One of the most common mistakes I see with novice gundog owners (and I’ve been guilty of it myself) is overusing the whistle. It’s easy to fall into the trap of blowing it every time the dog moves, but all that happens is the dog learns to ignore you. The whistle should be sharp, clear and mean something. If it’s constant background noise, it just becomes part of the wind. Training is about timing, consistency and giving the dog space to work things out without you filling the silence. Less whis