hand signals, or a remote controlled vibrator or dog eCollar on vibrate is often a better option.

More Expensive - https://stockdogs.com.au/collections/working-dog-whistles

Sources for Dog eCollars or Electroshock Collars

Always get the "comfort prongs" and have those fitted. Always use it on yourself first. Do not put it around their neck, I prefer around the upper thigh, facing outwards.