Buying a 102 decibel whistle for walking my dog and wonder if I have to blow it for safety, if the dog's ears and my ears will be okay?

I can’t imagine an emergency in which you would need that kind of whistle. If you have a true emergency in which someone is attacking you, I would have a can of pepper spray instead of a whistle.

There is a wide and wonderful world of personal accessories, like @chyna‘s pepper spray, that preclude the need for whistles – though I dare say that having a whistle and taser is better than just having a taser.

But yes, a 102 db whistle will hurt both your ears, if you blow it long enough.

Pepper spray is illegal where I live, as are tasers. 102dB is about the same loudness as standing next to a motorcycle or a petrolrun lawn mower and not as loud as a rock concert. One hard burst on it will be startling for you and your dog, but as long as it isn’t sustained for a long period of time, it won’t hurt your ears. Pain typically begins for a human ear at 125dB. Gun shots are over 125dB (165dB) and dogs are regularly trained to put up with that sound without running off terrified. You should be fine. It might scare the shit out of your dog and he may run off if he isn’t used to loud noise. You could blow it occasionally when you are out walking to get your dog used to it, so it learns it poses no immediate danger.

@chyna I carry a loud whistle while hiking in AZ because of all the finger trails. If I am alone and get hurt I can summons help with a whistle from almost anywhere. Sometimes other hikers are only a several hundred yards from me but couldn’t see or hear my voice.

@missingbite That is very smart. Can’t do that with pepper spray or a taser. ;o)

@cazzie Why are self-defense measures illegal over there?

They aren’t. We can still defend ourselves…

With your fists, apparently. Norway has low crime rates, but it’s still got crime rates. You aren’t permitted any weapons?

We beat each other with birch branches naked in saunas. We can handle ourselves just fine. We also don’t place the protection of possessions over our own, or someone else’s life. It is a cultural thing, I guess. There was a problem last summer, there was a spate of rapes going on in Oslo. Drunk girls on their own were preyed upon. Let’s just say that recipes for pepper spray were handed out by certain people who know a thing or two about chemistry and more security, (most of it voluntary) was put on the street. If the girls had had a whistle they could have been just as protected, I think, except for the girl who got into a pirate taxi, alone. Kids never think it can happen to them.

@cazzie We also don’t place the protection of possessions over our own, or someone else’s life. So when life or livelihood is endangered…?
Birch branches and illegal pepper spray.

Yep. We got it covered. (If you look at statistics, Norway has one of the most guns per capita in the world, we just don’t shoot each other with them, unless you’re a nutter like the one standing trial now.)