Poisoned Cues, Fallout and Shutting Down

Or, Why Stephani Really Really Dislikes Aversives!

When a trainer combines positive punishment (P+) or negative reinforcement (R-) with Positive Reinforcement (R+, mostly food), it can really screw up a dog. Not just the dog, but the relationship between the dog, its owner and the environment around it.

Terms like: poisoned cue, fallout, and shutting down all refer to cases where both food and punishment have been used.

For the sake of this post, I am going to use "food" for positive reinforcement and "punishment" for positive punishment. Please note that there are other instances that also cause fallout.

So, a typical scenario in positive reinforcement based training might be: dog sits, gets a click and then a cookie. Happiness all around! If the dog does not sit, then we wait a few seconds and do something else (like a down or loose leash walk) and then re-cue. If the dog sits, click then treat. If the dog doesn’t sit, then no cookie. As easy as that.

In a scenario that combines food with punishment it looks like this: owner cues the sit, dog sits, gets clicked and treated. Owner walks a few steps and asks for a sit. Dog doesn’t sit, so owner leash pops the dog (or smacks the dog’s butt or pushes the dog into a sit), the dog sits and then is clicked and treated. The cue no longer means something good. It becomes poisoned. The dog has no way of knowing if the cue will mean something good or something bad, so it avoids the bad and sits.

You can poison a cue quite easily with a soft (sensitive) dog if you are training while frustrated. You can also poison a cue by introducing a shock collar into the mix and shocking the dog.

Retraining a dog that was trained with punishment or a combination of punishment and food is a long, long road to recovery.

If a trainer tells you that the only way to “proof” your dog for certain behaviors is to start using punishment, then I say bullshit (proofing is another traditional trainer term, but I use it in class and mean the same thing, but without punishment). Proofing means testing the dog in a number of scenarios to see if they really understand the cue. You don’t need to correct (punish) the dog if they screw up - you need to back up your expectations and train more. In other words, you have not trained enough!

 
Note: Part of this post was originally written in another forum. 

Operant Conditioning

I am a positive reinforcement based dog trainer. That means that I strive to teach my dogs appropriate behavior and to do it without using applied an aversive.

What is an aversive? Well, in my world view, an aversive is something that a dog doesn't like. It can be something that causes pain or fear or discomfort. Granted, there are plenty of things in life that causes pain, fear and discomfort, but I do not want to be one of those things. And, I can train without them.

Most dog training is based on Operant Conditioning: Positive Reinforcement (R+), Negative Reinforcement (R-), Positive Punishment (P+) and Negative Punishment (P-). I use R+ and P- when training my dogs (I have listed them in green below). These are the two categories that do not contain aversives.

Quick guide:
Reinforcement  = increasing behavior 
Punishment  = reducing behavior
Negative = taking something away
Positive = adding something


Positive Reinforcement: This category means you are adding something in order to increase behavior. The thing that you are adding can be: food, attention/praise, and play.

Negative Reinforcement: This category means you are taking something away in order to increase behavior. This category uses aversives.

A classic example of this is when a rat is being shocked and it pushes on a bar to stop the shock. The shock increases the likelihood that the rat will press the bar. In dog training, an example is holding a choke collar tight until the dog sits and then loosening the collar when the dog sits.

Positive Punishment: This category means that you are adding something in order to decrease behavior. This category uses aversives.

An example of this is a shock collar to make the dog stop barking. Or, an electric fence to reduce the dog's wandering behavior.

Negative Punishment: This category, you are removing something in order to reduce behavior. This category can have aversives, but most often, aversives are not needed.

Examples of non-aversive uses in this category is a time out (you are removing freedom). Or, turning one's back on a jumping dog and walking away (you are removing attention).

Some other terms that I frequently use:

Desensitization and counterconditioning: This is, essentially, classical conditioning (for instance, pairing a feared object with food) while slowly decreasing the distance and amount of time the dog spends with the feared object. This technique is used a lot with fearful or reactive dogs.

Poisoned Cue, Fallout, Shutting Down: see the next post for more information about these. 

October 2012 Class Schedule

The new class session starts on October 13, 2012.

Puppy Class (one opening)

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Cost: $80.00 per session

Puppy ages: Puppies under one year.

Requirements: Puppies must be as up to date on shots as possible.

