Whistle Categories > Dog Whistles
Where did dog whistles originate?
The earliest of whistles may well relate to hunting. Because it is easier to work with, perhaps made of horn, antler, hoof, ivory likely preceded whistles of metals. Circa 1800 a proliferation arose of dog whistles and the best known came from the UK, France, the States, Germany, but ostensibly from around the world.
How are dog whistles identified?
Many early dog whistles are unmarked; others were marked in some way indicating the use for hunting with dogs, calling dogs, or just training them. However, others have to be surmised by the general make and model especially of horn, or antler such as gillies whistles.
Some are stamped with trade names matching catalogs identifying the market aimed at. Still others have stamps with names such as Hound that narrow down the use designed for.
Catalogs from whistle manufacturers, describe the models for sale, clearly describing the market intended for each model.
Dog whistles is a large and varied category and somewhat subjective. For example, they can be a silent dog whistle which was adjustable out of the human hearing range. On the other hand, animal products of horn, hoof, or antler could be fashioned for the hunter. Yet, metal whistles from average to very high quality were made and, in this process, combined with hunting tools such as extractors of pure nickel silver.
Why were they made?
Hunting has long been connected with dogs, so there would be a need for signaling the dog(s). They could be trained to obey commands, besides return to the hunter.
Along with this was the needs of the shepherd who used whistling to control his dog and special shepherding whistles were designed and marketed with multiple whistles joined.
This website does not address plastic , Bakelite or similar materials used for dog whistles.
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