Training Tutorial

Before you continue, if you want to know the theory and whys behind operant conditioning and positive reinforcement, here are Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

So... let's pretend we're going to train a dog to target to your hand. This is one of the easiest things to train and will give you confidence for more complicated behaviors. First off, we need to set up our toolbox.

Is your dog motivated at all? Is it overweight and doesn't care about food? If it is, proceed with a diet first (overseen by your vet), then continue. Remember too that you can feed in different ways or use other rewards (though they are sometimes harder to be clear with).

In your toolbox, you will need:

a reinforcer - In this case, let's say it's pieces of kibble

a bridge - we will use a clicker with the word "good" as a secondary bridge since most

can't help but say it anyway. For a more skittish animal, a quieter sound may be

needed.

knowledge - understanding of the animal's habits and when and how it will work best

ex) Is he too distracted when the whole family's home around dinner? Short

morning sessions may be best then.

a training plan - We're going to basically make one in our tutorial, but a step by step plan of how

hope to proceed builds confidence and shapes your training. It's definitely fluid

and can be modified, but as a new trainer, it's best if you have this on your side.

Later, as your skill set improves, you can do more spur of the moment training.

A planned cue - In this case, let's say it's an open palm held out to your side along with the word

"target."

Find a good place to stash your reinforcement (the kibble.) Fanny packs work nicely. You can line it with a plastic bag if you want.

Step 1 - Condition the bridge by going to Fido and then just click the clicker and give him a treat immediately after. Do it many times in a row, but not too many that he loses interest. When you think he may have the idea, wait until he looks down or somewhere else and click the clicker. Does he look to you for treats? If he does, you know the bridge is established. He now knows that that sound means treats and will eventually get into the "training game" and know that it means, "Yes you did the right thing!" and that a reward is coming.
Step 2 - Hold out your hand, palm out toward Fido. He is likely to investigate it with his nose because that's what dogs do. The minute he does so, click with the other hand and then reward him with a treat. (Don't feel you have to do the reward in a great hurry. That's why we established a bridge.. to give you time to get the treat.)
Step 3 - Repeat step 2 a few times until it seems like he's getting the idea.
Step 4 - Now to add the verbal cue, when he touches his nose to your hand, say, "target" quickly and then click immediately. Repeat this step a few times.
Step 5 - When you've done step 4 a few times, hold out your hand and say "target" simultaneously. When he touches his nose to your hand, click and reward.

The behavior is trained! See? Simple! And since we've established the verbal cue, you may be able to generalize "target" to mean "touch your nose to whatever object I'm offering." If at any point, he isn't getting it, he's losing interest or he's offering the wrong behavior, take a short time out where you turn your back and withdraw the opportunity for reward. When we do this to people, we often call it "reverse psychology." Works like a charm doesn't it? If you find that either of you are getting too frustrated, shorten your sessions, or don't train when you know you aren't in a patient mood.

And now I totally want to go back to Jen's and train the little dog to station to the carpet when the doorbell rings. It would be so much fun!

Questions? Concerns? Cries of agony? I hope to open up a post soon to training questions, difficulties, situations etc where we can all brainstorm together on how to deal with them. We can extinguish behaviors or reshape them as needed as well, but that's more advanced stuff I didn't want to get into with this first tutorial. And remember, it's all the same principle for ALL of us.... human and animal alike. We just need different tools and expectations for different individuals and situations.

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