Failure and Frustration

Often than not, presumably because of the huge communication barrier we have with the canine species, we bump heads and end up feeling frustration along with experiencing failures in our training. We've spoken about success in this blog before and what it means to be successful but we also need to cover the other end of that spectrum. Many of you are probably thinking, "Why even go there?" or "Why focus on failure?" Well, failure is where we learn and take lessons from. Failure is so important and I would honestly be disappointed if it wasn't part of the learning curve. Failures are what makes the successes so much sweeter. Frustration is what makes you delve deeper and think harder. It makes you think outside the box and try things you had not thought of trying before. Each dog is different and they all have something unique that motives them or gets them really revved and excited. But, unless we get stumped and run into problems along the journey, we won't ever be pushed to go "there" and pull other ideas out of our hats.

"The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure." -Sven Goran Eriksson

We are naturally worried and fear failure and what it may bring. Often times we don't want to continue trying because we think, "What's the point?" But, it is only those who truly persevere that manage to push through to that success. Failure is feedback and information. What you do with that information is up to you. The feedback you receive may frustrate you at first, but this vital information has hidden answers that lead you to your successes.

So what exactly is frustration? Frustration can be difficult to zero in on because at the moment it's happening, we don't really even want to think about anything. It's hard to run into a road block and try to think straight. During those times in training it's best to stop, back up and take a break. Being frustrated at your dog is definitely not the way to positively train and it certainly won't get you anywhere near the results you are likely striving for.

Why does frustration happen? This can honestly be caused by many things. A lack of consistent reinforcement or raising the criteria too high too quickly are two of the top things that play into building frustration for your dog and this will lead to misunderstanding or lack of response from the dog. This in turn of course frustrates you, the trainer, and it becomes a vicious cycle. You're unable to reward and the dog gets no feedback because a stalemate is created.

Now, let's talk about what we can do to keep frustration and from happening. Failure does not necessarily go hand in hand with frustration because we can teach the dog that failure isn't a bad thing. I touched on this a bit in previous blog posts but the main point is, failure happens but it just means we have to try again. If we don't teach our dogs that failure is okay we continue to vicious frustration cycle and just make things worse.

So, when you're training a dog a new behavior remember to reward often. Remind yourself that just as you would want an appealing paycheck, your dog deserves a high value paycheck as well. Whether that be kibble, treats, cheese, hot dogs or a toy is really up to the dog and what they enjoy being rewarded with. Recall that we do have a communication barrier so it is imperative that you be patient and give your dog the benefit of the doubt when learning new and complex tricks. One hugely important lesson I'd like to reiterate though is the fact that dogs are simply living beings just like us. They make mistakes just as we do. They have off days or days when they just don't feel like working. They have moments where they can't recall information or need a break. Listen to your dog and give them the same treatment you would want someone to give you. Kindness goes along way and most certainly keeps you and your dog from getting too frustrated and upset with each other. And remember, even if you do have an off day or a training session really doesn't progress or go the way you wish it had, failure happens. It is a part of all of us and a part of life. But, it doesn't mean your dog is incapable of learning, it doesn't mean you are incapable of teaching and it CERTAINLY doesn't mean that it's the end of the world.

Markers and Nonreward Markers

In training we have markers and non reward markers (NMR). A clicker or the words "yes" or "good" are markers that are paired with a treat, or 'charged', to teach the dog a reward is coming. A non reward marker, such as "no", "ah-ah", "oh-oh", "oops", "wrong" or "try again" are used to communicate with your dog that the response was not what you were looking for and to give it another shot. Failure in training is something we want the dog to understand and accept. It's important to know that failure happens, however, the game can continue if right choices are made. My dogs personally know that a wrong choice doesn't mean they will be punished but that they simply have to try something else to get their reward.

It's imperative that once you've charged up a marker such as the clicker that you honor your marker with a treat even if you click on accident. If you get into a habit of not rewarding even if you click, you'll likely end up lowering the value of the clicker and eventually the dog won't see much of anything special in it. Along with that, you want to remember only to click once for a marker. The clicker was made to have a unique sound and is an incredibly valuable tool. Poisoning it can make things more difficult if you like to train by shaping behaviors. Not only that, but even though you can use your voice as a marker for correct behavior, your voice is not as accurate and consistent as a clicker is.

