legend passes - guide dog · 6 guide dog legend passes john gosling oam 7 expanding clicker...

vi•sion•ar•y (vizh’n-eri || -erri) adj. 1. Characterised by vision or foresight

Edition 21 | January 2013

A Guide Dog

Legend PassesA humanitarian, mentor and friend to many

Coexistence Between Dogs and HumansIlija Latinoviç describes his view on the origin of the dog-human relationship.

IGDF | UK

First and foremost, membership of the IGDFenables Guide Dog Schools around the world tojoin a community dedicated to serving the visuallyimpaired. That community needs and wants toshare its knowledge and the IGDF facilitates that.

The map below outlines the contributingcountries for this edition of Visionary.

Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind | Canada

Message fromthe Chair

On behalf of the Board of theInternational Guide Dog Federation, I would like to wish all our membersand colleagues a Happy New Year.We look forward to working with youall in our combined efforts toincrease and enhance independentmobility for the many thousands ofcurrent and potential guide dog usersglobally.

As your representative Board, weare in a privileged position, whichallows us to hear of the manyachievements made by guide dogorganisations, both large and small.Many are already well establishedand others are newly emerging. It isalso encouraging to see the growth inthe number of articles that aresubmitted for inclusion in theVisionary newsletter, which we hopeyou all take pleasure in reading.

There is great strength of supportthroughout the guide dog movement,not only formally via the IGDF Boardand its Accreditation andDevelopment Committees, but alsothrough the informal networks and‘peer’ support that takes place onalmost any day of the year!

Jane Thornton – C.O.O.Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind

It is through this support that wecan truly achieve the best possibleservices for our guide dog users.We look forward to hearing your

thoughts and suggestions as to howwe may continue to support thisgrowth and development.

We are at that time of year, onceagain, when the IGDF requires theannual returns from our memberschools. The information isimportant to us and it will,ultimately, help identify trends andnew developments that impact uponour work.

I close with very best regards to allof our members for a successful andprosperous 2013.

Jane ThorntonIGDF Chair

IGDF Seminar 2014in Tokyo

Have you ever been to Tokyo? A melting pot of modern andtraditional culture, Asian andWestern fashion, and not to mentionthe endless list of gourmetrestaurants serving delicacies fromall over the world.

Japan Guide Dog Association (JGDA)will be hosting the next IGDF Seminar,and it will be from May 10th to 12thin Tokyo, Japan.

The venue will be located right inthe heart of Tokyo with direct accessto and from Narita and HanedaInternational Airport. It is alsoconvenient to visit most tourist spotsin Tokyo such as Harajuku ShoppingDistrict, Tsukiji Fish Market, theImperial Palace and Tokyo Sky Tree.

There will be informative tours to

the training centers of JGDA and aBreeding Seminar will follow, organisedby Asia Guide Dog Breeding Network(AGBN) and hosted by JGDA.

So save the date and start planningfor your trip to experience the IGDFSeminar in Tokyo, Japan!!

Contents3 Message from the Chair

Jane Thornton

3 IGDF Seminar 2014 in Tokyo

4 IGDF Assessments

4 Coexistence between Dogs andHumansIlija Latinoviç

5 The Guide Dog Championship,Czech Republic 2012Ladka Dvorakova

6 Guide Dog Legend PassesJohn Gosling OAM

7 Expanding Clicker Training in theGuide Dog WorldMichele Pouliot

8 Completing the circle with a CLICKAmi Toren

9 Dual Purpose Guide DogsDavid Locklin, Lee Stanway

10 BC & Alberta Guide Dogs celebratesParalympianVincci Li

11 Canadian GDMI’s month in FranceSarah Jackson

11 Development Committee (DC)Update

12 International collaberation bringsGuide Dogs to Hong KongMichelle Brier

13 Road to IndependenceJen Wilkinson

14 Irish Guide Dogs empoweringyoung adultsLéan Kennedy

15 Guide Dogs in Kids’ eyesEsme Lee

15 The development of Guide DogSkills in ChildrenRachel Morgan, Paula Foote, Laura Hunt

Hillfields, Burghfield Common, ReadingBerkshire RG7 3YG United Kingdom

www.igdf.org.uk

Registered in England Company No 2376162Registered Charity No 1062441

Issue 21 | January 13 | 3

4 | the Visionary | IGDF

IGDFAssessmentsCongratulations toour newestmembers to theIGDF:� Hyogo Guide Dogs for the Blind

Association, Japan

Congratulations tothe followingschools whichpassed their five-year assessment � Associacao Beira Aguieira de

Apoio ao Deficiente Visual,Portugal

� British Columbia Guide DogServices, Canada

� Czech Guide Dog School, CzechRepublic

� Fondation Ecole Romande PourChiens Guides d'Aveugles,Switzerland

� Hundeskolen Veiviseren,Norway

� Israel Guide Dog Centre for theBlind, Israel

� Japan Guide Dog Association,Japan

� Kyushu Guide Dog Association,Japan

� Lions Forerhundskole OGMobilitysenter, Norway

� Milan Dvorák - Skola pro vycvikvodicích psû pro nevidomé,Czech Republic

� Scale Dogs ASBL, Belgium

The followingschools have beenaccepted forapplicant status:� OccuPaws Guide Dogs

Association, United States of America

Please note there are additional organisations being processed.

Cynology is a relativelyyoung scientific disciplineand, as such, it isinsufficiently explored. Thereare many misconceptionsabout dogs and their'domestication', which arequite common in people.

Consideration of cynology as ascientific discipline and overallknowledge about its developmentgrows at a very slow pace. In thisarticle I will give a brief overview ofthe way of life of dogs and thecoexistence between dogs andhumans.

In order to understand the essenceof a dog's life, its behaviour andcommunication, we have to startfrom the beginning, i.e. itscoexistence with humans. A lifetogether begins in the Middle StoneAge. It is a period of around 10,000years to 6,000 years BC. Unlike dogs,other domestic animals began livingwith people in the New Stone Age, i.e.the period from around 6,000 - 2,500years BC, and maybe even later. Thistime span of 4,000 years beforehumans began coexistence withother animals raises the question“Why is it so?”

