The Science and Technology of Dog Training, 2nd Edition

The Science and Technology of

Dog Training

2nd Edition

James O’Heare

BehaveTech Publishing

Ottawa, Canada

Copyright © 2017 by James O’Heare. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Title: The Science and Technology of Dog Training Second edition

Publisher: BehaveTech Publishing, Ottawa, Canada,

www.BehaveTech.com

Author: James O’Heare

Cover art and book design: James O’Heare

Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty:

The author shall not be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages or loss in connection with, or arising out of, the furnishing, performance, or use of the instructions or suggestions contained in this book. This book provides information of a general nature. Working with dogs IS risky.

ISBN 978-1-927744-15-4

for Roscoe 1999-2012, my best friend ever!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to Dr. Stephen Ledoux for a highly reinforcing educational experience and for assistance with this book.

Thank you Kamrin MacKnight for proofreading.

PREFACE – READ THIS FIRST!

The Science and Technology of Dog Training is written to help novice, through professional, dog trainers and behavior technologists expand their knowledge and skills in the natural science of behavior and technology of dog training. There are many excellent books available on dog training, but most cover only the most basic principles of behavior and training procedures. This is a suitable strategy for a broader audience, interested in the basics, without having to become familiar with technical terms, or the science behind the technology. My general objective in this book is to provide a solid foundation in the natural science of behavior, including the proper scientific terminology, and apply that science to the technology of dog training, providing guidance on basic through advanced, training principles, strategies, and procedures.

In the past, professional dog training was not systematically based on a natural science of behavior, but rather a more or less haphazard bag-of-tricks established by trial and error. Because it was more intuitive than systematic and principled, it was difficult to condition in new trainers. A lot has changed in the last few decades, and professional dog training is now held to a much higher standard. Professionals engaged in this trade are expected to be proficient in the technology of training, and that training should be informed by an empirically supported natural science of behavior. If one wants to formulate effective and efficient training plans to achieve specific behavioral objectives, more than a hodgepodge collection of intuitions and tricks-of-the-trade is required. This is especially the case for anything beyond the very simplest of objectives.

Specifically provided here are: (a) a solid scientific foundation in the principles of behavior from which training techniques and strategies are derived; (b) greater detail beyond the acquisition stage of training; and (c) exercises to help trainers expand their training behavior repertoire.

I assume the reader has an interest in the natural science and technology of dog training, either to provide a more solid foundation for established professionals who already train dogs regularly, or to provide a solid foundation for those just beginning to develop their training proficiencies. I do not assume prior knowledge of any science or technology. The conditioning curve might be a little more daunting for those without a background in the science of behavior. The principles, techniques, and behaviors that I address are not new, are addressed without resorting to fads, and I use the appropriate terminology and principles that are involved. No gimmicks, or trademarked ‘one-true-way’ approaches are provided here. Instead, I provide a foundational treatment of the natural science of behavior, and technology of dog training presented from basics through to advanced techniques. New terms are shown in bold italicized font where they are introduced or discussed in detail, so they are easy to find.

This book is not intended to be a casual read. Achieving the behavioral repertoire expansion that this book promises will require careful study and the reading of sections more than once. The material is dense and concise. With active careful study, as opposed to a cursory reading, the trainer can expect a far superior level of repertoire expansion. Ideally, it will also involve actively working with the principles, strategies, and procedures hands-on. For those who require a more basic introduction to prepare them for the material in this book, I recommend my book, Training Dogs and/or How Dogs Learn by Mary Burch and Jon Bailey.

In some cases, particularly in the planning stage, you might believe that what I propose is overkill. This may indeed be the case for those who have been conditioned through extensive experience to exhibit these planning behaviors in their head and/or in a truncated manner. However, the most successful strategy, in getting to this stage, is to practice the full set of project planning behaviors, including preparing detailed written training plans, until the process can be truncated without a loss of accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness. In other words, take the time now to engage in all of the appropriate planning processes and you will eventually be able to truncate and condense the process. Attempting to prematurely truncate the planning process will result in a deficient requisite behavior (foundation) and less proficient training skills. So, bear with me, while I describe more elaborate procedures than you might believe necessary for your own skill level. Become familiar with these procedures, and then truncate the process as appropriate without diminishing the systematic planning benefits. One might also believe that the material in chapter one, on the basic principles of behavior, is too in-depth. I would argue that it is not, and that all dog trainers should have a strong proficiency in the principles of behavior included in that chapter.

