The Four Stages of Learning
Acquisition: The dog understands that the cue word is a request for behavior, understands what that behavior is and can elicit that behavior.
Fluency: the dog behaves regularly and quickly suggestively. He no longer has to struggle to think what to do when asked.
Generalization: the dog learns that the cue and behavior remain the same for many people in many places and despite different imprecise cues (for example, the handler may wear different clothes, give the cue while standing instead of sitting, say the cue
loudly or softly).
Maintenance: The behavior is practiced often enough that the proficiency
automatic, otherwise it is eventually forgotten. (If the cue is not practiced, the dog will forget what behavior is expected from the cue.)
Conditioning
Operant conditioning/learning: The process by which behavior changes occur as a result of a selected behavior. Behaviors that lead to positive outcomes are likely to increase or remain the same Behaviors that lead to negative or counterproductive outcomes are likely to decrease. There are four categories of outcomes that can affect learning: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment. Positive and negative reinforcement supports or reinforces behavior. Positive and negative punishment discourage or weaken behavior.
Classical conditioning: Associations formed between paired event regardless of choice. In Pavlov’s famous example, the natural salivation that occurs when dogs are offered food was accompanied by a bell that was rung when food was served. As a result of this pairing, the sound of the bell elicited salivation even when no food was available.
Reinforcement
Reinforcement: In training, reinforcement can be positive or negative. Reinforcement always supports or reinforces behavior and makes it more likely.
Positive Reinforcement: In training, “positive” means “added.” When you give a dog a treat while sitting, you have added something reinforcing (a treat) to the outcome of the behavior. Negative Claim: In practice, “negative” means “removed” or “removed”.
A human example would be if you noticed that pressing the phone button stopped Muzak while on hold. Pressing the button would be negative reinforcement because something unpleasant was removed from the situation.
Premack’s Principle: In behavioral psychology, the Premack’s Principle states that desirable behaviors can be used to reinforce less desirable behaviors. This is commonly referred to as grandma’s rule: “You can eat ice cream after you eat your vegetables.”
Conditioned reinforcer: Also called primary or natural reinforcers, these are things that are valuable or desirable in themselves (eg food, water, play, affection). These are not the same for all individuals, or even for the same person all the time.
Examples: a shy dog can be given a gentle tap as a punishment. After Thanksgiving dinner, we might think that thought is more unpleasant.
Conditioned reinforcer: a neutral stimulus that has been made reinforcing by a natural or existing reinforcer. A bell in Pavlov’s experiment or a whistle in dolphin training are neutral – until combined respectively with a dog’s food and fish .
Punishment
Punishment, which can be positive or negative (ie something is added or something is taken away), is a consequence that reduces the probability of behavior in the future. For the punishment to be effective, it must be timely, immediate and consequential, and strong enough compared to the behavior and its normal outcome.
Positive Punishment: Bringing an unpleasant element as a result of unwanted behavior. Examples: The dog pulls on the rope and a rope correction of (sharp noise of the rope) is received. The dog approaches the edge of the yard and the “invisible fence” delivers a shock through the collar.
Negative Punishment: Removal of a desired element as a result of unwanted behavior. For example, leaving the area when the dog jumps or talks. The desirable element you remove is your attention and interaction with the dog.
Contingent Punisher: A neutral stimulus with unpleasant connotations. For example, if you say “timeout” right before putting the dog in a delay (cage or free space), just hearing the words can associate the
consequences in the dog’s mind and reduce the behavior.
Remote Puisher: An unpleasant consequence that can be used without your presence.Autmatic bark collars, flappers on a counter-top and bitter-tasting substances that prevent chewing are examples of remote punishments.
Other Useful Definitions
Captivity: This is used in the context of rewarding spontaneous behavior. Most of the training involves the behaviors that occur in the wild and we reinforce them for our purposes. However, dogs are already sitting, lying down, wagging their tails and lifting their paws before we start working with them, so we don’t need to encourage them to do these things, we get them for nothing!
Chaining: teaching a sequence of several simple actions to produce a more complex behavior. One simple example is to teach the dog to ask for a walk with and teach him to hold the leash, then carry the leash, then carry it to the door and sit. A more complicated example would be teaching a dog to run an agility course.
Countermeasure: A method of changing the response to a “trigger” or stimulus, usually by introducing a positive element into the situation. For example, a dog that rushes a stranger over a fence can be made to like the stranger’s approach to it by providing training in which the stranger throws a valuable treat at the dog each time it approaches (- so it’s not rocket science!).
Contraindications: Indicates established behavior that is opposed to unwanted behavior. An example is “sit” when the dog jumps up. If “sit” produces a more positive result, it can replace the jumping behavior.
Token: Something that serves as a signal to recognize specific behavior. (The terms “command” and “command” are misleading, because they do not force behavior. The dog is still free to choose its own response.)
Desensitization: The process of presenting a weak version of a problem stimulus. at a level and duration that does not cause a negative reaction and gradually increasing the intensity as the dog’s comfort level increases.
Transitional Behavior: Behavior that occurs outside of a normal context.
An anxious dog may yawn, stretch or drink water even if it is not tired or
thirsty. This is sometimes a symptom of the dog adjusting to the requirements of a new command, or in order to distract itself, or it may be out of boredom!
Ethology: The study of animal behavior, which includes human behavior. It is often used when it comes to natural behavior in the context of evolution.
Extinction: Extinction means the trained behavior disappears because the motivation or reinforcement that successfully brought about the desired behavior ceases.It is a sign that the training was not routine enough to form a learned behavior of the dog.
Head Bridles: This is Inspired by lessons learned from larger and more powerful animals such as horses. Head halters can reduce the physical effort required to care for strong dogs. Head halters are sometimes confused with muzzles, but they are not muzzle surfaces. Heads do not limit the dog’s ability to bite.
Big Prize: Big rewards (eg lots of gifts, lots of compliments) for breaking during training.
Lure Training: Behavior is motivated by the use of a high-value “lure” such as candy or a toy, followed by a reward.
Physical direction: An ancient technique that uses physical force to generate behavior. For example, pushing a dog on a bench or rolling a dog on the raises it.
Evidence: Practice the behavior in different places and situations until the dog has generalized the desired behavior and can do it anywhere, even when distracted.
Morphing: Similar to linking, except that simple verbs are small steps in the direction of what would normally be considered a single verb. For example, a dog could be made to respond to the signal “down” with a bait and a reward for “look down”, then “the elbow”, and then the body would be molded into the floor.