Training Sessions Versus Continuous Training

[DenverDogLover82]

I was reading an interesting website where a veterinarian points out that many dog owners mistakenly believe that training only happens during training sessions. In fact, as dog owners, we are constantly training our dogs throughout each day when we ignore or reward their behaviors.

My questions is: do you reward your dog's behaviors during the day that you wouldn't reward during training sessions?

I think it's easy for us, as dog owners and lovers, to forget that we are continuously shaping our dog's behavior.

What are your thoughts?

 

[MeriYa]

I'm such a dog lover that I feel like rewards can be given at all times, just as long as the dog is being obedient. A reward can be a pat on the dog's head or sides, or it can be a food treat, however not so many treats that the dog becomes overweight or looks for a treat every hour of every day.
I agree with you, I feel like we are constantly training our pets. In order for the professional training to become a part of the dog's routine, the dog has to have consistency in its training when he gets home. We reinforce the professionally taught behaviors by continuing them in the home, and we teach our pets daily by just what you said here, ignoring or rewarding their behaviors.

 

[Vinny]

I like to say “every interaction we have with our dogs is a learning experience for them”.

I do agree reinforcing and teaching is life long and the individual dog will always let us know what is reinforcing or not. I good trainer will always figure out what is reinforcing for each dog first.

Learning a hierarchy of reinforcers for each dog I find is another important part. The harder the behavior the higher the reinforcer then we can throw in reinforcement histories

Consistent and variable to name a few...

Great topic.

 

[Woolsy]

Dogs are similar to how children learn. They imitate or dictate their terms depending on how the adults interact with them. I don't give a treat every time my Woolsy obeys me. I reinforce the good act just by rubbing his head or belly and saying "good boy".

 

[Vinny]

I like to look at Dogs as being opportunist and always doing what works. I like to use a reinforcement schedule with all dogs also. New behaviors on a consistent schedule and proofed/under stimulus control on a variable schedule like a slot machine.

I agree with a reinforcement schedule but I do have an emergency recall that is always on a consistent reinforcement schedule

 

[MeriYa]

I like to look at Dogs as being opportunist and always doing what works. I like to use a reinforcement schedule with all dogs also. New behaviors on a consistent schedule and proofed/under stimulus control on a variable schedule like a slot machine.

I agree with a reinforcement schedule but I do have an emergency recall that is always on a consistent reinforcement schedule

Stimulus control on a variable schedule? Sounds like calculus for dogs.
What does this mean exactly? Because I don't know, but I'd like to know. Would you be so kind as to explain it to me? Is it a lot of work? Is it something that you have to do on a daily basis?

 

[DenverDogLover82]

I was curious what was meant by "stimulus control on a variable schedule," too.

Do you mean rewarding the positive behavior randomly? Like the first time, you'll give a reward for the behavior, skip the next two times, then give a reward for the 4th time?

 

[Vinny]

Apologoies for the confusion I like to look at stimulus control as when a dog is proofed with a cue. Therefore when we say sit the dog will sit in most environmental context.

“Essentially, stimulus control means that within the context of a training-session the dog offers the behavior when it perceives the cue and does not offer the behavior in the absence of the cue. For example, your dog will not "lie down" when you say "sit."

Schedules of reinforcement is exactly how Denver used the term. When a dog is starting to understand the cue we can start using a variable schedule like reinforcing every three sits and always mix it up like playing a slot machine. It is said Dogs can pickup a sequence for example if we always reward every two sits.

I’ll check Doggie Residence website for any articles on reinforcement schedules. I know the glossary section is almost finished.

 

[DenverDogLover82]

Awesome! Thanks for the clarification, Vinny. I have a BA in Psychology, but in Psychology, we call that reward schedule, "random reinforcement." It doesn't surprise me that dogs can pick up on patterns easily. They are intelligent furry companions.