The Science and Technology of Dog Training is written specifically to cover all topic points at an appropriate depth for Association of Animal Behavior Professionals core areas of competence in Principles of Behavior and Dog Training. Achieving the behavioral objectives established in this book will thoroughly prepare the candidate for the AABP Proficiency Exam in these two core areas of competence.

Dog training has also come a long way in terms of its use of less coercive methods. Recognizing the devastating and resilient problematic side effects of using aversive stimulation to control behavior has become apparent. Many trainers have shifted the technology of training behaviors toward added reinforcement-emphasized strategies. This book emphasizes the importance of utilizing these added reinforcement-emphasized strategies to train behavior.

An appendix is included that provides the reader with a set of specific exercises to complete, each one designed to help expand the reader’s repertoire of effective and efficient dog training behaviors. These exercises should be useful and informative for both novice and professional trainers.

This second edition includes a general updating of the content presented in the first edition. Please note that the current book is very similar to The Science and Technology of Animal Training, except that it only involves dogs. The STAT book was written as a university textbook on animal training and covers the content of this book plus chapters on birds, cats, and horses.

As with all my books, this book remains a work in progress that I will update with new editions in order to shape an improved final product. I hope you find it useful for your own purposes.

FORWARD BY STEPHEN F. LEDOUX

On this space rock, humans are not alone. We share the planet with many other species. For some of these species, particularly those that we describe as companion animals, we have developed an often mutually profound affinity. Cats and dogs top the list.

Many humans make a substantial time and energy commitment to the care and training of our dogs, sometimes rivaling our commitments to parenting our children. And an ever–increasing number of us are recognizing that this connection runs more than skin deep. Our concerns with managing the causes of behavior, whether the behavior of our companion animals, our children, our fellow humans, or even ourselves, remain ever present. Unfortunately, the value of science in these endeavors sometimes comes as a surprise.

Yet the value of science is in our successes, especially in the form of a sound and substantiated systematic approach, such as that found in the natural science of behavior that we call behaviorology. The openness of the researched principles and designed practices of science certainly save us from the pitfalls of chance, accidents, fads, and secret–knowledge systems that arise when we follow uninformed trial and error patterns, and handed–down tricks and intuitions.

James O’Heare’s book, The Science and Technology of Dog Training, recognizes all that and more. It provides a thorough, albeit basic, introduction to all the aspects of behaviorology that relate to companion–animal training, especially to dog training, as the best way to understand them and train them. This enables the reader to see why one thing works while another fails. Rather than merely following steps in a cook–book of techniques for a simple set of prescribed animal–behavior tricks, this book enables the improving animal trainer to move on to advanced techniques capable of producing complicated behavioral outcomes, all the while emphasizing positive rather than coercive strategies which, again, is how we would treat each other, and our children, to the best effect. As such, this book benefits all levels of readers, from beginners striving to become skilled, to already established professionals.

Finally, by adhering to natural behavior science, this book helps those who love other animals glimpse the value of behaviorology for cleaning up our own human behavior acts. Humanity faces some big problems, such as pollution, overpopulation, and war. All these problems, and their solutions, involve human behavior, and thus benefit by the input of behaviorology. If we fail to solve these problems, then we endanger not only ourselves but our beloved companion animals as well. By becoming more familiar with behaviorology in general, one becomes more capable not only at animal training projects but also at helping create a better world, one that can remain suitable both for us and our animal friends.

Stephen F. Ledoux, Ph.D., DLBC

Author of Running Out of Time—Introducing Behaviorology to Help Solve Global Problems and What Causes Human Behavior—Stars, Selves, or Contingencies?

Canton, NY, USA

2014 February 14

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE – READ THIS FIRST!

FORWARD BY STEPHEN F. LEDOUX

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE DISCIPLINE OF BEHAVIOROLOGY

BEHAVIOROLOGY

Definition and History

Philosophy of Natural Science

Natural Science

Radical Behaviorism

Modes of Causation

Selection by Consequences

BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

ETHOLOGY

MEDICAL PARADIGM

ORIENTATION OF THIS BOOK

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CHAPTER 2. FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOR

INTRODUCTION

ENVIRONMENT–BEHAVIOR FUNCTIONAL RELATIONS

Behavior, Stimulation, and Functional Relations

Behavior

Categories of Behavior

Operant versus Respondent Behavior

Stimulation

Functional Relations and Contingencies

Structure of Operant Contingencies

Respondent Contingencies

Conditioning

Definition

Effects of Conditioning on Behavior

Why Do Reinforcers Function as Such?