 "You learn something every day if you pay attention." -Ray LeBlond

Markers and non reward markers can be incredibly useful in training because they give us a way to communicate in an effective, clear and concise manner with our dog. They are great precursors for what is to come or not to come. It's important we understand the power of these markers and use them correctly. If you're ever unsure about how to use markers or in what context one can use them in, brush up on your reading of behavior modification and training. A great book that covers clicker training and it's basics is "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor. This as well as her website are excellent resources to recall the basics and make sure you're doing it right. It's great that these tools are available to use, but in order to be successful in our training and communication we must be sure to use them correctly. Otherwise, what are you using it for?

Free Shaping

Today's post doesn't really put an emphasis on dogs but that's quite alright. This is because a recent phrase that stuck to me after reading Jean Donaldson's "The Culture Clash". She mentions that all creatures are subject to the laws of learning and that learning happens very similarly in different species.

Aside from dogs, a big passion of mine has always been any kind of animal, but especially the small fuzzy ones. Rodents are very social creatures and when given the chance are able to learn various behaviors. While I did not know about clicker training or shaping behaviors when I had my own guinea pigs in the past, I did use positive reinforcement to teach them simple behaviors. With what I know now, I feel that the possibilities are nearly endless and I'm excited to embark on this new endeavor.

Piglet is a guinea pig that belongs to a friend. She was dumped at the local pet store and although my friend was only considering fostering her, the story continued on and Piglet ended up with a great home here in Houston. Often than not, I consider myself her secondary caretaker should anything ever happen to my dear friend. Regardless, with the new Dogs Speak Dog Training business building up and my passion for behavior and communication growing, I felt it was best I broaden my abilities and begin shaping behaviors with a species other than canine.

So far, two sessions have occurred and it's been incredible to observe the means of learning and understanding that Piglet shows. We began the first session by charging the clicker just as one would with any other species. Carrots were the main treat as these are Piglet's favorites. It didn't take long to pair the click with the treat and soon she was searching out the carrot after hearing the click.

The next order of business was to begin to ask her to offer something that was simple. The wonders of clicker training and shaping, especially with a small creature such as a guinea pig, is that one can't really force or "show" a small animal how to do anything. They will either do it or they won't. There is no harsh jerking or pushing or shoving or yelling. Most small creatures would find this highly aversive and likely shut down or even bite quicker than a dog would be! One of the most simple thoughts we had then was to shape a nose touch. Most animals when offered a hand will reach out to sniff it. It took possibly a total of three clicks before she fully understood what was being asked of her.

"In [dog] training, jerk is a noun, not a verb." -Dr. Dennis Fetko

Today was session two and we continued the nose touch as this behavior is quite simple and continues to teach her targeting behavior. Hopefully this will come in handy when we wish to lure her with a target stick or some other device in the future.

Regardless of any of the details, shaping behaviors makes you a better trainer in that it teaches you about accuracy, maintaining criteria, noticing what rate of reinforcement you're using and well you can keep the attention of another being. I can certainly attest that shaping with a small creature that is not a dog, is quite a different feat and considers some thought. The learning mechanisms may be similar, but the physical abilities of the creatures and what motivates them as a whole is very different.

So, if you are trying to learn something new and want to test yourself as a trainer, go out and train something different. Try to communicate with an animal you've never attempted to have a "conversation" with before. I guarantee the things you see will amaze you and it will open your eyes to a whole new manner of teaching.

Polite Play

This blog post likely ties into socialization, communication and calming signals, but it's still an important enough topic to warrant a post in and of itself. Playing nicely with other dogs is something that I feel, unfortunately, we don't see too often. Dogs become too rough or are under socialized and react with fear and snap too quickly. It's important to have a dog who is willing to put himself out there for play but also respects the feelings of the dog he is interacting with. Compare this scenario to children. You would hope your child isn't painstakingly shy to the point where she doesn't chose to make contact with anyone on the playground. You also don't want a child who runs up to the first kid they see, push them over and take their toy. Dogs have to find a balance playing with each other as well.

