thumb|Galton whistle, the first "dog whistle"

A dog whistle (also known as silent whistle or Galton's whistle) is a type of whistle that emits sound in the ultrasonic range, which humans cannot hear but some animals can, including dogs and domestic cats, and is used in their training. It was invented in 1876 by Francis Galton and is mentioned in his book Inquiries into Human Faculty and Its Development, The dog whistle has since evolved into a widely used tool in dog training, with commercial developments leading to more specialized and efficient designs.

References to dog whistles also appear in children's media, including cartoons and educational programming, where they are used as examples in discussions about sound, hearing, or animal behavior.

Origins

The origins of the dog whistle trace back to the late 19th century with the invention of the Galton whistle by Sir Francis Galton, a British polymath and half-cousin of Charles Darwin. The top end of a dog's hearing range is about 45 kHz, while a cat's is 64 kHz. It is thought that the wild ancestors of cats and dogs evolved this higher hearing range in order to hear high-frequency sounds made by their preferred prey, small rodents. so they are above the range of human hearing, although some are adjustable down into the audible range.

To human ears, dog whistles only emit a quiet hissing sound. The principal advantage of dog whistles is that they do not produce a loud, potentially irritating noise for humans that a normal whistle would produce and thus can be used to train or command animals without disturbing nearby people. Some dog whistles have adjustable sliders for active control of the frequency produced. Trainers may use the whistle simply to get a dog's attention or to inflict pain for the purpose of behaviour modification.

Modern use

The commercial development of the dog whistle led to the introduction of adjustable frequency whistles and more compact designs, making them a key tool for dog training. These innovations allow trainers to communicate with dogs over long distances using frequencies inaudible to humans.

In addition, some animal welfare advocates have raised concerns about the misuse of dog whistles, particularly if used at excessive volumes or frequencies that may cause distress or confusion in dogs and other animals. Inappropriate use of ultrasonic devices for behavior correction has also been criticized as potentially aversive or inhumane when used without proper training or understanding.

Due to these concerns, some pet owners and trainers prefer alternative methods of communication and recall, such as clickers, verbal cues, or visual hand signals.

Dog whistles have been featured in a range of media to demonstrate the difference between human and canine hearing, such as the animated television series The Simpsons, Family Guy, and the 1997 film Men in Black.

See also

  • Animal training
  • Dog behavior
  • Ultrasound
  • Hearing range
  • Dog communication
  • Clicker training
  • Francis Galton

References

cs:Galtonova píšťala