Have you ever said….
To answer these questions you need to understand what phase of learning our dog is in, it will connect you with your dog in the learning process and let you know what your dog needs at that point in training. With any training you do, to effectively proof and generalise any behaviour so that your dog can perform that it in any situation or environment, you need to; 1. Understand the four Phases of Learning. 2. Know and track what phase your dog is in with each behaviour. Overview of the four Phases Phase 1 – Acquisition The time when you are teaching your dog a new behaviour, when they acquire that behaviour. Your job in this phase;
Phase 2 - Fluency When your dog becomes good at, fluent in the behaviour and it becomes effortless. Your job in this phase;
Phase 3 - Generalisation This phase is the most important, it’s where frustration can set in when your dog doesn’t perform at the level you expect, for example if your dog will do the behaviour in one place but not another. Your job in this phase is;
Phase 4 – Maintenance This phase is ongoing, it’s when your dog can reliably perform the behaviour in many locations, environments and situations as well as for different handlers. Your job in this phase;
Another part of your job in all phases is to keep track, having a visual reference of where your dog is at in training each behaviour will enable you to put effective measures in place to help them to the next phase. For example; Phase 1 – Acquisition = * Phase 2 – Fluency = ** Phase 3 – Generalization = *** Phase 4 – Maintenance = **** BEHAVIOUR BELLA NANCY Rollover **** ** Back Up **** *** Tug/Pull ** * As you can see, your dog can be in generalisation with one behaviour, and in acquisition with another. Bella can do a rollover fluently and, in any situation, or environment, so the rollover will just need to be maintained. Nancy is at the stage of fluency, so she can do a rollover effortlessly but not yet in all environments. Every single behaviour you teach your dog will go through the four phases, your dog can be fluent in one skill but not generalised, be at acquisition in another behaviour and be at maintenance in the next. It’s a learning process for both you and your dog and if you don't understand how your dog learns, you could constantly be frustrated with them, having expectations that your dog does not yet have the skills to meet. However, when you know the four phases and track your dog's progress, you will have the knowledge to get your dog to the next step and progress, your expectation will be appropriate and training enhanced. Rewarding verses Bribing
I recently had an owner who was reluctant to give rewards, they struggled with the fact that they thought they would simply be bribing their dog. Trainers very often hear from owners that they feel like they are bribing their dog to do something, so let’s look at the differences. The meaning of Reward;
The meaning of Bribe;
While the terms rewarding and bribing may seem similar, they are far from it. Rewards are given in recognition of effort, achievement or a job well done. Bribes are used as a means of persuasion, to influence, to induce an outcome in your favour. The difference is that a bribe occurs 'before' said event, and a reward happens 'after', I think of it like a bribe is saying to my dog "will you please do that" and a reward says "thank your for doing that". It’s important to move away from a mindset of ‘bribing’ which in itself has a slight negative undertone, a bit sleezy and inappropriate! Instead, switching the label to ‘rewarding’ which immediately has a more positive connotation, making you feel more upbeat about giving your dog a treat for a job well done. The following scenarios might help it make more sense; You want your dog to not jump up at people, do you;
Choosing B) you are taking control, managing the outcome and rewarding your dog when you see the result you want. The answer is simple, it’s not bribery, it’s common sense to follow well-established practices of animal training and behaviour change and continue to reward your dog for behaviours you want. |