Goals: Appropriate socialization, housetraining, body handling, and environmental enrichment. Classes include handouts and troubleshooting problem behaviors. This class session will also focus on the AKC Star Puppy Program and include a voluntary test at the end of the session.

Foundation I (one opening)

Time: 11:30 a.m. class

Cost: $80 per 6 week session.

Dog ages: Over one year.

Requirements: All dogs must be appropriately vaccinated.

Goals: This class includes basic behaviors such as sit, down, sit-stay, down-stay, recalls, and loose leash walking, plus troubleshooting common behavioral problems such as inappropriate greetings and counter surfing. It will also include foundation training for dog sports: focus training, impulse control, off leash work, introduction to equipment. Courses will include basic rally, some jump and tunnel work and other foundation behaviors.

Foundation II 

Time: 10:00 a.m. (full) and 2:00 p.m. (openings available)

Cost: $80 per 6 week session.

Requirements: All dogs must be appropriately vaccinated. In order to take Foundation II, dogs must either have taken Foundation I or have permission from the instructor.

Goals: This class includes advanced behaviors such as sit-stay and down-stay at a distance and with distractions, recalls, and off leash work. It will also include foundation training for dog sports: focus training, impulse control, off leash work, introduction to equipment. Courses will include rally, some jump and tunnel work and other foundation behaviors.

Foundation III (openings available)

Time: 8 a.m (openings available) and 9 a.m. (full)

Cost: $80 per 7 week session. Students in this level are eligible for buying classes in bulk: buy 6 weeks at $80, get one week free (7 weeks for $80). Buy 10 weeks at $130, get two weeks free (12 weeks for $130).

Requirements: All dogs must be appropriately vaccinated. In order to take Foundation III, dogs must either have taken Foundation I or II or have permission from the instructor.

Goals: This class focuses on advanced foundation training for dog sports: focus training, impulse control, off leash work, introduction to equipment. Multiple distractions will be used and advanced stay behaviors trained. Courses will include rally, jump and tunnel work and other foundation behaviors. Students that have taken this level should be ready to take an agility or rally seminar and keep up with the class.

Upon Request
Reactive or fearful dog classes are available upon request. Shy dog classes are also available. And, if your dog needs focus/impulse control work, please contact Stephani for more information.

Private Lessons: House Calls

Time: contact Stephani for available days and times

Cost: $50 for the first visit.

Private lessons are available for basic behaviors and behavioral issues such as fear and aggression.

Mouthy Puppies!

I have had a lot of questions lately about puppy mouthing, biting or nipping. This is a summary of the advice I normally give to my students.

There are two problems with puppy mouthing. One is bite pressure/bite inhibition (how soft a dog's mouth is) and how often or what they bite (clothes, skin, pant legs, arms, etc).

My first piece of advice: ditch the spray bottle, scruffing, holding the mouth closed or any other aversive method. They don't work and they can cause your puppy to fear you.

My second piece of advice: persistence and consistency.

You will be dealing with puppy mouthing for a long time. Anywhere from a month to 6 months. It is not going to go away quickly, but it will go away.

 

When dealing with any problem behavior, we need to do more than deal with just the behavior. We also need to change the way we deal with the dog. This applies to puppies and to adult dogs.

Step 1: Stuffed Kongs are your friend. I stuff them with peanut butter. Or yogurt mixed with PB (and sometimes banana). I freeze this kind. I also stuff them with kibble coated with yogurt (then freeze).

Other food toys include the Kong Wobbler or any Premier food toys. The key to food toys is that you need to make them fun. So, we change what is in the toy, the type of toy and when the dog gets the toy on a regular basis.

If you really need a break from your puppy, then he goes in a crate with a Kong. You can use a special room for him, too, but it (and your entire house) needs to be puppy proofed. If you have not yet puppy proofed your house, then you'll need to get down on your hands and knees and figure out, from their height, what they will get into and then move it out of their reach.

Step 2: Increase exercise. Finding the right balance can be difficult, so keeping a log helps a lot. We don't want to tire a very young puppy out too much, but we also need to keep increasing exercise gradually so that the puppy gets enough.

Step 3: Hand feeding. This can help teach a puppy a lot about how gently to take food. It also builds trust and the bond between you and your puppy.

Step 4: Deal with the mouthing in a non-aversive way. 

 

Remember, you will need to be consistent and persistent! 