Contingency Analyses

Depicting Contingencies

Analyzing Episodes of Behavior

Component Contingencies in the Three-Term Contingency

Externalizing Contingencies

Increasing Complexity in Accounting for Behavior

OPERANT CONDITIONING

Postcedent Principles, Processes, and Procedures

Law of Effect

Foundational Terms and Categories

Reinforcement

Added Reinforcement

Subtracted Reinforcement

Some Potentially Confusing Distinctions

Punishment

Added Punishment

Subtracted Punishment

Extinction

Variables Influencing Effectiveness of Reinforcement

Contiguity

Contingency

Motivating Operations

Variables Influencing the Effectiveness of Punishment

Contiguity

Contingency

Intensity

A Note on the Rationale for Using Punishment Effectively

Antecedent Principles, Processes, and Procedures

Stimulus Control

Terms and Relations

Generalization and Discrimination Training

Transferring Stimulus Control

Prompting

Function-Altering Stimuli

Motivating Operations

Other Function-altering Stimuli

Depicting Function-altering Stimuli in Contingency Analyses

SCHEDULES OF ADDED REINFORCEMENT

Simple Schedules of Added Reinforcement

Continuous Reinforcement

Extinction

Intermittent Reinforcement

Fixed Ratio Schedule of Added Reinforcement

Variable Ratio Schedule of Added Reinforcement

Fixed Interval Schedule of Added Reinforcement

Variable Interval Schedule of Added Reinforcement

Fixed Duration Schedule of Added Reinforcement

Variable Duration Schedule of Added Reinforcement

Schedule Extensions

Limited Hold

Compound Schedules of Reinforcement

Differential Reinforcement

Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior

Differential Reinforcement of Successive Approximations of a Terminal Behavior (Shaping)

RESPONDENT CONDITIONING

Terms, Principles, and Processes

Other Respondent Processes

The Importance of Respondent Conditioning

CHAPTER 3. MEASURING BEHAVIOR

Informal versus Formal Measurement

Measures of Behavior

Count

Rate

Relative Frequency

Duration

Latency and Inter-response Time

Topography and Extensity

Choosing Among Measures of Behavior

Tracking the Target Behavior through Time

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CHAPTER 4. THE CASE AGAINST AVERSIVE STIMULATION

INTRODUCTION

WHY IS THE OCCURRENCE OF AVERSIVE STIMULATION SO PERVASIVE?

PROBLEMATIC EFFECTS OF AVERSIVE STIMULATION

Respondent Side-effects: Aversive Emotional Arousal and Conditioning

Operant Side-effects: Escape Behavior

CLARIFYING PUNISHMENT AND ITS ROLE IN CHANGING BEHAVIOR

Punishment is Less Efficient than Extinction

Some Problems with Effective Punishment

Does Punishment Work?

CHAPTER 3. MINIMALLY AVERSIVE TRAINING

INTRODUCTION

AVOIDING EXTREMISM AND DOGMATISM

AVERSIVENESS-RATCHETING STRATEGIES

EMPHASIZING CONSTRUCTIONAL ADDED REINFORCEMENT-BASED METHODS

WHY IMPLEMENT THE CONSTRUCTIONAL ADDED REINFORCEMENT-EMPHASIZED BEHAVIOR CHANGE STRATEGY?

The Strategy

CHAPTER 4. EQUIPMENT

CLICKER AND TREAT POUCH

DISTANCE TRAINING DEVICE

RESTRAINTS

WHAT NOT TO USE

CHAPTER 5. TRAINING STRATEGY AND PROJECT PLANNING

GRADED ERRORLESS TRAINING

Thorndike’s Trial-and-Error Approach

A More Robust Perspective on Shaping

Prompts and Other Antecedent Control

Terrace’s Errorless Discrimination Procedure

Goldiamond’s Constructional Orientation

Shifting Paradigms and the Shaping of the Errorless Training Approach

Application of the Errorless Training Approach

The Graded Errorless Approach

GENERAL SYSTEMATIC TRAINING PROCESS

PHASE 1. PRELIMINARIES

Planning and Preparation

Identifying and Defining the Target Behavior

The Target Behavior

Preparing a Formal Behavior Objective

Assessing the Dog’s Current Proficiency

Formal Behavior Objective Components

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Final Word on Formal Behavior Objectives