In the following clips, you will see my personal dogs again. Shimmer and Vengeance have a very polite relationship with each other. From the day Vengeance came into our home, he has worshiped the ground Shimmer walks on. He's always wanted to be just like big sister and do what she does. Shimmer took a while to warm up to Vengeance but adores him and is very protective of him. Both have their moments of initiating play. They are almost equally sized. Shimmer is 19" at the withers and approximately 40 pounds while Vengeance is 19.5" at the withers and approximately 33 pounds. Shimmer, however, has a good bit of muscle and is well versed in the art of wrestling where Vengeance does more running and sprinting. Regardless of that, they both enjoy a good rough housing session and are excellent communicators while this play takes place.

"We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything, than when we are at play." -Charles Shaefer

This first clip is the beginning of play and very mild but affectionate and sweet "bitey-face". Both dogs are aware of their teeth and are simply getting the game started.

In this second clip, the game has begun to escalate and both dogs are being quite active and playful. However, both are still extremely aware of their surroundings and the strength of their bite.

This last clip shows how rough and crazy play can become. Regardless, you will notice not a single yelp. Neither Shimmer nor Vengeance vocalize in a manner that would lead me to think they are upset. Both are excited but have been taught by interacting with others to know their limits. And at the same time, both dogs know their limits are different when playing with each other versus a dog they do not live with and know as well as each other.

So, let your dogs play! Allow them to frolic and enjoy life. But, make sure they know how to do it politely!!!

Communication

Body language and vocalization. These two key points are ways in which dogs communicate with each other. Some choose to use their bodies more while others prefer using sounds. Many people have a preference as well. I mention this comparison because my two dogs are very different in the fact that both are able to communicate their feelings in a clear and concise manner, but they do it in a completely different manner. Shimmer, my older mixed breed, often begins with low or soft vocalizations. If those aren't respected or adhered to, she increases vocalization and only if that does not work does she resort to vocalizing while snapping and showing her teeth. It is seldom that she shows her teeth in displeasure. Often than not, she will use a stare or her entire body will stiffen and she will move to the side. On the other end of the spectrum, we have my young border collie, Vengeance. His go to communication tool is a slight lift of the lips, showing his teeth, or a snap in the right direction. Occasionally, if that doesn't work, he will vocalize as well. But, his vocalization is the tool he reaches for if showing those canines doesn't work.

Many of you may be reading this and possibly thinking, "Gosh, that sounds quite scary. Are you sure they should be doing that?" I believe that communication, in an effective manner, is one of the key components of owning dogs and allowing them to socialize. This is why I made the comparison to humans earlier. We, as people, have a preference as well. If someone sits very close to us on a bus that isn't very crowded, we may move our body away or withdraw a little if we feel uncomfortable. Our space has been invaded and our body language clearly shows that. Some people are more forward and will happily get up and move or even say, "Excuse me, could you give me some space?" These behaviors are in no way rude or unacceptable. They are what is necessary to live with other beings. The same thing goes for dogs. While dogs don't have the ability to speak like we do, they do vocalize. Unfortunately, it sounds a lot scarier and mean to us humans. The wonderful part in this though is that dogs that have been properly socialized and taught bite inhibition as well as polite communication skills are able to voice their discomfort without causing a scene or a fight.

I'm using this opportunity to share a video below. A friend recently adopted a young dog who was hit by a car. He is currently still intact as he was believed to be neutered but it seems the shock of the accident caused him to tighten up and "hide" his testicles quite well. So, we have an intact, young male puppy whose history is unknown. There is little knowledge of what kind of interactions he has had with other dogs or what amount of communication he has learned. This video illustrates the interaction between, Mason, the newly adopted dog, and my two dogs, Shimmer and Vengeance. The reason Vengeance is already showing teeth in this clip is due to the fact that Mason regularly attempts to mount him. We're assuming that at this moment it could be a combination of Mason not understanding why he is performing the behavior he is performing due to his hormones. Another likely explanation is that it is an attempt to play and seek attention but unfortunately this is the incorrect way to receive attention from my dogs. Mason has quickly learned that mounting is a big no-no among Vengeance. If Vengeance wanted to, he could easily inflict damage. There is no doubt that teeth are teeth and every dog has the ability to bite if they wish to do so. However, due to the extensive amount of socialization that he has received, Vengeance mainly lifts a lip or lightly growls. If that does not work he will snap, but it is an incredibly inhibited behavior because he reaches just far enough to make his point clear but not far enough to even graze Mason's fur. You'll also notice Shimmer in this video clip using her vocalizations. Mason has quickly learned that she will not tolerate any sort of silly behavior and that he must be careful in his choices when interacting with her. This is likely due to him being intact. Shimmer is often much stricter with intact males and what she allows them to do around her.