Unlike all the domestic animals,only the dog voluntarily follows thehuman under all circumstances-regardless of the distance, no matterthe hunger or thirst, day or night.

Other domestic animals accompany a person provided that they areregularly fed. But after eating thefood humans give them, they will gotheir own way. If, for example, ahorse runs into a good pasture, it willdivert, leave for three or four hourswithout any urge to come back- itwill ignore any command and onlyafter being satisfied with its food, itwill have a communication withhumans. Of other animals, none havethat ability and the feeling ofattachment to a human, to followthem without restrictions at any timeand in any situation. Of all domesticanimals, only a dog does this.

Following these characteristics of adog, I was searching for an answerwhy it behaves like this. The point oflife in nature is that all animals livein some kind of symbiosis. Symbiosisis the coexistence of two or moredifferent stages of development of lifeforms that live in the community,and in these communities, regardlessof their differences, they benefit fromliving together. For many animals,whole lifetime passes in some sort ofsymbiotic relationship (this symbiosisis far more pronounced in aqueousenvironments). There is almost noform of animal that is not in asymbiotic relationship. We can therefore look at therelationship between a dog and ahuman in this light. But this symbiosisis not like with the other livingbeings—on the basis of differences,this symbiosis is built upon thesimilarity. The first similarity between

Coexistence BetweenDogs and HumansIlija Latinoviç - Dog BreederCOP KIKINDA Centre for Dog Training Kikinda, Serbia

Portrait of Ilija Latinoviç

COP KIKINDA Centre for Dog Training, Kikinda | Serbia


them is that they both belong to mammals.Secondly, they are both predators, i.e. hunters. Inorder to be successful as predators, they must havea similar locomotor system to be able to move acrosslarge areas. This means they both need to have agreat mobility and endurance to be able tosuccessfully complete the hunting. The similarity isalso visible in the fact that the early people lived andhunted in human communities, that is, initialhordes, while the dog as a predator lived in packs.

As predators, they also had the same nutrition andthe same prey, they were carnivores. The similarityis in the duration of their meal as well- in predatorsit takes 10 to 15 minutes until full satiety. Also, oneof the important similarities is that humans in theearliest forms of life did not build their own sheltersand refuges from natural inclemencies, but usednatural habitats—caves and coves in the ground thatprotected them from the weather. Same was withthe dog—and it still is—it does not dig or makeburrows, but uses natural shelters for protection.

As I mentioned before, the symbiosis between thedog and the human benefits in the hunt. For dogs,the sense of smell is the main sense. So, forexample, when the human was not able to see thegame hidden in the bush or thicket, the dog couldnotice it by scent. One mutual benefit was that thehuman could transpose larger amounts of game,while dogs were leaving it and it would becomespoilt.

All the circumstances of this symbiosis, mutualbenefit in the hunt and staying in the sameshelters, mostly caves, led to a situation in which a dog and a man approached one another and thatapproaching happened on a voluntary basis.

Therefore, in my opinion, there is a basicmisconception in the common belief that thehuman domesticated or tamed the dog. On thecontrary, the dog willingly approached the manand thus started an inseparable relationship withhuman kind and this unbreakable friendshippersists to the present day.

Ilija during a hunt with his dogsPhoto by Dragana Latinoviç

The Guide DogChampionship, Czech Republic 2012Ladka Dvorakova -Office AdminsitrationMilan Dvorák - Skola pro vycvikvodicích psû pro nevidomé, Czech Republic

The annual Guide Dog Championship is an eventthat was started by the Czech Guide Dog Clubalmost 30 years ago – a one-day festival preparedwith the support of the Prague and Brno Guide DogSchools.

On Saturday September 1st, 2012, twenty-fourparticipants with their guide dogs arrived to ashopping mall in the town of Brno. Each of thesepeople were chosen because they were winners ofsmaller qualifying events held in different busyplaces (towns) throughout the Czech Republic.With three of the best guide dog users also arrivingfrom the Slovak Republic.

You probably know how hectic things can be inpreparing and seeking formal permission beforesuch a big public event can take place but, finally,we were able to welcome our four-legged friends(including Labradors, Retrievers, Shepherds,Collies, Doodles – even a Beauceron - and variouscrosses of these breeds) – all ready for their workto be judged.

The route, prepared by GDMI’s, was about 25minutes long and included both interior & exteriorwork, along with different natural obstaclesincluding moving people or walking through wide

boulevards & streets. A precision of their mutualwork was scored & evaluated to final positioning.

We took the opportunity, through the event, tonot only present guide dogs in a positive light, butto also offer wider public awareness to some of thetechnology used by blind & partially sightedpeople; we had stage presentations, discussions,blindfold walks with canes and offered the chanceto buy souvenirs that had been made by sightimpaired people.

At the end of a long day came the announcementof this year’s winner of the Guide Dog Championship- Svetlana Karfusova with her guide dog Pluto.

The efforts involved in preparing such a seasonfestival are high taking a couple of months ofintense work. The impact, however, is high – weconnect the sighted world with the world of blindand partially sighted people; an important taskwhich we hope to continue in the years ahead.

J. Keith Holdsworth MBE, MA has leftan immeasurable legacy. In hisleadership role at the Royal Guide DogsAssociation of Australia (now knownas Guide Dogs Australia) Keith workedtirelessly for over 50 years to shapeand advance the profession of GuideDog and Orientation and MobilityInstruction to assist thousands ofpeople who were blind and visuallyimpaired - helping them becomeindependent and involved in theircommunity.

During the Second World War,Keith, who was born and raised in theUK, saw service as a navigatorreaching the rank of secondlieutenant in the British Royal Navy,operating in the Arctic, NorthAtlantic, Mediterranean, Indian, andPacific oceans.

