Dog training made easy!
You have a need to modify some dog behavior? First
I'd recommend that you click on the button at left
which reads behavioral psych, because it will
help you heaps and save hours of your time if you
can first get a grip on the underlying principle of
reinforcement.
Dog behavior, as is much of human
behavior, is mediated or controlled by
reinforcers - rewarding events 'in the
environment' which meet a need, satisfy a thirst or
a hunger, or stimulate a memory of the same, for
example.
Rewards that are positive
have a far greater chance of 'generating desirable
behavior', simply because you can hold them back
until the dog starts to act in the way that you wish
it to. You would then 'differentially reward' the
steps, the movement towards the goal behavior.
Punishment is ineffective and is
definitely not recommended if at all
possible. Why? Simply because it leaves the animal
confused as to 'what exactly my Master is expecting
of me?' It inhibits action and fails to generate
spontaneous behavior that may well be desirable.
(While the positive reward helps generate and
reinforce the positive action.)
When training a dog you need to
signal with a cue -such as a hand movement, a word
or voice tone.. then get some behavior generating -
then progressively follow thru with a small food
reinforcer. Just a taste. A whiff. Plus affection.
The dog will soon learn the association between the
cue, the desired behavior, and the reward. Be
patient. The trick is the rewarding of
'successive approximations' or steps towards
what you want.
Social Rewards in Dog Training
As with us humans, dogs are highly
sensitive to social rewards such as attention,
acceptance, approval, praise and affection.
Sometimes these will be sufficient to 'maintain'
positive behavior - and play in itself will
prove to be highly rewarding, as with exercise,
walks, swimming, etc. The key is to keep a positive
and active focus, avoiding punishment wherever
possible.