 

Some trainers advise yelping or saying something (other than No) when your puppy mouths too hard. You can do that if you like, but you need to combine it with the following:

 

Every single time that your puppy grabs you, stand up and walk away (i.e., play immediately stops). If necessary, walk into a room where he can not follow and shut the door. Wait a few seconds to a minute and then rejoin him. If you continue playing while the puppy is mouthing, then you are rewarding the mouthing.

Redirection: If he grabs your shirt and starts tugging, redirect to a play toy and then play with him. Don't just give him the toy. Because a toy that doesn't move is far less interesting than a human who moves around (and squeals or whatever).

If he stops grabbing you, then you need to immediately reward with praise, food, play or something like that. Remember, we are training the behaviors we want, so we need to take every opportunity to reward calm, quiet behavior (this will not make your puppy a couch potato, but will make him easier to work with if you want to, say, run agility with him).

Keep play quiet and gentle. No rough housing or you will get a rough playing dog. So, tug is fine, but only gentle tug. Playing with toys is fine, but gentle play. If you play gently with him and stop playing when he is rough, then you will teach him to play gently. If you play rough with him and ramp him up and reward the hyper activity with more rough play, then you will have a hyper rough dog.

 

Impulse control is all about being able to calm down during the middle of play. Now is the time to start teaching that. Play for a bit, then get your puppy to calm down (see below). Then, play for a bit more. Repeat this often for a good start to an off switch.

Step 5: Use your obedience behaviors to control behavior. So, your puppy is getting wound up and needs to settle, we work on puppy push ups (sit, lie down and then sit back up) or a go-to-mat cue. If I have a dog that is wound up, I usually do a training session (5 minutes) and then I will play or take it for a walk or a game of fetch. But, I do the training session FIRST so that I can reward all that good behavior with both treats and with a secondary reward of play time or fetch time afterward.

So, to recap:


If mouthing starts, all play and interaction stops immediately. If necessary, remove yourself from the area around the puppy. Once mouthing stops, initiate play again to reward the puppy when it has stopped.

Class Schedule - May 2012

The new class session starts on June 2, 2012 (except for puppy class, which is always open).

Puppy Class (openings available)

This class is an ongoing class - signups available anytime.

Time: 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Cost: $5.00 per puppy per class

Puppy ages: 8 to 20 weeks

Requirements: Puppies must be as up to date on shots as possible. Puppies should be carried from the car into the classroom.

Goals: Appropriate socialization, housetraining, body handling, and environmental enrichment. Classes include handouts and troubleshooting problem behaviors.

Foundation I (openings available)

Time: 11 a.m. class (openings available) and 1:30 p.m. class (openings available)

Cost: $80 per 6 week session.

Dog ages: 20 weeks and up

Requirements: All dogs must be appropriately vaccinated.

Goals: This class includes basic behaviors such as sit, down, sit-stay, down-stay, recalls, and loose leash walking, plus troubleshooting common behavioral problems such as inappropriate greetings and counter surfing. It will also include foundation training for dog sports: focus training, impulse control, off leash work, introduction to equipment. Courses will include basic rally, some jump and tunnel work and other foundation behaviors.

Foundation II (openings available)

Time: 10:00 a.m. (openings available) and 2:30 p.m. class (openings available)

Cost: $80 per 6 week session.

Requirements: All dogs must be appropriately vaccinated. In order to take Foundation II, dogs must either have taken Foundation I or have permission from the instructor.

Goals: This class includes advanced behaviors such as sit-stay and down-stay at a distance and with distractions, recalls, and off leash work. It will also include foundation training for dog sports: focus training, impulse control, off leash work, introduction to equipment. Courses will include rally, some jump and tunnel work and other foundation behaviors.

Foundation III (openings available)

Time: 8 a.m (openings available) and 9 a.m. (full)

Cost: $80 per 7 week session. Students in this level are eligible for buying classes in bulk: buy 6 weeks at $80, get one week free (7 weeks for $80). Buy 10 weeks at $130, get two weeks free (12 weeks for $130).

Requirements: All dogs must be appropriately vaccinated. In order to take Foundation III, dogs must either have taken Foundation I or II or have permission from the instructor.

Goals: This class focuses on advanced foundation training for dog sports: focus training, impulse control, off leash work, introduction to equipment. Multiple distractions will be used and advanced stay behaviors trained. Courses will include rally, jump and tunnel work and other foundation behaviors. Students that have taken this level should be ready to take an agility or rally seminar and keep up with the class.