Following his years in the navy,Keith was looking for a career changewhen he happened across anadvertisement for instructors at theGuide Dogs for the Blind Associationin the UK. Keith applied, was dulyappointed and took up training as aGuide Dog Instructor, working underthe direction of Captain NicolaiLiakoff, a pioneer in the field. Thiswas the start of a life-long associationas a key advocate and supporter ofpeople who are blind and visionimpaired.

In 1952 Keith moved to Australiafollowing his appointment as Directorof the Guide Dogs for the BlindAssociation of Western Australia. Aninitial challenge that had to be facedwas to obtain funding to establish theassociation in the region.

Working closely with Eric Hatchley,Head Guide Dog Trainer who joinedhim in 1955, Keith developed theGuide Dog Training Centre in WesternAustralia into a national organisationin 1957. As demand for services grew,it was seen necessary to relocate toMelbourne(1962). Through the GuideDog Association of Victoria'srepresentation to the VictorianGovernment the organisationestablished its national head officeand Training Centre on 6 acres at Kewand was renamed The Royal GuideDogs Association of Australia (RGDAA)

with Keith appointed as NationalDirector.

Recognising the outstandingcontribution Keith had made tobenefit the community he wasawarded a Churchill Fellowship in1966, enabling him to study at theGuide Dog Centres and relatedorganisations in Israel, Europe,England and the USA, meeting peopleand organisations involved with manyaspects of service provision to peoplewho are blind and vision impaired. Inreporting on the Fellowship, anewspaper article read: “Sir WinstonChurchill would have been proud”.

Keith’s enhanced knowledge fromthis study tour proved to be profoundand made a considerable impact onthe services provided by the RGDAA.The organisation could now draw onrobust international connections, andadopting the 'best of the bestpractices' that have since made theRGDAA a leader in the field and placeof influence across the world. In theseearly years Royal Guide Dogs alsoprovided guide dogs to the Royal NewZealand Foundation of the Blind.

From this time until his retirementin 1990, Keith set about developingthe RGDAA into an organisation that

helps improve the lives of people whoare blind and vision impaired acrossAustralia. Through his leadership,guide dog training and orientation andmobility practices were consistentlyreviewed and updated. Keithsupported the introduction oforientation and mobility services forchildren and the education of peoplewho had a cortical-spatial dysfunctionof vision which have had a world-wide influence. Royal Guide Dogs hashelped to change the lives ofgenerations of people in Australia andoverseas for the better.

This is what Keith Holdsworth did,connecting people and organisations,representing the Guide DogsAssociation on national andinternational committees, building,shaping and articulating the practiceof guide dog training, mobility andcommunity integration of people whoare blind and vision impaired. And, itis why in 1972 Keith was made aMember of the Order of the BritishEmpire.

Under Keith’s stewardship RGDAApartnered other Australian BlindnessOrganisations and established aNational Orientation and MobilityInstructors course which progressively

Guide Dogs Victoria | Australia


A Guide Dog Legend Passes

John Gosling OAM - Guide Dog Services Advisor

Guide Dogs Victoria, Australia

Keith Holdsworth MBE, MA(1925 – 2012)

Guide Dogs Victoria | Australia Guide Dogs for the Blind | USA


improved the professional standing ofinstructors in Australia. By the 1980s,the RGDAA was providing leadingedge orientation and mobility trainingthat included guide dogs, canes andelectronic aids.

In Melbourne, a secondaryeducation interrupted by the war wascompleted and Keith gained aBachelor of Arts at Monash University(1971) and a Masters Degree inOrientation and Mobility at WesternMichigan University (1978). Keithvalued the mentorship of ProfessorStanley Surturko who was oftenreferred to the “St. Peter ofOrientation & Mobility.”

Along with respect of his fellowman, Keith greatly appreciated beingin the outdoors. He was a member ofthe British Outward BoundOrganisation during theorganisation’s foundation years and aCouncil Member and tutor of theBritish Mountaineering Association(1947 – 1952). Keith’s zeal for climbingsaw him tackle a range of mountainsacross Europe.

It is little wonder that when hecame to Australia he was appointedas a District Commissioner in boththe West Australian and VictorianScouting Associations.

Keith’s incredible contribution tothe field of helping people who areblind or vision impaired has been aninspiration to so many others. He hada wonderful way with people anddogs and the most focused belief inthe work undertaken by the GuideDogs movement. He was a truegentleman who will be sorely missed.

Keith is survived by his 4 children,12 grandchildren and 2 greatgrandchildren.

Update on GDB’s efforts to assist other schools inlearning the benefits ofclicker training in guide dog programs.

Guide Dogs for the Blind, USA isenthused to share our experienceswith the adoption of clicker trainingand food reward use for guide dogwork around the world.

To date, we have held 2 five-dayInternational Clicker Conferences atour Oregon campus. The excitingresults from effective clicker trainingare infectious and motivate evenexperienced guide dog trainers to learnnew skills. Working participants hadthe opportunity to train guide dogbehaviors via clicker techniques andfully experience the power in thescience-based methods.

Both conferences resulted inrequests from several schools forassistance in adopting clicker traininginto their programs. GDB senior staffhave travelled to other schools tofurther assist their process of changingto clicker techniques. It has beeninspiring to see guide dog programsaround the world embrace the conceptof improving methods of training andhandling dogs.

Since our plenary presentation at theParis IGDF Seminar, GDB has receivedmany requests for information andassistance in regards to clickertraining, client instruction models, and

Expanding Clicker Training in the Guide Dog World

fostering change in guide dogprograms. GDB remains committed toshare with other schools what we haveexperienced and learned sinceinitiating major improvements in ourprograms in 2006. We are pleased toannounce our 3rd International ClickerConference will be held next June andlook forward to hosting anothervaluable and motivational five days oflearning. We hope to see you there.

