Jean Donaldson - Training principles for behavior change Flashcards
What is THE behavioral evolutionary principle?
Behavior costs! MUST be benefits!
What consequence does the principle of all behavior costing energy have?
No properly functioning organism will do something without concrete motivation.
Behavior costs! MUST be benefits!:
Has domestication changed this principle?
No!
Behavior costs! MUST be benefits!:
Why does a dog sit on cue?
Due to history of carrot, stick or both!
Behavior costs! MUST be benefits!:
Which myth does this principle lay to rest?
Dogs have no inherent “desire to please”!
Behavior costs! MUST be benefits!:
Which other myth is also layed to rest by this principle?
All healthy dogs are motivated by food.
What are the options to positive reinforcement?
Only option to positive reinforcement is to hurt/scare.
What does research say about use of pain, fear, confrontation in dog training?
Unnecessary, unsafe, side effect–laden, inhumane. Not needed.
From a dogs perspective, why would it not sit on cue?
Handler has failed to motivate.
From a handlers perspective, why would a dog not sit on cue?
Make up revenge/power struggle narratives.
What are the key principles in dog training?
1) There’s no free lunch. 2) Has to feel safe. 3) Training is a step-by-step process.
What are the why problems of dog training?
1) Behavior has costs. 2) Fear trumps motivation.
What is the what problem of dog training?
Training needs to happen step-by-step: Repeated, gradual, scaled steps with criteria for reinforcement
What myth does the “No free lunch” principle lay to rest?
That there are trainers who achieve results with magical energy/personality. All trainers motivate CONCRETELY!
How to many owners resonate and feel around their dog not doing as it should?
Claims dog “knows” behavior, but is refusing to do them. Expects dog to behave correctly bc knows what to do and wants owner to be happy. Feels entitled to dogs obedience.
What is the more likely cause why a dog won’t do a behavior on cue? Rather than the owners expectation for the dog to want to please?
Owner used food at beginning of training, then stopped bc expect dog to “know” and to do behavior for praise only. Stopped paying dog.
What happens when a handler stops paying a dog for expected behavior?
The dog is actually on an extinction schedule. Behavior that does not have benefits, are too costly to be performed.
Does a dog ever chose to disobey?
No! Dogs do what works! No pay, no behavior. It’s not personal.
Many owners take it personal when a dog disobeys. How do they think around this?
Dog choses to disobey. It’s the dogs character traits. Stubborn, willful, dominant.
How should one think when a dog disobeys?
Not personal, just lawful behavioral principles! It’s not being payed for the desired behavior or it doesn’t “know” the behavior in that context at that level of difficulty.
How does humans differ from dogs in terms of behavior and its costs?
We have motivation to do things for pay in future. Or for common good/make others happy. Dogs need pay directly, tangibly.
There is an exception to the no-free-lunch principle. What is it?
Selective breeding magnifying behavioral sequences. Sporting dog, find retrieving inherently enjoyable. Retrieve without pay. Look like violation no-free-lunch principle.
What is actually happening when a dog seems to be giving you free-lunch?
Just happy alignment of what dog wants to do - what we find useful.
In dog training, what is the consequence of the dog-has-to-feel-safe principle?
Recognize/address fear before training!
