  Sept. 27/14 Another milestone: Valkyrie the English Mastiff achieved her St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog designation at the tender age of 14 months. Kyrie is the 3rd one of my dogs to be entered in the program. Regine joined the local Kennel Club in Owen Sound in 1985 when she got her second Dobermann, Amber. She wanted to not only train this dog as a companion but also for competition obedience. Over the years, Regine was an active club member, first training her own dog and then attaining Amber's Companion Dog title. She also started assisting with the club's training classes. This engendered a deep desire to learn much more about animal behaviour, in general (harking back to University days) and to learn a more effective way to create a better companion. In 1990, Regine found that better way. She attended her first of several seminars with Dr. Ian Dunbar and the next year was fortunate to hear Karen Pryor and Gary Wilkes speaking about operant conditioning. Regine had discovered the magic of clicker training and never looked back. She first introduced the concept to her puppy classes at the local Kennel Club, and in 1996 started her own training school where all dogs regardless of age or temperament are taught exclusively with operant conditioning (using positive reinforcement). Amber benefitted from this new method as a cross-over dog: one that was originally trained with chokechain but then switched and further and exclusively trained with clicker. All future canine family members were trained exclusively with clicker. Dino, the intact male Dobermann showdog, and Daisy the shelter rescue (breed unknown)both acquired when they were 2 years old, not only became great companions, they also became St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs. Thunder, the English Mastiff (pictured on the home page) is a 200lb example of "size doesn't matter"; operant conditioning can be used on any size dog. Strength is not required, only the brains already supplied.
In the intervening years, Regine has tried to broaden her education in canine behaviour by attending seminars, and through books, videos, and the internet with webinars and online courses, even taking a course in first aid from St. John Ambulance. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers, Pet Professional Guild and Responsible Dog Owners of Canada. As well, she is part of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program, visiting a senior's home, Georgian College and occasionally at Grey Bruce Health Services with Daisy
For further training information or to enroll your dog in classes please contact Regine at 519-371-4785 or email reginewm@gmail.com |