Guide Dogs for the Blind’s 3rdInternational Clicker Conference June24, through June 28, 2013. Guide Dogsfor the Blind, Oregon campus, USA

For detailed conference informationand registration:

http://www.guidedogs.com/site/calendar?id=101101&view=Detail

Michele Pouliot - Director of Research and DevelopmentGuide Dogs for the Blind Inc., USA

Kerry Pierce backchaining an obstacle

A Guide Dog Legend Passes, Cont’d

Guide Dogs for the Blind | USA


Like many organisations, GuideDogs for the Blind (GDB), USA don’tstop for a minute; they always moveforward with a view to improve. Thisis also the case regarding their use ofClicker Technique in the training ofGuide Dogs.

GDB has continued to enhance theirmethodology and implementation ofClicker Training Technique on boththe San Rafael, CA and Oregoncampuses.

In the summer of 2009, I washosted by GDB-USA at the San Rafaelcampus and mentored by Todd Jurekin order to learn this positivereinforcement training techniqueand bring it (along with as much ofTodd’s incredible knowledge andexpertise as I could absorb) back tomy team of instructors here atIGDCB. For the past three years,during the learning andimplementation process, our staffhave been able to achieve variousgoals. We’ve also found someweaknesses in specific areas. Since2009, there have been changes andimprovements in Clicker TrainingTechnique - things don’t stand still.GDB has also changed the nature oftheir courses: added an adultlearning component, shortened thelength from four to two weeks,

changed the course structure and theway in which the clicker is used inthe course as well as lowering theratio of instructor to client,(previously 1:4 now 1:2.)

"Keep on improving," as the GDBmotto goes or "CQI" which stands for"Continue Quality Improvement."They believe in clicker and they wantto share it.

In keeping with that motto, GDBprovided Todd the opportunity totravel to Israel Guide Dog Centre forthe Blind for two weeks in order toassess how well we’ve absorbed andcorrectly transmitted this techniqueto our staff. The idea to have Toddcome was the fulfilment of a dream,which started when I was at GDB’sSan Rafael campus. It was a logisticaland organisational project that weprepared for at least six months inadvance.

After Todd’s visit, we no longer have to rely only on my abilities totransmit the information. Wereceived reaffirmation, permission tocontinue what Todd taught us. Hisbeing here gave us new insight intoClicker Training Technique. Everyone of the training/instruction staffhad their own “Aha!” moment. Eachof the eight instructors/puppytrainers, beyond the group learningexperience, had one on one time withTodd. In addition, we built theprogramme so that Todd had hands-on experience with dogs at all levelsof training.

We built Todd’s programme so thathe would first understand ourorganisational structure, then theIsraeli reality and, lastly, focus onhow we’ve implemented theprogramme and how we can improve.

His feedback was always pertinentand on target. This process alsoworked due to the fact that Todd’spersonality is open, flexible,energetic, positive and professional.We had some fun: snorkelling in Eilat,visiting the holy sites of Jerusalem,floating in the Dead Sea and climbingMasada, at the tranquil Sea of Galileein the north, and of course enjoyed alittle Tel Aviv night life. We arefriends and that friendship andcollegial relationship was definitelystrengthened between Todd and meand between the entire staff andTodd during his time here.

We are indebted to GDB-USA andspecifically to Susan Armstrong,Director of Training and Terry Barrett,Director of Training Operations, bothon the San Rafael campus, MichelePouliot, Director R & D and BradHibbard, Director of Training on theOregon campus who, along withmany others, helped make it possiblefor Todd to come and share hisknowledge and expertise with all ofus. Todd is now our Clicker Expert,our source and advisor. Our newdream is to revisit this process everyfew years our hope is that we willmaintain and continue to strengthenthis connection.

Completing the Circle with a …"Click"

Ami Toren - Director, Israeli Guide DogCentre for the Blind (IGDCB)

GDB - USA and Israeli Guide Dog Centrefor the Blind (IGDCB)

Todd Jurek with IGDCB Staff Nov 2012

basics of guiding work are vital toensure success can be achieved.Once the dog is confident in itsguiding work, the poweredwheelchair can be introduced. It iscrucial that the trainer has excellentcontrol and reflexes when handlingthe chair as they need to ensure theycan react quickly and appropriatelyto any movements the dog makes.Generally the dog’s task work such asretrieving dropped items, openingand shutting doors and helping withdressing and undressing is taught bya partner organisation as part of theoverall training programme. Thisadds to the unique benefits this typeof dog and service user trainingbrings and complements the dog’sguiding role well.

Malcolm is delightedwith his dog Ash andsays that it has givenhim a new sense offreedom that he hadpreviously thoughtunachievable.

Much has been learned about usingthe correct wheelchair and otherequipment. Guide Dogs UK will onlytrain dogs to a powered chair and nota manual one. This is to ensure thatthe partnership work in unison andno additional pressure is added to thedog. The wheel configuration of thechair can be important, and it isoften better when the chair ispowered by the front wheels allowingturning at the back. This ensuressmooth following when the dogmakes its turns.

In Spring 2013, Guide Dogs in theUK will review the Project and thechallenges and opportunitiesinvolved in this training. It is hopedthat a decision will be made tocontinue with wheelchair training asa core service in the future.Collaborative work with otherAssistance Dog Organisations willcontinue in order to help us developthe necessary skills and experience toprovide this training to more people.

Malcolm is delighted with his dogAsh and says that it has given him anew sense of freedom that he hadpreviously thought unachievable.The dog’s ability to guide and helpwith everyday tasks has increasedMalcolm’s independence greatly.

United Kingdom | Guide Dogs


Dual Purpose Guide Dogs

In 2009 Stephanie Readbecame the first person inthe UK to be successfullytrained with a dual purposedog (Vegas).

Vegas guides Stephanie in herelectrically powered wheelchair andperforms other useful tasks thatsupport her in her daily life. The doghad originally been trained andprovided by Canine Partners (a fellowmember organisation of AssistanceDogs UK) as an assistance dog. GuideDogs UK were approached to explorethe possibility of collaboration intraining the dog to work as a guide inaddition to the tasks it performs as acanine partner.

