TThe
Centre for Applied Canine Behaviour
phone:
(613) 591 - 3277
e-mail:
carolark@igs.net
Carolark
600 Eagleson Road
Kanata, Ontario
K2M 1H4
Phone:
(613) 591-3277
Fax:
(613) 591-0419
Toll Free:
1-877-763-6664
e-mail:
carolark@igs.net
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Sept. 2004
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Mrs. Carolyn Clark's Training Seminar
(translated from the original Japanese)On December 21, 2003, Mrs. Carolyn Clark's Clicker Training Seminar was held in Hyuga City, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan hosted by Niina Animal Hospital. It turned out to be a big party: Seventy participants including six owners with their dogs (Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and a Bernes Mountain dog), veterinarians, training instructors and other dog lovers, with some of them came as far as from Osaka, gathered in a hall owned by municipal public health department. I, Kaori Funae, worked as an interpreter.
Although the seminar was quite long starting at 9:30 and finishing at 17:00 (there was a lunch break and several short breaks), it didn't seem so, because most of the seminar consisted of demonstration, exercises for owners and dogs, exercises for all participants (no dogs). Mrs. Clark did not want people just sit and listen.
Almost all participants were beginners, so they first learned how to use a clicker and reward, and then dog owners practiced to make the dog touch a target with its nose (photo left), walk with loose leash (photo down right), etc. There was also demonstration and exercise on how to use a Gentle Leader.
From beginning to end, we were all impressed by Mrs. Clark's mastership. People could not help but participating with such twists as "reward for people" and witty talk. Dog owners seemed to be amazed at their dogs happily working with Mrs. Clark, because they had thought their dogs never listened to them. When practicing, she carefully watched each pair and gave detailed advices.
The most interesting part was training without dogs. There were exercises for speeding up clicking and rewarding, person-train-person training games (so we all understood how dogs feel!) etc. They were all fun and very practical.
I heard many people saying that they wanted to participate in another seminar. I strongly hope that such seminars would be held everywhere in Japan, and that training would gain more popularity as a way of communication between people and animals.
(December 30, 2003)
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