ClickerSA Home

Canine Clicker Training in South Africa
Obedience ~ Agility ~ Freestyle ~ Working Trials

WELCOME TO THE
SOUTH AFRICAN CLICKER
WEBSITE
Inspired by Maxine Quinton
updated 23 January 2007

	Clicker Seminars in SA

	Click here for Maxine's Training Treats recipe

Working Trials - Maxine "The Verse" - Nadine

Prior to the first world war most dogs were trained using patience, understanding and rewards by civilian trainers. However, during the first war it became imperative to train vast quantities of service dogs - many of whom were killed in action. Replacements were always required and as the dogs' life expectancy in the field was truncated by enemy fire, training techniques became harsher and more abrupt in order to supply the ever increasing demand.

When the war ended there were a great many new dog handlers, trained by the army and the RAF who continued to use these methods. There were still some civilian trainers using the pre-war methods, but they were ageing and outnumbered by the recently de-mobbed ex-service dog handlers.

Then, in 1939 the second world war broke out and more young men were taught the 'service-dog' training techniques (which included the use of choke chains). By the end of the war there were now a great number of ex-service trainers and very few people left who could even remember how dogs had been trained before.

Barbara Woodhouse brought dog training to the masses with the advent of widespread use of television. By the 1970's she was fast becoming a household name. Sadly, by this time also, the use of choke chains (sometimes referred to as 'check' chains) and the use of physical 'corrections' had also become accepted practise in dog training.

Throughout the 80's words like 'dominance' had begun to crop up. It appeared that if you weren't dominating your dog - then your dog was surely dominating you. This led to various theories of Pack Leadership. It was purported that it was impossible to train a dog unless you were the Pack Leader.

During the 90's a quiet revolution started in the USA. Clicker Training was at first ridiculed by most trainers and scorned by the rest. Fortunately Karen Pryor and Gary Wilks quietly carried on and started to produce spectacular results. Dogs were winning in the Obedience and Agility Rings, dogs that were 'clicker trained' that is, who knew nothing of force or punishment.

By 1997 Clicker Training began to appear in the UK. I believe Elizabeth Kershaw of Newbury, Berkshire, was one of the first trainers brave enough to make the change and run a course entirely based on Karen Pryor, Gary Wilkes and Gail Fisher's work.

The great irony of this story is that Clicker Training is inextricably bound to the science of Operant Conditioning, a scientific method of training animals which pre-dates both wars. We appear to have travelled a full circle and are incorporating a method of training which was almost lost in history.

This website is to promote dog sports in South Africa. Our main interests are Dog Agility, although there are other disciplines that we compete in, namely Dog Jumping, Obedience and Working Trials.. Our dogs, Remy, Ridingway Pacer, Jess, Shannybrae Seven-of-Nine, and Giftnell One Rapid Rhythm of Mackland are also Flyball enthusiasts. This website was created for South Africans, as well as overseas visitors that are interested in dogs and competing with dogs. It's all about fun and exercise, and being with your best canine friends. We are huge fans of working disciplines and working dogs, especially Border Collies, although Nadine is testing out the agility of the Australian Shepherd too. We are agility and dog jumping judges in South Africa. Our governing body is KUSA, or the Kennel Union of Southern Africa. We do our personal training at the Baakens Valley and All Breeds Training School in Target Kloof, Walmer, Port Elizabeth as well as the PE Kennel Club and Eastern Province Dog Jumping.. In addition we give Agility basic classes at the Dog School.

We have started official websites for dog sports in the country. We hope our websites inspire others to take up a sport with their dogs as well!
Rory and Nadine Shortland


Home	History	Intro	Contacts	Books & Articles	Gallery