In the past the UK had receivedseveral requests for dogs to bewheelchair guides, however apartfrom work being done in some partsof the USA, and on a small scaleelsewhere, very little was knownabout how this could be successfullyachieved. This was particularly truewhen considering whether the dogcould perform more than one role.Judith Freeman from the NottinghamMobility Team was approached toassess Vegas and to look at the

feasibility of training the first UKwheelchair guide. Judith spent manyhours planning, learning anddetermining how this could besuccessfully achieved. She alsoworked closely with the Guide Dogs’Leather Workshop, who provideequipment for our Handlers, in orderto develop a suitable bespoke handleto suit.

To date, there are threepartnerships that have beensuccessfully trained and qualified.Two of these service users have beentrained in collaboration with CaninePartners and are dual purpose; thethird service user has a singlepurpose dog. In the latter part of2012 two further dogs, Arrow andTaylor, have been assessed andchosen to be wheelchair guides. Theyare planned to go to their newowners in early 2013. Both of thesedogs have been trained with Dogs forthe Disabled (also an ADUK member)and Canine Partners respectively.

The assessment for service userswho wish to be dual trained is veryspecific. For example, theirimmediate local area is important aspavements need to be wide enoughfor both dog and chair and thereneeds to be dropped or sloped kerbswhere the pavement meets the road.

The training is initially carried outwith the Guide Dog MobilityInstructor being on foot ensuring thedog is confident, willing and of arelaxed demeanour. As with allGuide Dog work, the fundamental

Judith putting Malcolm and Ash through their paces on theobstacle course.

David Locklin - Service Delivery Manager Nottingham Mobility Team

Lee Stanway - National Additional NeedsManager

Guide Dogs, United Kingdom

BC & Alberta GuideDogs CelebratesParalympian!

Guide dog user Amber Thomaswent into the Paralympicshoping for two podiumfinishes and maybe even anew record in the process.

Competing in six events, the 19year-old achieved her goals -returning home with a bronze medal(200m IM), a silver medal (400mfreestyle) and breaking a 28 year-oldCanadian record (100m breast stroke).

When Amber lost her vision as aresult of a brain tumour nine yearsago, she turned to swimming as part

of her rehabilitation. “I learned toswim before I learned how to walkagain after I lost my sight,” sheexplains. A mere four years later,Amber was off to Beijing for the 2008Paralympics where she posted animpressive seventh place finish.

“We’re so excited for Amber,” saysBill Thornton, CEO of BC and AlbertaGuide Dog Services in Canada.“We’ve followed her journey throughtwo Paralympics now, so we feel alittle bit like proud parents ourselves!”

Amber competes in the S11category, which requires the use ofblacked out goggles. While manypara-swimmers have plain blackedout lenses, an artist friend paintedpaw prints on Amber’s goggles inhonour of her guide dog (whose nameis Tom Thomas).

Because of the grueling schedule inLondon, Amber decided not to takeTom with her: “I took a stuffy withme that is almost identical to him.It’s not even close to being as cute or

cuddly as Tom though,” she laughs.Amber and Tom toured London in

April 2012 in preparation for theGames and, while Amber wascompeting, Tom stayed with a friendwho also has an Alberta Guide Dog.

Having achieved all of herParalympic goals in London, Amberhas decided to retire fromcompetition. She looks forward tospending more time with her familyin Alberta, Canada.

BC & Alberta Guide Dog Services | Canada


It’s a bronze and a silver for Paralympic swimmer Amber Thomas and her guide dog Tom(from BC & Alberta Guide Dog Services, Canada).

Amber Thomas with Leanne Wlock

Vincci Li BC & Alberta Guide Dog Services, Canada

Canada | Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind Australia | Vision Australia


Canadian GDMI’s month in France

As a Guide Dog Mobility Instructorfrom Canadian Guide Dogs for theBlind (CGDB), I had the uniqueopportunity to travel and work inFrance. L’Association les Chiens Guidesd’Aveugles de l’Ouest hosted me attheir facility for the month.It was a good networking opportunitywithin the industry, but the primarygoal was to improve upon my Frenchlanguage skills in order to expandservice to Francophone Canadiansapplying to Canadian CGDB.

I didn’t speak English for a month,except for emails home and for a fewbrief days, I only understood aboutone-third of what was spoken. Ofcourse, the dogs’ language was thesame in France as in Canada. I shadowedthe staff daily, pen and notebook inhand, and tried to be unobtrusive. At mealtimes, I engaged in questionsand conversations.

I observed mostly client training anddog training with the intention ofenhancing my own training methodsand learning new ‘tools of the trade’.Working in the guide dog industry formore than twenty years, I was veryopen to learning. I found manysimilarities in how the two organizationstrain. Most of what the Instructorsshowed me was familiar work,although there were some differences.

One difference was based on urbanplanning. In Angers, France, thesidewalks are narrow and the dogslearn to put their back legs in thegutter to make more room; whereas inCanada, most sidewalks are wideenough to make this unnecessary.Another example was teaching the dogsto retrieve keys or items on command.The dog to Instructor ratio is also muchdifferent; with three dogs per Instructorin France. At CGDB, each Instructorhas seven dogs. However, Instructorsin France have more administrativeduties, such as organisingappointments related to their dogs aswell as their clients.

Similarities included Instructorsresponding to the needs of clients intraining, interpreting specific strengthsand weaknesses, and helping developskills needed for success. In theevenings, clients told their stories, muchlike their counterparts in Canada.

During my time at L’ACGAO I alsohad the opportunity to shadow PuppyWalking Supervisors and Orientation &Mobility Specialists. These wereenriching experiences that deepenedmy understanding of the stresses andthe achievements in both of thesefields.

I am extremely grateful to the staffwhich so patiently answered myquestions and took time to explaintheir work.

My French language skills improvedgreatly. I returned to Canada after amonth away excited and ready toengage in my regular duties at CGDBwith new ideas and approaches.

We’ve trained Francophone clients inthe past at CGDB, but now we areanticipating the ability to provideinstruction in their first language,French. This will help us provide afurther level of comfort in theirtraining experience.