Identify Reinforcers and Establish the Conditioned Reinforcer

PHASE 2. ACQUISITION STAGE TRAINING

Antecedent Tactics

Prompting

Motivating Operations

Postcedent Tactics

Reinforcement

Identify the Required Procedure

How to Handle Non-criterion Responses

PHASE 3. FLUENCY STAGE TRAINING

Planning Fluency Stage Tactics

Begin Fading Prompts

Begin Thinning the Schedule of Reinforcement aka Stretching the Ratio

Refine Form, Latency, and Speed

Bring Behavior under Stimulus Control

Proof against the Three D-Parameters (Distraction, Distance, and Duration)

Distraction

Distance

Duration

Discrimination Training

Introduce Release Stimulus

PHASE 4. MAINTENANCE STAGE TRAINING

Working Toward Maintenance of Fluency

Constructing a Systematic Training Plan: Putting it all Together

10 LAWS OF TRAINING

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CHAPTER 6. ADVANCED TRAINING TECHNIQUES

INTRODUCTION

SHAPING

Definition and Appropriate Uses

Planning Behavior Objectives and Lists of Behavior Approximations

Implementation of the Shaping Plan

CHAINING

Definition and Elements

Constructing and Validating a Task Analysis

Assessing Level of Proficiency of Requisite Behaviors

Training the Component Behaviors

Behavior Chaining Methods

Forward Chaining

Forward Chaining Method 1

Forward Chaining Method 2

Backward Chaining

Quality of the Chain

SEQUENCING

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CHAPTER 7. TRAINING HUMANS

INTRODUCTION TO VERBAL BEHAVIOR

ENCOURAGING PRODUCTIVE VERBAL BEHAVIOR

GENERAL STRATEGY FOR TRAINING HUMANS

Establish Objective

Describe, Explain, and Demonstrate

Assess Proficiency

Follow-up

TRAINING GROUPS OF PEOPLE

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CHAPTER 8. TRAINING PROJECTS

NAME

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

SIT

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Begin Fading Prompts

Begin Thinning the Schedule of Reinforcement

Refine Form, Latency, and Speed

Bring Behavior under Stimulus Control

Proof against the Three D-Parameters

Discrimination Training

Introduce Release Stimulus

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

DOWN

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

STAND

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

WAIT

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

TAKE IT / DROP IT

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

HERE (RECALL)

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

OFF

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

LET’S GO (WALKING ON A LOOSE LEASH)

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

Rehearsal of Pulling

Diehard Puller

Trailing Behind

Dog is Too Strong or Big Compared to Guardian

Dog is Crazy

GO TO BED

Phase 1. Preliminaries

Phase 2. Acquisition

Phase 3. Fluency

Phase 4. Maintenance

Common Challenges

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CHAPTER 9. TRAINING CHALLENGES AND SPECIAL CASES

Multi-Dog Training

Train Each Dog Individually

Train in Pairs

Train in Groups

TRAINING TOY BREEDS

Social Contact not an Effective Reinforcer

Food not an Effective Reinforcer

Hyperactivity

General Sensitivity and Risk Averse

Easily Frustrated and Impulsive

CONTINUING EDUCATION

APPENDIX 1. TRAINER EXERCISES AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

EXERCISE #1. THE BOUNCING BALL EXERCISE

EXERCISE #2. THE TOSSED BALL EXERCISE

EXERCISE #3. THE BALL AND TREAT EXERCISE

EXERCISE #4. PLANNING LIST OF BEHAVIOR APPROXIMATIONS FOR SHAPING

EXERCISE #5. FREE-SHAPING A FRIEND

Planning Stage (You as Trainer)

Training Stage (You as Trainer)

Exercise Analysis (You as Trainer)

Planning Stage (You as Subject)

Training Stage (You as Subject)

Exercise Analysis (You as Subject)

EXERCISE #6. TARGETING

Planning Stage

Training Stage

Exercise Analysis

EXERCISE #7. SIMPLE SHAPING PROJECT

Planning Stage

Training Stage

Exercise Analysis