Abc's Of Positive Training. Miriam Fields-Babineau
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Название: Abc's Of Positive Training
Автор: Miriam Fields-Babineau
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Биология
Серия: Positive Training
isbn: 9781593789541
isbn:
Positive punishment alone can also be abusive if not used correctly. Pairing positive punishment with a secondary positive punisher would be more humane and teaches the dog to correct himself upon hearing the trigger word, such as the word “No” along with a punishment. An example is to say “No” as the dog gets a squirt of water in the face. The dog learns that “No” will coincide with the punishment, thus reducing his bad behavior as soon as he only hears the word. This form of punishment is a very humane means of correcting your dog, although there are some schools of thought in which they strive to not punish at all, in which case the undesired behavior may or may not extinguish.
To a retriever, a game of fetch is very rewarding.
Giving the dog a chew toy to play with is a positive way to end a training session.
Some dogs learn that while a specific behavior doesn’t receive a reward from their human companions, the behavior itself is rewarding. Digging is self-rewarding, as is obtaining scraps from the garbage can. Barking is a fun means of releasing energy. Chewing is a great way to relieve anxiety.
Punishments can also be associated with a specific person. In order for them to work, they must be used by all family members. If the dog has a tendency to do something when nobody is around, he should be contained in an area where he cannot perform the behavior when unwatched. This way, he is conditioned to not behave in such a fashion at any time that he has access to the means of deploying the behavior. An example would be a dog getting on the furniture. Whenever anyone is nearby to see the dog get on the furniture, the dog is corrected for doing so through the use of positive punishment, such as a squirt of water or tug on the leash, along with a secondary punishment, such as the word “No” or “Off.” Eventually he’ll learn to either avoid the furniture or to get off when the secondary punishment is used. However, when no one is around to give the punishment, he gets on the furniture. To condition him out of this behavior, he should not have access to furniture when no one is around to watch him. Eventually the habit will become extinct.
Digging is an example of a self-rewarding behavior.
There is also another possible outcome to an animal’s behavior and that is no response. There is no reward marker, no “Good Dog,” no secondary positive punishment (“No”) and no correction. This is considered the “keep going signal,” also called the “no reward marker.” For dogs that are well into how to throw out (keep performing) behaviors in order to receive their reward, this lack of signal will cause them to continue throwing out behaviors until they get something right. A special word can be formulated to coincide with this lack of signal. Some trainers use “Nope” or “Wrong” or “Try Again.” This will cause the dog to try again. However, this will only work with dogs that have been trained via positive reinforcement and have an attention span that will prevent their extinction of performing altogether.
Animals can suffer both physical and mental damage from incorrectly applied punishments and reinforcers. Using these techniques correctly will prevent harassing or abusing your pet. Be certain that you are clear on the procedures prior to beginning the training process. Try them out on a family member or friend. The children’s game “Stop and Go” is a great way to practice, as is the game “Hot or Cold.” Things to think about when applying the techniques are: Does it work? If not, why? Was the timing off? Dogs are very forgiving, but once a behavior is learned, it is far more difficult to extinguish it than it is to teach it correctly in the first place.
If nobody is around to catch him, a furniture-hopper will certainly settle in for some couch time.
Positive-reinforcement training can be done in several ways. You can lure your dog into position and bridge/reward as soon as he attains what you want, you can capture the behavior by chance or you can wait for him to do something near your objective and shape the behavior into the ultimate goal. Whichever method, or combination thereof, you use depends on what you are teaching, the level of training and how much time you have to accomplish the goal.
Petting is a great way to praise and reinforce good behavior.
Luring can be done with any type of positive reinforcer: food, praise, petting or a favorite toy. Different lures can be used for different situations. Praise is a good reinforcer if the dog did something well but did not improve the behavior, or if the dog is in the process of performing well. Praise encourages the dog to continue the proper response. Touch is a great means of rewarding dogs. They love being stroked and scratched. It’s part of pack bonding and affection display. For dogs that don’t care how delectable a food treat might be, stroking can be used as the primary reinforcer. Some dogs love a ball, a rope or a stuffed toy more than a piece of food. The action of giving the dog this toy to reinforce a specific behavior is rewarding and will encourage the dog to continue working. Food, however, is the easiest means of reinforcing good behavior. Most dogs have good food drives and it’s just a matter of finding the foods that motivate. Dogs without a food drive will be difficult to teach through positive reinforcement unless you can find another high-value motivator. I’ve had several dogs who prefer a tennis ball to food. Give it a try.
Toys can be used as lures to get a dog to perform a behavior.
For the next method, capturing a behavior, you’ll need to be patient and have very good timing. You will need to place your dog in a space or situation in which the behavior you are aiming for will happen at some time or another. An example of capturing a behavior to create a retrieving dog is to bridge/ reward when the dog is playing with his toy. At the time he picks up the toy, you want to capture this behavior, so you bridge/ reward at that moment. This reinforces your dog’s desire to pick up his ball.
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