The opportunity to travel and workat another accredited IGDF schoolprovided me with lasting memories ona personal and professional level. Aftermy visit to L'ACGAO, I have a greatrespect for their school, the staff, andthe management. In particular, I wouldlike to take this opportunity to thankHans Damm and Pascal Gabreau, bothof whom went out of their way toaccommodate me. Also, thank you toCGDB Chief Operating Officer, JaneThornton, for providing me with thisopportunity.

DevelopmentCommittee(DC) Update

One of the key initiatives taken on bythe DC in recent months is thesurvey that was sent out to CEO’s ofIGDF member organisations back inJune 2012.

Initial results are now in and wewould like to thank those that thosethat responded (22 memberorganisations) with wide-rangingoffers of practical help that we willnow direct, as appropriate, to othermembers who are seeking additionalsupport and also applicant / inquiryorganisations who are keen to learnfrom the vast experience of others.

Given the ongoing impact of theglobal financial climate, the responsewas fantastic and illustrates very wellthe strength of commitment to highstandards around the world.

Another important task that hasbeen led by the DC is the developmentof a ‘Wiki’ facility within the IGDFwebsite.

The Wiki will be a significant part ofthe recently re-designed websitewhich will offer more opportunity formember organisations to shareopinion, information and bestpractices on all matters of importanceto guide dog organisations of all sizes.

Kathy Kelly (Guide Dogs for theBlind Inc, USA) kindly volunteered herexpertise in this importantdevelopment and our grateful thanksgo out to her and Jane Russenberger.

The work will continue with priorityand we look forward to providingfurther updates very soon.

Finally, it is with regret that the DChave accepted the resignation of JohnByfield;

Due to a significant change in John’spersonal circumstances, he is nolonger in a position to commit asmuch of his time as he would like.

We would like to extend both oursincere thanks to John for hiscontinued support since the inceptionof the DC and, also, offer our thoughtsand best wishes to John and Pam.

The DC are now working with theIGDF Board in looking to recruit newmembers to assist with their work.

Sarah Jackson - Guide Dog MobilityInstructor

Canadian Guide Dogs, Canada

Ian Cox – Chair, IGDF Development CommitteeVision Australia, Seeing Eye Dog and Mobility Division

Guiding Eyes for the Blind | USA


InternationalCollaborationBrings GuideDogs to Hong Kong

Tsang Kin Ping had a dream that blindand visually impaired Hong Kongresidents could benefit from theextraordinary life changes a guidedog brings. His vision served as acatalyst for a global exchange ofresources that resulted in two guidedogs arriving in Hong Kong earlierthis year.

At its busiest, more than 16,000people travel through Sai Yeung ChoiStreet in Mongkok every hour. Thelack of a local support system madeprevious efforts to place dogsunsuccessful.

In 2006, Ebenezer School and Homefor the Visually Impaired began lookinginto the re-introduction of guide dogsto Hong Kong. A pilot project wasconceived and Ebenezer partneredwith the Hong Kong Society for theBlind in 2009. Ian Cox of VisionAustralia provided advice andsupport from the beginning and actedas a consultant for the endeavor.Funding from the S K Yee MedicalFoundation gave the plan a solidframework, and in January 2011, theHong Kong Guide Dog Association(HKGDA) was founded and invited to

that her parents will now worrymuch less for her safety.

As Vice-Chairman of HKGDA,Tsang’s main role is to educate thegeneral public. While his dream oftraveling with a guide dog has finallycome to fruition, he still has muchmore to do to ensure the program’sfuture success. Guiding Eyes Deannahas already begun to alterperception. “Her outstandingbehavior and excellent techniquesgive people a firsthandunderstanding of how well-trainedguide dogs work,” Tsang says.“Deanna is continually winningpublic acceptance and support fromthe people of Hong Kong.”

The partnering organisations willsupport the training of two moreguide dog teams next year andcontinue to provide support servicesto blind and visually impaired guidedog candidates. In the long term,HKGDA will look to hire qualifiedGDMIs or train personnel locally.

HKGDA’s motto, “love leads theway” reverberates around the world.The pilot program has been aninternational labor of love foreveryone involved and has heraldedimportant progress for those whoseek greater independence.

partner in the project.Ebenezer approached Guiding Eyes

for the Blind in late 2011; we wereselected due to the extensive trainingour dogs receive in urban environments.Our school agreed to participate in thepilot program by providing four dogsand residential training to studentsfrom Hong Kong. We welcomed ourfirst two students, Tsang Kin Ping andInti Fu Tai Fan, this summer, and theyreceived Guiding Eyes dogs “Deanna”and “Nana” on July 4th – America’sIndependence Day.

Deanna is continuallywinning public acceptanceand support from thepeople of Hong Kong

Tsang and Inti successfullycompleted our 26-day course andreturned to Hong Kong for anadditional week of training with IanCox. Both handlers have nowresumed their busy lifestyles withtheir Guiding Eyes dogs by their sides.

Inti is a successful telemarketer –ranked second in production for herentire company. She travels theworld running marathons and knows

Tsang Kin Ping with Guiding Eyes Deanna

Inti Fu Tai Fan with Guiding Eyes Nana

Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s training facility in Yorktown Heights, NY

Michelle Brier - Director of Marketing andCommunications

Guiding Eyes for the Blind, USA

USA | Leader Dogs for the Blind

Sheila Rousey is no stranger to theimportance of being independent.Sheila was born with congenitalcataracts, which can often becorrected with surgery, but medicinethen was not what it is now - heroperation was unsuccessful and, bythe age of twelve, she had onlypartial sight in one eye.Nevertheless, Sheila attended publicschool with her siblings, none ofwhom shared her visual impairment.“My parents made no specialarrangements for me,” Sheila recalls.

After graduating from high school,Sheila got married and began anunusual job - she worked for a casketcompany. Not planning to linecaskets for the rest of her life,however, Sheila began to look foranother job, but she encounteredsome resistance from people focusingon her visual impairment.

