APDTlogoNew
topdog1d

Ms Christine Manchester-Hoenig from Mudgee, NSW, is the recipient of the inaugural Susan Wilkins Award.

Christine was recognised for the significant work she had done in Mudgee, NSW. Working in collaboration with the local branch of the RSPCA, local veterinarians, local animal control officers, Council members and staff, Christine uses her skills and resources as a pet dog trainer to help the community address dog related problems in the Shire. In accepting the Award, Christine encouraged us all to get involved and not to be scared to ask for help.

Susan Wilkins said "Congratulations to Christine for winning the award, which I know is well deserved and more importantly sends the message to others that spirit and determination and sheer 'doggedness' can make a difference to what can be achieved in making a better life for dogs. We can achieve anything we want if we believe strongly enough in it."

Christine has done some marvellous work in Mudgee. Here is her response to receiving the Award:

"From the earliest days of the Mudgee Dog Project, my goal was to develop "plug and play" programs that could be transplanted into other Council Pounds. So we have compiled entire training manuals, job descriptions, everything I could think of that would enable someone else to take the ball and run with it in other locations. There's some preliminary work that people would have to do with each local Council, but essentially any APDTA member or CGCI can do this. All it takes is time, patience and what my grandmother would call "pure mule-headed obstinacy".

Even if all you can donate is a few hours a month, there's so much to be learned in a shelter environment. I'm not just training my own dog, or helping students work with their dogs in class. Every day, week in and week out, I have a never ending stream of new animals. (Knowing I have 7 days to make a life or death difference for these dogs is a serious incentive!).

Our volunteers learn how to be really creative and flexible, and are determined to get the behaviour - any behaviour. We look for anything we can reinforce, and work from there. I think one thing that everyone working with dogs will agree on is that the dogs are our best teachers. (And they certainly keep us humble!).

Since our volunteers range in age from 18 to over 70, I also see that yes, anyone can learn clicker training. And the success they see with operant conditioning opens the door to so much more. Whether it's pet dog owners or Pound volunteers, experienced dog owners or Work for the Dole participants, they all get excited.

Sometimes I have to giggle to myself, listening to the conversations around me. People of all ages and from all walks of life, chattering on about this dog's stress displacement signals, what strategies we can employ to change the emotional state of that dog, and solemnly informing me about "the missile leaving the silo".

One of our local cops, a member of our bouncing baby Flyball Racing Training Club, told me a few weeks ago that he's now using both operant and classical conditioning at work. LOL. He's a big, strapping country boy, who lives out in the middle of nowhere, and he's so excited by what he's learning. So much for the misconception that only well educated city folks from the rarified heights of the socio-economic scale can be interested in learning theory when training their pet dogs!

Inspired by what I learned at the Suzanne Hetts seminar, I'm now working on a new project, and of course, it's never just smooth sailing. The problems are huge, complicated and I don't run the world. Sometimes I feel as if I'm herding cats. There are days that I feel as if I'm banging my head against a brick wall. Other days when I come home tired, depressed and discouraged. But we are making progress, and I just keep reminding myself about the starfish story. We can't save all of them...not yet, anyway! But we're making a difference, one dog at a time, one owner at a time. Every time I see that light bulb go on over an owner's head, every time someone becomes enthusiastic about setting their dog up to win, each time we have a successful adoption, I celebrate. I made a difference for that one."

.

When Jane Thompson applied for the position of Chief instructor at the local dog club in South Australia she made it quite clear that her intent was to change the training syllabus to reward based training.

Within three months many of the old guard resigned with dire predictions for the clubs future. Jane has built an instructor panel that uses reward based training, changing the lives of people and their canine family by learning new skills in dealing with day to day issues and equipped the instructors with the knowledge of why and how it works.

We no longer have anyone yelling NO at their dog or stringing them up at the end of a check chain. They know or are helped to understand the necessary steps to keep control of situations they take their dog into. No one is ignored hoping they would take their problem and go elsewhere.

We no longer have a huge barking problem when excitable dogs meet, instructors under Jane's tutorage have learnt to show the owners how to take the dog away, calm it down and commence the exercise of greeting another dog again within the boundaries of both handler and their dog's capabilities.

The outcome from all this is that the membership is up by 80 and the attendance each week has increased.

Due to Jane's influence the committee got rid of all the check chains in canine sales. In June this year just before a very harrowing special general meeting (at which the old guard tried to regain control of the club) the instructor panel presented Jane with clock plaque that said "In our time, you are our choice. With sincere appreciation for guiding us to an understanding of the human animal bond using reward based training."

During this year Jane has been invited to address community groups on topics such as reward based training, living with your dog in harmony, and pre puppy talks.

Jane has worked extensively with the local council improving their literature on responsible dog ownership which has gone out to all households.

She also drafted a policy for the council to be able to assess older dogs in the community (done through the club) to get a reduction in registration fees. This has been a very tough year for the club, with Jane's steadfast manner, dignity and respect for others opinions, we have weathered the storm and learnt so much from the experience.

.

Bronwyn Welsh was presented with the Susan Wilkins Achievement Award at the 2006 Annual Conference, for the work that she has done in Mildura. Bronwyn's involvement with dogs includes visiting nursing homes and hospitals as part of the Delta Pet Partners program, visiting schools and presenting at local events to promote kids and dogs safety programs, taking a puppy pre-school four nights a week, and on weekends running dog training classes.

She is also a practicing veterinary nurse at the Mildura Veterinary Hospital and has undertaken training of veterinary staff at different clinics on dog related subjects. She has been on the speaking circuit at local service groups and has been on the radio talking about dogs. Her most notable achievement was establishing the first off leash area in her area which began as an off leash area for dogs with problems but has been so successful she has extended its use to all her clients.

.

Jenny Judson has looked beyond the local and has extended the positive reinforcement message nationwide. In addition to being a local obedience instructor and working with her local council; Jenny instituted the People Pet Partnership programs across Australia, including Adopt a Greyhound, Prevent a Bite, and the Canine Good Citizen program.

In addition, Jenny has worked closely with the Delta Society, with the NSW Animal Welfare League, has been a founding member of the APDT, worked in "train the trainer" programs and acted as a facilitator and networker between all these different groups.

Jenny is an inspiration to all ADPT, a reminder that we are all "in it together" and that we can all change the world in our own small way.

.

Elaine Kennedy is a credit to where animal shelters are going into the future. Elaine is impressive by her recognition of her own worth within the shelter structure, her detailed understanding of the value of the work she is doing and her honouring the need to maintain the connectivity with and sensitivity to the animals in her care.

Elaine gives the impression from her descriptions of what she does that she measures her success not only in the changes in the animals' behaviour but also by ensuring the comfort and pride the animals feel in making these changes - so very, very important and too easy to overlook. Elaine also gives the impression that she has only begun to test her own potential and the potential of applying behaviour modification to improve the quality of human-animal interactions.

.

Welcome!

Welcome to APDT Australia! Please use the tabs to navigate the site.

You will need to be a member to access the 'Members Area'.

If you would like to be a member, please select 'Join APDT Online' under the 'APDT Members' tab. 

If you are a member and need assistance with your listing, please contact our Membership Secretary at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

join apdt today

front banner add listing

Members Login

You MUST login to access the Members Area. Your username is your APDT membership number, eg 025 or 1234