Private Lessons: House Calls

Time: contact Stephani for available days and times

Cost: $50 for the first visit.

Private lessons are available for basic behaviors and behavioral issues such as fear and aggression.

It is official!

Right on the Mark Dog Training, LLC has now been formed!

Body Handling Issues - Nail Trimming

With many behavioral issues, we go back to the basic desensitization and counter conditioning "rules."  The "rules" can be found at the link below.

http://ellaherdingcats.blogspot.com/2011/11/fear-based-behaviors-overview.html

When working with a dog that dislikes having his nails trimmed, we start very slowly and use a very high value treat. Some dogs have learned to snap when a hand comes close to their feet, so we start at a safer spot, such as the shoulder area. If your dog has back-end handling issues, you can do the same steps as below, but start at the shoulder area and work very slowly to the hip area and then down the back leg. If, at any time, you feel unsafe, consult with a professional dog trainer!

Make your dog and yourself comfortable for this, since this should be enjoyable for both of you. A grooming table can be very useful or have the dog lie quietly on the couch while you sit beside him. If you already use a clicker or a marker word, it can be used during desensitization and counter conditioning. Or, you can just give the treat. Each session should be about 5 minutes long and you can do multiple sessions per day, but do not take the next step until the dog is completely comfortable during the current step.

Some dogs have become afraid of the clippers, so having them where the dog can see them can be helpful, but we will not pick them up at first.

Assuming the dog does not mind being touched at the shoulder, start by gently touching and patting the shoulder area. At the same time, click, if using the clicker, then give a treat. Repeat this: touch the shoulder area, click, and then give a treat.

When the dog is happily anticipating your touch at the shoulder area, move your hand to the elbow area. Touch, click and treat.

Here are the next areas: upper leg, ankle, foot. Remember to practice at each area until the dog becomes completely comfortable.

Signs that the dog is not comfortable: panting, lip flicking, tucked tail, shaking, looking away, snapping, or growling. Some other signs include pulling the paw away or running away during the training session. If any of these happen, then you need to back up at least one, if not two steps.

Signs that your dog is comfortable: tail wagging, looking for the treat, offering the paw, begging.

Once your hand is on or near the dog’s foot, try holding the foot gently in your hand for the count of one. Remember that we are still clicking and treating! Slowly build up duration (time) that the dog’s foot is in your hand by working on one second hold, then two second hold, then one second hold, then three second hold and so on.

We are not quite to the clipping stage yet! We still need to part the toes, touch the foot with the clipper, clip the clipper, and then clip the nails. For the first two steps, still click and treat as you do them.

The “clip the clipper” step is an important one. During this step, we will use an old set of clippers and some toothpicks. Every time you clip a toothpick, your dog will get a treat. Do this over and over until he becomes comfortable with the noise. Once comfortable with the noise, clip the toothpick while holding or touching the dog’s foot with your hand (this takes a little practice).

Once the dog is comfortable with the noise, it is time to pair the holding of the paw with the clipping of the clipper. If your dog is easygoing, you could try to clip one nail at this point. When first starting to clip, I give a treat before and after the clip. Two treats for each nail. Once the dog is completely comfortable with being clipped, then I phase out the beginning treats and give one after each nail.

To review the steps: shoulder, elbow, upper leg, ankle, foot, holding foot, parting toes, touch the foot with the clipper, clip the clipper, clip the nails.

To review the rules: do not proceed to the next step until your dog is completely comfortable with the step that you are working on. Some dogs can fly through all of the steps in one session, but this in the exception. Taking a week or more per step is not uncommon.

Body Handling Issues - An Overview

Socialization during puppyhood includes introduction and desensitization to a lot of new things. Most people think of socialization as meeting new people and dogs. It does mean this, but socialization also needs to include getting used to being gently handled (grooming, petting, etc), experiencing many different types of flooring, riding in cars, seeing other animals, and a whole host of other experiences that can help make a puppy confident in his or her environment.

Body handling issues happen when a dog has not been handled enough as a puppy, dislikes being handled in certain areas or has had a bad experience that causes fear of being handled. It can be interesting to speculate why a dog might not like being handled in certain ways, but no matter what the reason, we can help them become more comfortable with being handled.

This series of articles about Body Handling issues will alternate with the Fear Based Behaviors articles during 2012.

Not snowing yet, but we can not wait!