Success

What does it mean to be successful in dog training? I certainly think we all measure success in different ways. For some it may mean keeping a dog under threshold. This means, making sure the dog is mentally still able and willing to learn. If one goes above threshold with a dog, the dog will often refuse food and be in the sense "so far gone" that learning at that point is impossible. This is why techniques, such as flooding, often do not work. Flooding a dog would be like putting a dog near a bunch of fireworks even if that dog was deathly afraid. Why do psychologists know that putting a person with arachnophobia into a room full of spiders wouldn't work? Because they are above threshold and too far gone. Some would say they could see success if the dog is able to focus on a place with distractions. Others would measure success by the amount of tricks their dog knows. The main point is that we all view success differently. How we get there, is another matter entirely. A huge phrase often used in dog training is "set your dog up for success, not failure". Learning becomes much easier and more fun when the dog accomplishes something and is rewarded for it. How would a person react if they were constantly set up to fail? Just like people, a dog would simply shut down and refuse to continue trying. One can only take so much failure. Generally speaking, one wants to make sure a dog doesn't fail more than twice. Why? After that it becomes a behavior chain and the failure is rehearsed. If the dog fails, a smart thing to do would be to go back one step and have the dog succeed again. If your dog is unable to perform a behavior then clearly they do not understand it as well as you think they do.

Let's begin with shaping a behavior. What does it mean to shape a behavior and how do you start? Shaping a behavior begins by building the dog up slowly until the dog learns what it is you truly want. We can use the 101 games with a box example. Say you are trying to teach a dog to climb into said box. You cannot simple expect the dog to climb in the box right away. Why? The dog has absolutely no idea what you want from her. Many of you have probably heard of clicker training and there are various books out there that encompass the basics as well as some that further your understanding and help you shape more complex behaviors.

In the scenario above, we would start with a clicker and treats. You, as the trainer, must come up with criteria. What behavior does the dog perform that will give her a click and treat? Could it be sniffing the box? Looking at the box? Nudging the box? It is up to you, but whatever criteria you pick, be fair and stick to it. Success begins in small steps and starts with a small behavior. In the end, we want our dog getting into the box, but right now, we just want the dog to understand that the box has something to do with what we want her to perform. Depending on how quickly she learns, you may have to click and treat for only 10 sniffs or more. But, the main thing to remember is dogs learn at different paces. Some will pick up the beginning behavior quickly and get stuck later on while others may understand that sniffing the box gets a cookie but then they aren't sure where to go from there. After the dog understands that sniffing the box yields a cookie the criteria is increased to something such as pawing the box. This continues and goes on until the dog puts one paw in, two and finally the end behavior is achieved. The main thing we have to understand is that each step is success. The reason we break this end behavior up into many steps is to achieve success and teach the dog that learning and attempting different things is fun. The dog is allowed to think and make choices for herself. Choices that meet the criteria are rewarded while choices that do not are simply ignored.

"Action is the foundational key to all success." -Pablo Picasso

No matter what level in training a dog is at or what we as dog owners want to accomplish, each and every dog can have success and we as trainers should recognize it. If your dog has trouble focusing in a distracting environment, simply a trip to the pet store without pulling and yanking you everywhere should be considered success. If your dog is a constant jumper and you have a get together and the dog remembers to keep all paws on the ground then that is a very big deal. It's important not only to praise the big achievements but the small ones as well. No one likes to learn when they are reprimanded for every little thing they do wrong. Dogs are living beings and they will absolutely make mistakes. We as people make mistakes but receive encouragement and this keeps us going.

Today is the start of a brand new year. 2013 has a whole lot in store and I encourage each and every person that reads this blog post to make one goal for themselves and their dogs. How will you achieve this goal? What steps will it take to get there? Why is this something you want to accomplish? Think of the answers for these questions and remember to be kind to yourself and your dog. Each step you take to better your relationship through positive training is a step in the right direction. Not only does your dog deserve to be praised for it but you should see it as an accomplishment for yourself as well.

I am a huge believer in clicker training and that success stems from positive reinforcement. Behaviors are increased through praise and reward. There are many clicker training books out there helpful to not only the novice but also those people that have been training for a while. We can all learn something as we are constantly discovering something new about dogs. Some clicker training and dog behavior books that I recommend (including some I've read myself) are...

"Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor
"Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs" by Karen Pryor
"The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson

Clicker training is a great way to begin paving the path to success. Not only is it simply for the dog to understand but it is a fantastic way to truly experience how a dog learns and how behaviors are established.

So, will you CLICK with your dog?