For Sheila, this was a roadblock, nota dead end, and she decided tochange tactics. She enrolled atClemson University in South Carolinaand, six years later, emerged with amaster’s degree in special education.After graduation, Sheila was invitedto return to Clemson to get herdoctorate as well. At the time,though, Sheila’s limited mobilityskills presented a problem becausethe classes were spread farther aparton campus. “‘Oh my gosh’, Sheilathought. ‘I can’t cross all thesestreets! It’s a very busy campus.’”Sheila turned the opportunity downsaying “It was my fear of somethingso simple as not being able to crossstreets.”

So Sheila decided to become more

mobile. She enrolled in the AcceleratedMobility Program (AMP) at LeaderDogs, and the experience changedher life. “Before,” she says, “I wouldgo out when it was convenient for[my family] to go. I’d work aroundtheir schedules.” With her neworientation and mobility skills,Sheila’s travel options andopportunities expanded. “Now, I’lljust say, ‘I’m going to CVS,’ – theyoffer to come with me and I’ll say‘No, you don’t need to.’”

Sheila’s improved cane travel skillsimpacted more than her family. Sheteaches Braille to adults age 55 andolder. Sometimes she holds meetingsin a community setting to reachmultiple people at once; other times,Sheila will visit her clients in theirhomes. Before AMP, Sheila onlyworked locally. Now, she hasexpanded her travel range and canwork with many more people.

life doesn’t have tobe limited by visionloss, or anythingelse for that matter

The importance of teaching Braillegoes further than simply providingpeople with a reading skill. “Whenyou’re visually impaired and elderly,your kids don’t know what to do withyou,” Sheila says. Learning Braille ispart of what enables her clients tomaintain their independence. “Ithelps to keep them doing the thingsthey’ve always done and to keepthem out of a nursing home.”

AMP was not the end of Sheila’s

journey to independent travel.During training, she knew she wouldbe back someday for a guide dog. InFebruary of last year, Sheila returnedto Leader Dogs’ campus to meet hernew travel aid: a golden retrievernamed Grandt.

With Grandt at her side, the door tobrand new experiences opened onceagain. Sheila had never been to amall in her life before her instructor,Debbie, took her and Grandt to onefor training. Debbie explained theshape of the mall, then she steppedback to let Sheila and Grandt exploreon their own. Grandt safely guidedSheila through the entire shoppingcentre and brought her back to thetable where they had started in thefood court. Sheila was delighted withGrandt’s skills, saying “Every time hedoes something like that, I just lovehim a little bit more!”

Even while Sheila was still at LeaderDogs for training, she was alreadymaking plans for her future withGrandt. She is a member of theToccoa Lions Club and for the firsttime, she intends to take part in aweek-long Lions camping trip. “In thepast, I was scared to go,” she says, “Ididn’t have that feeling ofindependence. Now that seemsfunny; why not just do it?”

That feeling of independence is oneshe plans to share. Sheila wants tobe an example to her clients byshowing them that life doesn’t haveto be limited by vision loss, oranything else for that matter. “Myclients are at an age where we’re notyoung people, we’re not old people,”she says, “You can’t think you don’thave choices because you’re a certainage. You do have choices. As long asyou’re willing, you always have thechoice to be independent.”

The O&M trainingand guide dog shereceived fromLeader Dogs for theBlind helped SheilaRousey increase herindependence.

The Road toIndependence


Jen Wilkinson - Web CoordinatorLeader Dogs for the Blind, USA

Traveling independently really just gives me a better feeling about me.I have more respect for myself now.”

Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind | Ireland


Irish Guide Dogs for theBlind Empowers YoungAdults with SightImpairments

Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) is anational charity dedicated to helpingpersons who are blind or vision impairedand families of children with autism.In 2011, it introduced two initiatives aimedat enhancing the quality of life of youngadults who are blind or have impairedvision.

Young Adults owning Guide DogsThe most exciting recent development has been

lowering the minimum age requirement to train with aGuide Dog from 18 to 16 years of age. Having observeddevelopments in other countries and receiving feedbackfrom parents and children, the significant opportunity tofurther enable their mobility and confidence wasrecognised.

In 2012, IGDB trained Jack Mackay Birth (17) with hisguide dog, Joss. Now completing his final year insecondary school Jack is currently the youngest Guide Dogowner in Ireland; he is embracing his new found freedomand independence as he attends school with the aid of hisguide dog, Joss.

Jack describes how his Guide Dog Joss has changed his life:

“Joss is very gentle and loving. He keeps me safe and helpsme feel sure of where I am going. I can go to more placesnow on my own. It’s great having him at school. I takecare of him too. I feed him, groom him every day andplay with him. He can be very funny sometimes and makesme laugh. He’s like a best pal and one of the best thingsever to have happened to me.”

The Next Step ProgrammeLaunched in 2011, this training programme is for young

adults who are making the transition from home to life incollege or work. This change can be very daunting forany young adult but sometimes even more so for a youngadult with a disability. Through the residential programmeyoung adults who are blind or have impaired vision areequipped with the confidence and skills to make thistransition as seamless as possible. The course includespractical sessions on using public transport, daily livingskills, confidence building, visiting campus accommodationand facilities.

Anthony Curran attended the programme before goingon to university. He says:

“This course was a wonderful and enriching experience.I improved my social skills, met new people, made newfriends and became accustomed to new places.”

ResearchIn Ireland, research shows many blind and vision

impaired young persons are not progressing on to thirdlevel education. AHEAD (Association for Higher EducationAccess and Disability) Research 4 indicates that blind andvision impaired students are four times less likely toprogress on to higher education than their peers. Thereport also highlights the fact that the participation ofstudents who have more traditional disabilities hasremained static and that they remain highly under-represented.

IGDB is confident its recent initiatives bring about asignificant quality of life improvement for young adultswith sight impairments. Having a guide dog meansimproved mobility and increased opportunities for work,leisure, study and travel along with significantimprovements in physical and emotional health. TheNext Step programme provides young adults with theskills and confidence they may require to transition in tofurther education or employment. IGDB looks forward toempowering more young adults with sight impairmentsas they gain mobility, independence and confidencethrough our Guide Dog Programme and The Next Stepprogramme.

