Whistle training or better kid training

It has been a very busy week.  I have been trying to get the camp site ready for camping next week.  After being flooded out we had a lot of work to do.

Anyway back to the way I have been training Rufus to respond to a whistle.  When Rufus gets out of my sight for more than about a minute and if I call him once and he doesn't come back I use the whistle.

 Just 3 short blast of the whistle will usually bring him back within about 30 seconds or at least he will turn to look at me to acknowledge that I have called him.  When that fails, having Dawson either blow the whistle or just run for him he comes back really good.  But whenever the kids are with us he stays within about 10 feet of the kids.  If the kids are running around and chasing him he seems to just "prance" it is not a full run but he will look over his shoulder to see if they are following him then he will give a little bit of a burst of speed to make sure that they have to run a little bit to catch up.

Dawson is learning to use the whistle to call Rufus back too,  However he is a little bit loud on the whistle and the blasts are a little longer.
Rufus comes out from the trees or from down at the river and heads straight for Dawson every time as if to say "You called me"  it is really fun to watch.  When I ask Rufus where his kids are he goes and tags one of them.

Depending on the day and how much he has been running and how many smells are at the park it can still be a work in progress.

I have taught Rufus that if he does not respond after I have to whistle 3 times in about 5 minutes, we go home.  I have had to do that once or twice since I have started using the whistle.  But never when the kids are with me.


Sara is a big help too when I am trying to take video of the kids and the dogs.  We will always have 3 dogs 2 kids and the 2 of us.  We do try to go at least 2 or 3 days a week with everyone but with work schedules we can not go longer.  Bailey is even coming back when we use the whistle now.

Dexter is just a good little cocker and will come anyway unless there is something really smelly that he wants to roll in.  I sometimes have to give just one short blast on the whistle for him to come but then I look down at my feet and wow there he is.  I sometimes over look him because he just follows right along just behind me and I miss him.

Rufus will sometimes just take off and run.  If I can still see him that is good but if he gets more than about 200 yards and he is at a full run, usually going to see another dog, he just makes a long big loop and heads straight back when he hears the whistle.  It is really something to see.  I have had other people walking with me and they are amazed that he will turn and come right back.

Kids are wonderful training tools.  They seem to have it all figured out.  Even at the river they all get wet and have a great time of it.

We very seldom come home from the park in the summer with Dawson dry.  He usually gets to running on the shore with Rufus and Dexter chasing him that he doesn't fall in the water and come up spitting and sputtering.  Rufus is usually the first one there to make sure that he is okay.

Next week we are all going camping.  By all I mean Dawson, Nick, Rufus and Dexter and myself.  We will only go for about 4 days but that is enough.

We have the new site and the new routine that everyone will have to get used to so, it could be a stressful few days for me.  But with the kids with me I will have a great time.

I will have some tales to add to the blog in about a week.  I will try to get more video and some good pictures of everyone sleeping together.

Happy Canada Day everyone!!!!