January 2010 Visionary - International Guide Dog Federation

Korea | IGDFSwizterland | Stiftung Ostschweizerische BlindenführhundeschuleGuide dog in training learning to find the door with clicker trainingKaspar, a guide dogLearning clickertraining inSouth KoreaJessie Chung / Guide Dog ApprenticeIGDF School –Taiwan Guide Dog AssociationClicker training is the totallynew technique to train guidedogs in Asia. Samsung GuideDog School in South Korea is apioneer in adopting clickertraining while other Asianguide dog schools still usetraditional training.It was a great honor for me torepresent Taiwan Guide DogAssociation in participating in a sixmonthtraining program at SamsungGuide Dog School.Around a year and half ago,Samsung Guide Dog School added theclicker to their training program afterconducting a traditional way oftraining for a decade. Mr. S J Lee, themanager of the training department atSamsung Guide Dog School, isextremely satisfied with the outcomesof using clicker training on qualifiedguide dogs. Accordingly, he andSamsung Guide Dog School activelysupport and assist other Asian guidedogs schools in adopting clickertraining. Compared with thetraditional training I have learned frommy school, I have discovered severalbenefits of clicker training to guide dogtraining after acquiring this newtechnique myself. First of all, mostpotential guide dogs have a hugemotivation to learn all guiding skills.Secondly, learning becomes the easiestand happiest thing because the clickerhelps dogs catch exactly what peoplewant them to do. Consequently, anyproblem that happens in training issolved quickly since dogs are activeand fast learners. Dogs enjoy walkingin daily training classes due to muchless confusion and stress.However, there are some side effectsfrom using clicker training. Forinstance, dogs tend to walk across ordo a side stop at kerbs if a reward,‘treat’, is constantly given from theright side of a trainer. In order to earna big prize rapidly, dogs might walk asfast as possible to reach targets, suchas doors, chairs, stairs and so on. Inmy opinion, however, these technicalproblems are much easier to overcomethan mental problems that dogs mayhave when using traditional training.Undoubtedly, clicker training is apowerful positive technique for dogtraining. Being a guide dog trainer,what I would like to do is make mydog students enjoy learning andworking every day. Luckily, I havelearned both traditional and clickertraining. And I deeply believe thatthere will be more and more qualityguide dogs if we put both ways togood use.The AppenzellerSennenhund – TheSwiss Cattle DogMaya Uhland, puppy raiser trainerStiftung OstschweizerischeBlindenführhundeschuleThe Appenzeller dog, originallycreated as a watch dog forcattle, has a veryundemanding, lively characterand is very willing to work.Since the Appenzeller dog is quitesmall, only the male is suitable as aguide dog for the blind. The toughconditions of the mountains make thisdog very robust, weatherproof, notsusceptible to sickness at all and veryeasy to bring up.Because of his excellent dispositionto protect and relate to human beings,the Appenzeller dog is an idealcompanion for visually-impairedpeople. Motivated in a playful way, theAppenzeller dog shows intelligence, aquick grasp and enthusiasm for work.If too much pressure is put on the dog,it tends to react in an obstinate way. Itstendency to bark, which is a desirablecharacteristic as a watch dog but notso much as a guide dog, has to beconditioned in the right way at a veryearly age.A new challenge - a new typeof guide dog?Issue 15 | January 10 | 7