Léan Kennedy - Access and Education OfficerIrish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Ireland

Irish Guide Dogs Jack Mackay Birth aged 17 years and guide dog Joss

Australia | Guide Dogs VictoriaHuikuang Guide Dog Centre | Taiwan


The Children’s Mobility Service(CMS) at Guide Dogs Victoria (GDV)provides Orientation and Mobility(O&M) training to children who areblind or have low vision throughoutthe state of Victoria in Australia.

Within Australia, a Guide Dog isoften the mobility aid of choice foradult vision impaired travellers.Generally speaking, at (GDV), GuideDog mobility requires the handler toacquire a suite of skills which arelearnt throughout an intensive fourweek residential or domiciliaryprogramme. Due to the intensity andcomplexity of these skills, it is oftenbelieved that children and teenagerslack the emotional maturity, physicalability and cognitive skills(independent decision making,problem solving and planning skills)to participate successfully in anintensive four week Guide Dogtraining programme. We feel thatchildren and teenagers don'tnecessarily lack these attributes –more that they are in the process ofdeveloping them. As a result, theCMS began designing a programmethat recognises the student's currentlevel of development and providedthem with ongoing support to buildon these skills.

The programme is designed as aseries of learning modules and isaligned with the Victorian EssentialLearning Standards (VELS) - thecurriculum guidelines for Victorianschools. The programme has beendesigned to allow the student to worktowards their particular goal, at theirown pace, with clear objectives andpositive outcomes. Students workthrough a series of topics with thesupport of a Children's instructor.This program reflects the educationalapproach taken to the provision ofO&M training by the CMS with anemphasis on student's cognitive skillsand concept development.

Initially the students learnfundamental concepts of Guide Dogequipment starting with the harness,work collar and lead. The equipment

For some Taiwanese kids, dogs areterrifying - especially big ones - as theybelieve big dogs are usually aggressive.We all know that guide dogs are bigdogs and when we’re out with them inpublic, we do occasionally seefrightened kids and concerned parents.

To improve the awareness andunderstanding of guide dogs, weorganised a special event aimedspecifically at creating theopportunity for kids to interact moreclosely with our dogs and, thereby,increasing their confidence – GuideDog Portrait Contest for Kids. Wewanted to educate kids in a simple,straight-forward and fun way. Thisproject was started from ourneighbourhood. It was an opportunityfor kids not only to show their arttalent but also for them to see thateven though guide dogs are big, theyare calm, gentle, friendly and nothorrifying. Alongside the kids’learning, their parents also got thechance to understand how nice guidedogs are and also ways in which theymay be able to support our guide dogprogramme. It was great to developlocal community integration andimprove the mutual understandingbetween Huikuang Guide Dog Centreand our neighborhood.

On the day of the contest, there wereabout fifty kids (aged 6-8) attendingthe contest. For the first hour of thecontest, the kids kept their distance toobserve their models. But by the end,they all came close to the guide dogs,and petted them with smiles.Through kids’ paintings, we saw lotsof different guide dog images in theireyes. With the contest, the kidsrealised guide dogs are friendly bigdogs with great missions. They’re nolonger afraid when they meet guidedogs in public and are now very happyto talk about their experiences withfamily and friends – all essential aswe aim for increased public confidenceand understanding towards the needof our Handlers and their dogs.

Guide Dogs inKids’ EyesEsme Lee - Cadet of GDMIHuikuang Guide Dog Centre, Taiwan

is given to the student so they canbecome familiar with it. Aninstructor will support the student’sconcept development by taking atraining dog to the student's home sothey can practise with theequipment. As the student progressesthrough the module topics they beginto learn about technical workingpositions through handle work. Thestudent practises their footwork,hand gestures and vocal cues in theirhome environment reinforced by theinstructor.

When the student is able todemonstrate competency in thefundamentals of Guide Dog workthey are invited to a 3 day ‘Test Drivea Guide Dog’ programme. Thestudents are given a training dog andare responsible for the dog for theduration of the programme. Eachstudent has the opportunity to workthe dog with the support of aninstructor during residential, semibusiness and recreational walks.During the recreational walk thestudents were given the opportunityto work the dog at a semi solo level.

The next phase of the programmeis to place a dog with a student for amonth to determine if the studenthas the maturity and commitment tomanage a dog at home and at school.The dog is on lead and wears a bodypiece but is walked on lead with thestudent continuing to use othermobility aids such as their long cane.This trial period allows the studentand their family to fully understandthe commitment and time requiredto be a successful Guide Dog user. Italso allows the instructors to identifygaps in the student's learning as wellas begin to develop relationships withthe wide network of peoplesupporting the students (e.g. parents,school and the wider community).This helps to create the bestenvironment for a successful futureGuide Dog placement.

To date, one student hassuccessfully completed the month’strial placement, with two morestudents hoping to follow within thenext year. The team is also workingon a ‘Master Class’ for students readyto take the next step in theirlearning. The topics will addressobstacles, steps, city work andcorrections.

Currently we have three studentswho are aiming to train with a GuideDog within the next 12 months and afourth student likely to follow soonafter. Further students are showinginterest in the programme and havealready started working toward thefirst module.

Thedevelopment of Guide Dogskills in childrenRachel Morgan -Team Leader, Children’s

Mobility ServicePaula Foote - Orientation and Mobility

Instructor, Guide DogMobility Instructor

Laura Hunt - Orientation and MobilityInstructor

Guide Dogs Victoria, Australia

The deadlines for Visionary submissionsare May 31st & Nov 30thPlease supply your articles as a word file with original images sent separately as jpeg images.

Remember to include your country of origin, school name, name of the author of the article, their position within your organisation and any captions for photos.

For the index, please include a one-sentence description of your article.

Hillfields, Burghfield Common, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 3YG, United Kingdom.t +44 (0)118 983 8356 f +44 (0)118 983 8197 e [email protected] www.igdf.org.uk

Registered in England Company No 2376162 Registered Charity No 1062441

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