3 Flashcards
Is the animal ‘fit for training’?
There are two elements to consider: physical fitness and psychological fitness.
What does physical fitness entail for an animal?
Physical fitness involves assessing if the animal is in pain or has physical limitations, which can compromise performance.
What factors affect psychological fitness in animals?
Factors include stress from inconsistent behavior, general disruption at home, imbalanced diet and exercise, and lack of stimulation.
What is the physical end goal of training?
The physical end goal should focus on establishing acceptable behavior rather than just stopping undesirable behavior.
How should the physical end goal be defined?
It should be a clear and precise behavior, such as ‘the dog should sit when greeting people.’
What is the best way to get the animal’s attention?
Use novelty or a specific cue that is appropriate for the training task, avoiding habituation.
What should be the cue for the new behavior?
The cue should be a clear signal delivered when the animal is receptive, not as an attention-getting device.
What helps the animal make the desired decision?
The decision-making process involves evaluating the benefit-cost of the requested behavior versus alternatives.
How can you convince the animal it is making the right choice?
Provide feedback on its decision using conditioned reinforcers and visual cues.
What dimensions of behavior are important in training?
Key dimensions include topography, error/success rate, frequency, duration, and latency.
What is the best way to build up the behavior?
If the behavior exists, reward it in the right context and shape it towards the end goal; if not, encourage it to occur.
What level of generalization is required for new behavior?
New behavior should be reliably elicited in various contexts, as performance may dip when the environment changes.
What is the goal of encouraging behavior in training?
Encourage the behavior to occur in some form (e.g. respondent counter-conditioning or behavioral luring).
What level of generalization is often desired in training?
It is often desired that the new behavior be reliably elicited in a range of contexts (stimulus generalization).
Why might performance dip when the environment changes during training?
Performance may dip when the environment is changed even slightly, as responses are initially learned in a specific context.
What factors can affect the reliability of response to obedience commands?
Factors such as the owner’s posture, wearing sunglasses, or a change in voice can affect reliability.
What is the importance of generalizing responses to different individuals?
It is important for a dog to learn to sit in response to requests from anyone, including children.
How does the amount of ‘proofing’ required vary?
The amount of proofing varies with both the individual animal and the behavior being established.
What is the effect of training in a variety of contexts?
Training in a variety of contexts initially can lead to more readily occurring generalization.
What should be done when the goal is for an animal to perform a behavior in an aversive situation?
Stimuli should be introduced gradually to help the animal maintain focus and generalize its response.
What dimensions of behavior can be measured in a training program?
The five dimensions include topography, error/success rate, frequency, duration, and latency.
What are common behavior modification techniques?
Counter-conditioning and systematic desensitization are frequently used techniques.
What is counter-conditioning?
Counter-conditioning is training an animal to perform a behavior incompatible with the problem response when presented with the problem-evoking stimulus.
What is classical counter-conditioning?
Classical counter-conditioning uses an unconditioned response, such as eating treats or playing.
What is instrumental counter-conditioning?
Instrumental counter-conditioning uses a conditioned response, such as a ‘sit-stay’ as the training goal.
What is systematic desensitization?
Systematic desensitization involves graduated exposure and habituation to an arousing stimulus to raise the threshold for inappropriate responses.
What is the first step before starting behaviour modification?
The first step is to rule out medical complications.
How should generalization be approached in training?
Start by involving all family members and recording their individual progress, moving from quiet areas to more distracting environments.
