Dog Learning
Ever think about how your dog learns
things? How the heck did he figure
out so quickly the precise sound of the
cabinet door that holds the dog biscuits?
And how come he doesn’t use that same
“intelligence” to learn to come when
called? It’s very simple. It all boils down
to consequences - good ones and bad
ones. Put another way - what’s in it for
your dog?
Every waking moment is filled
with potential learning. As a puppy
explores his environment - as he
sniffs, scratches, tastes and feels - he’s
learning. Experiences are filed away as
“Feels good . . . do it again.” Or “Tastes
nasty . . . avoid that!” Positive outcomes
will be repeated, while those that have
an undesirable consequence probably
won’t be.
How quickly does your dog learn?
That depends on the impact of the
consequence. Think about this: When
you open a bag of potato chips, how
many times did it take for your dog to
learn that the crinkly sound of cellophane
means “come?”
Let’s briefly explore consequences -
good and bad - and how to use them to
speed learning.
4
Rewards (“Yes”)
What motivates your dog? What
makes him want to perform a task,
respond to a command, make an effort?
What is the canine equivalent to a
winning lottery ticket?
Dog rewards fall into six general
categories - food (necessary for life itself),
affection (including petting, praise, and
attention), games (interactive), toys
and possessions (chew toys and other
solitary endeavors), freedom (a powerful
motivator!) and engaging in instinctive
behavior (digging, rolling, running,
chewing, and the like.).
Psychologist Edward Thorndike
demonstrated that behaviors resulting
in a satisfying consequence tend to
be repeated while those that produce
unsatisfying, annoying or unpleasant
consequences tend not to be repeated.
Called “Thorndike’s Law of Effect”
when a behavior is reinforced, it is likely
to be repeated. In other words, rewards
motivate and speed learning.
You may be thinking, “This is all well
and good, but what does it have to do
with getting the @%!#$* dog to stop
jumping on the kids?” Simple. One of
your jobs as your dog’s companion and
trainer is to select and control rewards
that motivate and enthuse as well as to
recognize an “inherent reward” in a
behavior we don’t like.
Here’s an common (and obvious)
example: When your dog steals food
from the trash, he’s receiving a reward
- and a good one at that. Oh, we know,
you didn’t “reward” him. You don’t
have to provide the reward for it to be
rewarding. Rewards can come from the
dog’s own actions. Eating tasty food
- even what you call “garbage” - is
certainly rewarding to a dog. And your
anger at your dog for being in the trash
doesn’t override the payoff for having
done it. So when your dog repeatedly
does something you dislike, figure out
what he’s getting out of it.
Some people want their dogs to work
solely for praise. Certainly praise is a
reward, and we use it. But in the great
cosmos of praise versus prime rib, praise
comes in a distant second. Think about
this: When your boss commends you
for a job well done, you feel good, don’t
you? Compare that pat on the back to
how you would feel if instead of praise
you got a huge bonus and an all-expenses
paid vacation. Hmmm . . . let’s see . . . an
“attaboy” versus . . . two-weeks in Tahiti
. . .