"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said." -Peter Drucker

 

Luckily, many dogs are highly skilled in respecting communication and hearing the unspoken. If your dog isn't able to communicate as well as you'd like, evaluate what signals your dog gives. Is he giving the right ones? Which ones does he use? When does he use them? What about when other dogs try to communicate with her? Does she understand? Does she react correctly?

Sometimes it just takes time to sit back and watch dogs interact. Once you begin to read and understand dog language yourself, it is much easier to teach your dog what is acceptable and what isn't. Dogs are incredibly social animals. A dog that is socialized and raised correctly has no problem interacting with a variety of dogs. It is up to you, as the owner, to make sure they have the correct tools to do so.

An excellent book I recommend that covers a lot of the basis of communication not just dog-on-dog but dog-on-human as well is a book called "The Culture Clash" written by Jean Donaldson.

Remember that dogs have every right to communicate the same way we as people do. When your dog speaks, please, make sure to listen. They're constantly giving feedback and it's up to us to use that.

Why Do We Train? (Guest Blog)

It is amazing to me how many people just don’t bother to train their dogs.  Most people will teach their dog to sit or shake hands or speak but if you ask your average dog-owner if he’s taught his dog a reliable stay or recall he’ll say something like, “Well, he comes when he feels like it or he’ll come if I have a cookie in my hand.”  At which point I usually just shake my head and hope that they never experience what I experienced this morning. 

I have to say that I am pretty paranoid when it comes to my dogs and their safety.  Also, because I own a Rottweiler I am super aware of liability issues that might arise from having a so-called “aggressive or dangerous” breed.  When I walk them I ALWAYS have them on-leash.  When we go to the park they are never out of my sight and voice control.  When I let them out I check and double-check both backyard gates just to make sure they are shut and secure.  I describe all of this because I want every reader to be aware that I am MUCH more careful than the average dog-owner.  I say this not to be judgmental of anyone but to illustrate that even when taking the most careful of precautions, accidents can and DO still happen.

This morning I let my dogs out into the side yard to potty because the dogs I am pet-sitting for were using the back yard.  I glanced at the gate as usual to make sure it was shut.  I went into the kitchen to fix everyone’s breakfast.  Then I returned to the front door to let my dogs in.  When I opened the door I was not greeted by my boys waiting to enter the house and get their breakfast.  Then I looked up and saw that the gate was ajar.  My heart immediately jumped into my throat.  My worst nightmare had happened.  Both Ritter and Cinna were out.  It was six o’ clock in the morning and still very dark.  Neither dog was wearing a collar and only one is chipped.  At this point, instinct took over.  I ran out of the gate and did not see either dog.  I shouted Ritter’s name first and before I could even get Cinna’s name out of my mouth, he came running around the corner of the house with Ritter hot on his tail.  I almost cried I was so happy.  Both dogs ran right to me and then into the side yard when I told them to go inside. 

That incident could have had a MUCH different ending.  I could have had to call into work and spend my morning driving around the neighborhood frantically searching for my lost dogs.  I could have discovered them lying dead in the road or shot by a scared neighbor or kicked to death by one of the cows in the field behind my house.  Any or all of these things could have happened.  But because I spent a little bit of time and effort TRAINING my dogs, they did exactly as I have trained them to do and came when I called them.  They came the first time and they didn’t play catch-me-if-you-can when they got back to me.  THIS is why you train.

I always tell my clients that if you learn to teach your dog NOTHING else in my class, you need to learn a reliable re-call.  It will save your dog’s life and possibly your sanity.  It probably saved mine today.  I hope no one ever has to experience how scary it is to think that your dogs might be lost.  You don’t have to be a training expert to train your dog.  You don’t have to earn a single title or even compete.  But in the event that an accident DOES happen you want to be sure that your training does exactly what it is supposed to do and that is to ensure that your dogs are safe and under control.

 

Note from Marcella: Thank you to Meghan for another excellent blog post and topic!